U.S. Mint Unveiled a $60 Freedom 250 Race Medal for the First IndyCar Race in Washington, D.C. (August 2026)
The U.S. Mint announced a Freedom 250 Race Medal marking America's 250th anniversary and the first IndyCar race held in Washington, D.C., with preorders opening on Aug. 21, CoinNews reported on Aug. 20, 2026. The medal costs $60 and is limited to 15,000 pieces. It is a medal, not a coin, and its reverse shows a portrait of Roger Penske.
Correction (Oct 13, 2026): We corrected the headline, summary and body to match the source. We removed an unsupported investment verdict (that event-tied medals have weak secondary liquidity) and investment-oriented keywords, corrected "the first IndyCar race on the National Mall" to the source's "the first IndyCar race in the nation's capital," and added the report date (August 20, 2026) and the fact that the item is a medal, not a coin. The previous headline was "U.S. Mint to Release Freedom 250 Race Medal."
This article is based on a CoinNews report published on August 20, 2026. All dates are as scheduled at that time. The item is a commemorative medal, not a circulating coin.
The United States Mint said it would launch a new Freedom 250 Race Medal on Aug. 21, celebrating America's 250th anniversary and the first IndyCar race ever held in the nation's capital.
The race
The $60 medal commemorates the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, scheduled for Aug. 22 and 23 in Washington, D.C.
The race was the first NTT INDYCAR Series event in the capital. The series is America's premier open-wheel racing championship. Drivers were to run a 1.7-mile course around the National Mall, with the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument along the route, completing 147 laps and 250 miles.
Mint Director Paul Hollis said the medal "captures the national pride, engineering advancements, and legacy of open-wheel racing, while celebrating the first IndyCar Series race ever held in our nation's capital." He also called it "the perfect Semiquincentennial collectible for motorsport enthusiasts and numismatists alike."
Design
The obverse shows an Indy car inscribed "USA" alongside the U.S. Capitol, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FREEDOM 250 around the design.
The reverse carries a portrait of Roger Penske with the inscriptions MOTORSPORT PIONEER and ROGER PENSKE. Penske is one of the most prominent figures in American motorsports. Team Penske holds a record 20 Indianapolis 500 victories, and Penske also owns INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Specifications
The medal is struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a matte finish. It measures 1.205 inches in diameter and weighs 11.340 grams. Its composition is 8.33% nickel with the balance copper. This matches the size, weight and composition of a U.S. half dollar, but the medal has a plain edge. It carries no mint mark.
Preorders and mintage
Preorders run from noon ET on Aug. 21 through 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 4. The Mint set both the product limit and the mintage limit at 15,000 medals, with no household order limit.
The Mint will produce medals based on orders received during the preorder window, up to 15,000. No additional medals will be made after the window closes.
Each medal is encapsulated and placed in a black presentation box with the official United States Mint Seal. Shipping was expected to begin Sept. 28. Orders are taken through the Mint's website, usmint.gov.
Source: CoinNews, "U.S. Mint Unveils Freedom 250 Medal for First D.C. IndyCar Race" (August 20, 2026).
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