Money Museum’s exhibit Triple Play: Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coins

Celebrate Black baseball history with the Chicago Fed by visiting the new Money Museum temporary exhibit Triple Play: Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coins. Launched in mid-July, this exhibit honors the determination Black baseball players showed when segregation kept them out of White-led leagues and displays the three coins that were produced by the U.S. Mint in response to The Negro Leagues Commemorative Coin Act passed in 2020.

What you’ll see: The coins depict imagery of Negro League teammates standing together, players in action from at bat to the pitcher’s mound, and objects with historical significance like the away game bus which became a home on the road when players were refused entry to racially segregated hotels and restaurants. A special tribute to the man often credited as the father of Black baseball, Andrew “Rube” Foster, is paid with the $5 gold coin, which features his portrait and signature.

The coins and surrounding exhibit will be on display at least into early 2025 at the free museum, located on the Chicago Fed’s first floor at 230 S. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. The museum is open weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm, and a security scan and government-issued ID are required for entry.

The Money Museum also features historical currency, interactive games, and many exhibits about the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Federal Reserve System. It is open to the public and is visited frequently by school and business groups.