U.S. Mint Issues 2026 Freedom 250 Race Medal on a Half Dollar Planchet, Limited to 15,000

CoinWeek reported on August 20, 2026, that the United States Mint would release the 2026 Freedom 250 Race Medal. The dates and sales terms below are the plans announced as of that report.

The medal marks the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an IndyCar race scheduled for Washington, D.C., on August 22-23, 2026. Pre-sale was set to open on August 21 at noon Eastern Time. The price was set at $60, and production was capped at 15,000 pieces.

A Medal on a Half Dollar Planchet

The Philadelphia Mint strikes each medal on a U.S. half dollar planchet. It remains a medal, not a legal-tender half dollar.

According to CoinWeek, the planchet is a clad half dollar planchet. Because of this planchet, the medal measures 30.61 mm and weighs 11.340 grams. The alloy is 8.33% nickel, with copper making up the balance. It has a Matte finish and a plain edge. Although Philadelphia is the production facility, the medal carries no mint mark.

The Designs

The obverse shows an Indy car with the inscription "USA" and the United States Capitol in the background. The inscriptions read "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "FREEDOM 250."

The reverse carries a portrait of Roger Penske with the inscriptions "MOTORSPORT PIONEER" and "ROGER PENSKE." According to CoinWeek, Penske enjoyed success as a young road racer before leaving competitive driving in 1965 to concentrate on business. He launched the racing organization that became Team Penske in 1966. In 1969, the team entered the Indianapolis 500 for the first time with Mark Donohue. Team Penske has 20 Indianapolis 500 victories. Penske Entertainment owns Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

First IndyCar Race in Washington

Organizers call the event the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the National Mall and the first IndyCar street race in Washington. The seven-turn, 1.7-mile street circuit was described as passing landmarks including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, and using Pennsylvania Avenue.

Officials first planned a 125-lap race, but INDYCAR increased the distance to 147 laps in August. Organizers market it as a 250-mile race for America's 250th birthday. INDYCAR's official schedule lists the distance as 147 laps and 249.9 miles. The main race was scheduled for Sunday, August 23; the August 22-23 dates cover the full race weekend.

How Ordering Works

The ordering window was announced to run from noon ET on August 21 to 3 p.m. ET on September 4. As of the report, the Mint listed no household order limit.

The Mint described the medal as made according to demand during the ordering period, but it set both the mintage limit and the product limit at 15,000 pieces. If buyers ordered fewer than 15,000, production could end below that number. The Mint stated that no additional medals would follow after the ordering program ended. Shipping was expected to begin on September 28, 2026. Each medal comes encapsulated in a black presentation box bearing the United States Mint Seal.

The Mint Director's Comments

Mint Director Paul Hollis described the medal as a combination of national pride, engineering advancement and the legacy of American open-wheel racing. He also emphasized the historic nature of bringing an IndyCar Series race to the capital and the medal's appeal to both motorsports fans and numismatists.

Source: CoinWeek, "2026 Freedom 250 Race Medal: U.S. Mint’s IndyCar First" (August 20, 2026).