The 2013 Fort McHenry America the Beautiful Silver Uncirculated Coin will be fourth of five strikes released by the United States Mint in 2013 as part of its America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin™ series. Shown on the reverse of the coin is a design emblematic of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine located in the state of Maryland.
This Fort McHenry Coin will also mark the nineteenth in the series overall which debuted with five 2010-dated strikes. Coins of the program continue to be released at a rate of five per year from that debut until 2021 when the last coin of the series will be issued.
These America the Beautiful Silver Uncirculated Coins are struck as the numismatic versions of the US Mint’s America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins™. As such, they are each composed of five ounces of .999 fine silver and each have a diameter of three inches like those bullion coins.
The United States Congress authorized the bullion coins as part of the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 along with a series of circulating quarter dollars which serves as the design basis for all America the Beautiful related coins. These silver uncirculated coins were created by the US Mint under the authority granted the Secretary of the Treasury in 31 U.S.C. §5111(a) (3) to “prepare and distribute numismatic items.”
As the designs and specifications for the bullion and uncirculated coins are practically identical, there is only way sure way to tell the difference between coins of the two series. A ‘P’ mintmark is found on the uncirculated coins indicating it was struck at the US Mint’s facility in Philadelphia. The bullion coins have no mintmark as is standard practice for bullion coins from the United States Mint.
Shown on the obverse of all America the Beautiful Coins is a portrait of George Washington, by John Flanagan. This portrait has been featured, with minor variations, on quarter dollars since 1932.
The reverse of the coins contain the designs emblematic of the selected site of national interest, in this case Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The final design for the coin should be unveiled by the US Mint in late 2012.
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine of Maryland
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is located in the state of Maryland.
Found in the Baltimore Harbor, Fort McHenry was instrumental in the protection of Baltimore during the War of 1812. In fact, it is that defense which really made the fort famous.
Fort McHenry withstood a 25-hour bombardment from British Naval forces after which the "Stars and Stripes" were still flying high above the fort signaling she had not fallen. It was the sight of this which led Francis Scott Key to pen the words to the "Star-Spangled Banner" which would become the national anthem of the United States.