1999 sterling silver 50 cent piece

This coin, designed by Donald Curley, commemorates the invention of basketball by James Naismith, born near Almonte, Ontario in1861 and educated in Montreal. In 1891, while teaching physical education at the International YMCA Training School in Massachusetts, Naismith was asked to create a game that could be played within the limitedspace of a gymnasium in winter. Naismith devised a game of skill, drawing inspiration from a rugby warm-up exercise in which players tossedmedicine balls into a box, and a childhood game involving trhowing stones to land on and dislodge an opponent's rock. In the gym, Naismith nailed a peach basket to the gymnasium balcony, practised throwing an old soccer ball into it, and created the rules for the game. Basketball quickly gained popularity and was played worldwide by the turn of the century.

CANADIAN SPORTS FIRSTS - BASKETBALL - 1999 CANADIAN COINS 08 is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 16- SPORTS and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.