Every Super Bowl starts the same way—with a simple flip of a coin. The captains step forward, their faces stoic but their minds racing. The roar of the crowd hums in the background, but in that moment, it fades. For the players standing at midfield, it’s anything but routine. The implications of that flip are not so simple. One call, one flip, and in just a few seconds, the game is already tilting in someone’s favor.
For Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, this isn’t just another coin toss. It’s déjà vu. Two years ago, they stood in the same position, locked in a battle that ended with Mahomes hoisting the Lombardi. Now, under the Superdome’s bright lights, he gets to make the call as the Eagles wear the home-team badge. But beyond the psychology of that split-second decision—heads or tails—lies another untold story.
Have you ever thought about the actual coin they use for the toss? That coin, the one that spins in the air under the watchful eyes of millions, is more than just a token of chance. It has a legacy of its own, one that’s been carefully crafted long before it ever reaches midfield. Some of you probably collect them. But what’s the story behind that coin and what else is interesting about it?
What is the Super Bowl coin made of?
That tiny Super Bowl coin, which grabs everyone’s attention for less than a minute, has a pretty fascinating backstory. It’s birthed in Central Florida by the Highland Mint, which has been producing these iconic coins for the past 31 years. Made of 24-karat gold with a .999 fine silver center, it’s as much a piece of art as it is a game-day essential. So, when does the Highland Mint start working on this little piece of history? The moment the Conference championships wrap up and the two Super Bowl teams are decided. That’s when the magic begins. It’s a race against time to create a coin that’ll be part of one of the most watched moments in sports.
The coin used for the toss takes three days to make. Around 10K are produced, with 100 of them going to the NFL. “We’ll ship coins zero to 100 to the NFL. We’ll send them to NFL on-field operations, and then they take care of distributing them. It’s a limited edition of 10,000 coins, and the coin is minted just like real currency,” shared Vince Bohbot, the executive VP at Highland Mint.
A little bit more about the Super Bowl coin
The little piece of art, the Super Bowl coin, measures 39mm. Once the conference championship is over, the names of the final teams are inscribed on it. The head side features the Super Bowl logo, while the tail side, this time, will display the names of the Chiefs and Eagles. It weighs about 0.25 lbs. Wondering who designs these coins? Well, it’s the NFL itself. “The design is controlled by the NFL. So, their designers come up with the concepts, and basically, we just mint it,” shared Vince Bohbot.
So, was the Highland Mint producing the Super Bowl coins from the beginning? No, earlier the league did not have a standardized coin specifically for the toss. “It was a quarter or a silver dollar, whatever the referee had in their pocket. And I think that’s where the NFL decided to make it official. And it really gained traction,” said Vince.
What happens if the game goes to overtime? In that case, another coin is used, called Coin Zero. Looking back, it seems like Tails has been the real star of the NFL coin toss. Out of the 58 Super Bowls played tails have shown up 30 times, just edging out heads, which landed 28 times. So, what’s it gonna be this year? Heads or tails? We’ll find out on February 9th, when that coin spins in the air, and millions watch with bated breath.
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