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Freedom 250 Race Medal on USM site
Survivor50
Posts: 95 ✭✭✭
New to the USM product schedule. Available August 21, $60, few other details.
Edit to add 250 to title
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Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
Scant details, but it shows the designs that were selected:
https://www.usmint.gov/2026-freedom-250-race-medal-26DCRM.html
$60, pre-order August 21.
releasing in 2 days and only has approved illustrations ... lol ok ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Just a preorder in 2 days. No word on when it could ship. Probably similar wait times as the first super hero coins.
ATS currently at 0 with just 2 days before release
Details have been added, a bit bummed out it's not a large 3 inch size medal.
Says it will be a "1.2-inch clad medal is encapsulated within a presentation box." Under specs it says 8.33% nickel and balance copper. Other mint medals just say Bronze for composition. This seems interesting.
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
Based on that description it sounds like they will be struck on half dollar planchets.
They list a 2 week order window but with a mintage of 15,000 I doubt they'll last anywhere near that long.
i agree. half dollar planchets
they make enough bronze, you'd think they could do a bronze one instead of clad garbage
Probably faster to get 15,000 clad medals on half dollar planchets struck and ready to ship. Not sure they ever sell anywhere close to that quantity of bronze medals and in that short of time
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
I know the USM can/will do whatever it pleases, but isn't the statement "produced to demand based on the orders received during this window" problematic if there is more demand than the stated mintage of 15,000 or is it a safe bet demand will be that low?
.> @Survivor50 said:
Good catch. I'm not sure if that was there earlier but the current text certainly contradicts the product/mintage limit.
Yes, it has been there since earlier today when they added the mintage limit and information.
Would this be considered a new "so-called Half Dollar?"
Or will it be collected similar to the Norse medal in regards to the classic commemmmemorative series?
It's not Penske material.
Had the same thought though always suspect of the convoluted, muddled statements recently regarding mintages, as subscriptions and now pre-orders came into play. Didn't the Mint also eliminate "sold out," which additionally adds to questionable actual mintages posted at any given time (throughout pre-order & subscription availability.)
This is not serious people.
Is there supposed to be a comma in your comment?
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
The Mint did not eliminate "sold out". That always came later when they had decided no more would be available. The 2017 EU set went to "sold out" almost a year after they stopped selling them.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Could be, I suppose. But they are calling it a medal, so why isn't it just a medal?
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Some years ago a counterfeiter made copper blanks the size and weight of a quarter and added reeding to the edges. They passed successfully in vending machines and slot machines. They were deemed to be counterfeit coins.
But the mint has also produced non-coins to coin specifications that would presumably work in vending machines or coin counters. This medal is one of them. The cent-sized mint tokens in past mint sets are another example. And the mint token made to fill the SBA space in the 1982 proof sets might be another one (has anyone tried?).
It's an interesting (to me) subject I thought I'd share. If course, no one will buy a $60 medal to use as a half dollar, but if a private entity produced such a medal they might be charged with counterfeiting based on prior cases.
It's just a mint made medal like the hundreds of other mint made medals that the US Mint has produced.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I meant this is a completely unserious initiative.
Same planchets as the clad DC superhero medals?
Any chance it's a winner?
The US Mint just posted the product page for the 2026 Freedom 250 Race Medal. I think it looks cool but will it be popular, knowing that it's pretty rare for a medal to be popular? I think the design is really cool. Mintage of 15k, no HHL (as of now). $60.
https://www.usmint.gov/2026-freedom-250-race-medal-26DCRM.html?srsltid=AfmBOooxA4hRfoMBQ0J-6El8bO0zL2xYhrprHt36yrYXKiq9GzluhyXm
modern medals are not known to be fought over. they have meh sales.
buy it if you like it
walk, do not run
Mintage of 15,000...BUT:
The product will be available to be ordered during an order window, which will close on September 4, 2026, and orders are expected to begin shipping by September 28, 2026. The medal will be produced to demand based on the orders received during this window. No additional medals will be produced.
So, take your pick.
I think it would be much more popular if it also referenced the US Semiquincentennial or USA 250 or have the liberty bell 250 privy on it as well. I'm still going to try to get a few
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
it has "freedom 250" on it. there will be an indycar race in dc
"In celebration of the United States Semiquincentennial, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the first-ever NTT INDYCAR Series race in Washington, DC, will take place on August 22 – 23, 2026. The race will take place on a 1.7 mile-long track around the National Mall. Drivers will race 147 laps to complete 250 miles set against the backdrop of some of America’s most historic landmarks, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.
The United States Mint captured this singular convergence of American history and American speed in a single, strikable object–an official medal that turns this historic two-day spectacle into a lifetime keepsake.
The obverse (heads) design features an Indy Car inscribed with “USA” and a depiction of the United States Capitol. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “FREEDOM 250.”
The reverse (tails) design features a portrait of Roger Penske and the inscriptions “MOTORSPORT PIONEER” and “ROGER PENSKE.”
This 1.2-inch clad medal is encapsulated within a presentation box. The product will be available to be ordered during an order window, which will close on September 4, 2026, and orders are expected to begin shipping by September 28, 2026. The medal will be produced to demand based on the orders received during this window. No additional medals will be produced."
Talk about Need for Speed...this is like a T-Shirt sold at a concert. If you're a fan, if you're going to watch this race, perhaps you would like a souvenir? Or is this meant for collectors collecting rarities? It's a medal. It almost screams- ADVERTISEMENT.
Anyone buying today?
I kinda like the F1 obverse, but Penske ... and a medal, not 1/2 dollar. Pass.
Obverse is nice, but not for my collection. I only consider the silver medals and this "ain't that". 15,000 is a nice number maybe if anyone wants to flip them to race-car fans.
I'm not a big fan of medals, and i don't collect them, but this one looks very detailed & I would buy it if you're into racing and medals.
So far we only have the design drawings, and not even an AI mockup. I'm not sure how all that derail will translate into a medal. We'll find out soon enough.
It may take awhile to sell 15,000 of these. 12,473 ATS after 10 minutes. Was an initial rush but now the numbers not dropping very quickly.
Heavy traffic, waiting room, in and out quickly. I wanted to use this as a test of having an item on the wish list. After my brief wait it came up as add to bag, as I thought/hoped it should/would. Trying to save every precious second for future items.
Edit to add There was an extra cloud flare run right before I could hit place order, that I haven't noticed before. I may have just been missing it in the tense seconds of high demand items, but I'm wondering if something new was added.
They may not need to sell through 15,000, only as many as pre order through September 4.
Yes, they added that late last week. I ordered something Saturday and there was one more step (the Cloudfare thing)
Good way to look at it. Wonder what would happen if the Mint used this method in the future for most (or all) of their future products?
The mintage figure of 15,000 contradicts the other statement that they would strike to demand for orders received during the 2 week ordering window.
I had assumed that they'd exceed the 15,000 but maybe there will be fewer than that ordered.
The race is this weekend so if there is any promotion of the medal at the race then there could be an uptick in orders.
It would be interesting if they adopt this "mint-to-order" model. Get a 2-week ordering window, and then print to order.... After I already purchased a few, I'm now hoping they only sell about half (or less) of the available 15K -- that would make them even better (in terms of scarcity). Although they are just medals -- but look at those 2014 FS Medals that went nuts after they were suddenly marked as Unavailable. I think they even still carry a premium due to lower mintage than prior year FS Bronze Medal Sets.
Forgot about those 2014’s. This may end up being interesting after all.
As for the mintage idea, that could be something to experiment with. Collectors would have two weeks to decide if 15,000 (for example) of the 2027 Buffalo Gold Oz was worth spending $5500 on and decide. If only 4,000 of them sold based on collector interest, then you’d have a rather rare coin (mintage-wise). The possibilities are numerous. Some might like the idea….some would hate it.
It would ce complicated for the precious metals items, with the wild price swings. I think it would make for a lot of cancelations and reorders. Which are the 2014 FS medals?
The Mint did try this “mint to demand” method back in 2012 with the Eagle set. It had mixed results. Everyone who wanted a set was able to get one but the mintage ended up being high so there was no increase on the secondary market (which people didn’t like).
https://coinweek.com/2012-american-silver-eagle-san-francisco-proof-set-a-collectors-guide/
ATS : 11,997 as of 9:57 PDST
I like the model of mint to demand. Keeps the bots out of the way, folks get what they want, minimal flip until all bets are in.
I’d add no returns, only replacement and bulk buyers get delivery when everyone else does to this model and it’s a real winner!
That's what I meant by the two camps of thinking. A pure "collector-only" would like it, as he would be able to get what he wants almost all the time. Secondary folks wouldn't like it because it would be difficult to predict winners and losers until all orders were in. If the Mint stuck to a "we are willing to mint up to THIS number and NOT beyond" it would have some interesting winners and losers, based on your own perspective.
I do see how certain items would disappoint based on that article you shared. Thanks, btw!
The 2014 FS Medals were the Bronze First Spouse Medal sets that were issued along with the corresponding Presidents (Presidential $1 Coins) that were issued that year.
Got it, thanks. Yes, I wish I had ordered those at the time. I ordered all of the Presidents. I would mostly like to have the Liberty ones