A Superb Gem from the America the Beautiful Quarters Program

This listing offers a remarkable and highly collectible piece of modern American numismatics. It is a 2013-S Fort McHenry National Park Quarter, officially certified and encapsulated by the Professional Coin Grading Service, or PCGS, at the prestigious MS67, or Mint State 67, grade. This coin is part of the United States Mint's acclaimed America the Beautiful Quarters Program and features a distinctive S mint mark from the San Francisco Mint. It is securely housed in a tamper-evident PCGS holder, guaranteeing its authenticity and preservation. The PCGS label displays the coin's designation, grade, and certification number 517202.67/33495206.

Historical Context: The America the Beautiful Quarters Program

The America the Beautiful Quarters Program was a twelve-year initiative from 2010 to 2021 that honored a national park or historic site in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five United States territories. The 2013-S Fort McHenry quarter is the nineteenth issue of the series and commemorates the historic site in Maryland where the national anthem was inspired.

Beginning in 2012, a limited number of regular-issue National Park quarters of each design were struck at the San Francisco Mint specifically for collectors, bearing the prestigious S mint mark. The Fort McHenry issue had a total mintage of 1,313,680 coins, making it a finite and desirable collectible issue.

Fort McHenry: The Birthplace of the National Anthem

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, located in Baltimore, Maryland, was originally constructed between 1794 and 1803 to defend the entrance to Baltimore harbor. Its most famous moment came during the Battle of Baltimore on September 13-14, 1814, when the fort successfully withstood a 25-hour bombardment by the British fleet.

The valiant defense of the fort inspired Maryland lawyer Francis Scott Key to write "The Defense of Fort McHenry," a poem that would later be set to music and become the United States national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." The reverse design of the quarter features the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, capturing the enduring legacy of this historic site.

Design and Specifications

The obverse, designed by John Flanagan, features the iconic portrait of George Washington, with inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and QUARTER DOLLAR. The reverse depicts the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, with the inscription FORT McHENRY and the state designation MARYLAND.

Product Specifications

Denomination: 25 Cents, Quarter Dollar
Year: 2013
Mint: San Francisco, S mint mark
Grade: MS67
Certification: PCGS
PCGS Number: 517202
Certification Number: 517202.67/33495206
Series: America the Beautiful Quarters
Site: Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Designer: John Flanagan
Composition: 75 percent Copper, 25 percent Nickel
Weight: 5.67 grams
Diameter: 24.3 millimeters
Edge: Reeded
Mintage: 1,313,680 pieces

Understanding the MS67 Designation

MS, or Mint State, indicates an uncirculated coin with no signs of wear. The 67 grade indicates a superb gem-quality coin with a sharp strike, brilliant luster, and only minor imperfections visible under magnification. This is a very high grade for a business-strike coin. An MS67 example of this issue is valued significantly above lower-grade specimens.

This coin has been authenticated and graded by PCGS, one of the world's leading third-party coin grading services. It is securely encased in a tamper-evident PCGS holder with the PCGS label clearly displaying the coin's designation, grade, and certification number.

Why This Coin Deserves a Place in Your Collection

This coin carries certified authenticity and grade, as the PCGS slab provides a lifetime guarantee of the coin's genuineness and superb MS67 grade, verifiable by certification number. It holds historic significance, commemorating the site that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner," America's national anthem. It is a San Francisco Mint issue, struck at the historic San Francisco Mint with the S mint mark. It is part of a popular series, the widely collected America the Beautiful Quarters Program. Most of all, it is a high-grade example, with MS67 being a superb gem grade representing a coin with exceptional eye appeal.

This coin is more than currency. It is a superb gem from the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, offering a near-flawless example of a historic issue commemorating the birthplace of the national anthem. For the discerning collector, it represents a truly significant and desirable acquisition.

The auction is live. Coins of this caliber do not appear often. Place your bid and secure this remarkable piece of history for your collection.

• Low Estimate: 150.00
• High Estimate: 300.00