2012 Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Silver Dollar Set

The American Flag is one of the foremost symbols of freedom in the entire world, and it is a flag that many thousands have given their lives to defend. It is a symbol of liberty and justice that has inspired millions both at home and the world over! It is a Flag that was birthed in the declaration of a Nation in which the citizens would no longer suffer the tyranny of a tyrant half the world away.

It all began yesterday, September 9th all the way back in 1776.... the United States of America was formally formed and recognized internationally as a new nation founded on the principles of freedom and liberty. It was one year later in 1777 that the Second Continental Congress convened and made the flag of what would become one of the world’s greatest nations, our iconic red, white, and blue "Star-Spangled Banner." After having to wait for over 230 years, our nation’s iconic flag finally has a coin of its own!

Today the "Star-Spangled Banner" is known as the National Anthem of the United States. Most can place Francis Scott Key as the author...but does anyone remember the how and why this came to be? Scott Key, a young attorney, was sent by President James Madison to negotiate the release of American hostages on British naval ships. He was chosen because one of them was his close friend, Dr. William Beanes, who had been arrested during the attack on Washington. The British agreed to release the hostages, but Key and the others were forced to remain with the fleet for the duration of the battle, as they had overheard the British attack plans during their negotiation.

The next day, when the smoke from the bombs cleared, Key saw the stars and stripes of the garrison flag. Right there, on September 14, 1814, he wrote the verses of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

"The Star-Spangled Banner" was first recognized for official use by the Navy in 1889. It received a big lift from the military in the 1890's, as Army and Navy regulations ordered the playing of the song at all ceremonial occasions. Col. Caleb Carton, commanding officer at Fort Meade was successful in moving President Woodrow Wilson through an executive order in 1914, to designate "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the national anthem. It was made the national anthem through a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 and signed by then President Herbert Hoover.

Scott Key did coin one phrase that gave way to a motto so powerful that it still appears today on American currency, "In God We Trust" was inspired by a line in "The Star-Spangled Banner's" fourth verse: "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'"

Did you know? The Star Spangled Banner’s tempo and score was modeled after a famous Redcoat drinking song, ‘To Anacreon in Heaven’ that many of the soldiers were singing the night Key spent in a cell writing aboard the ship.

In 2012 for the 200th Anniversary of the start of the War of 1812 the U.S. Mint released a special 90% silver Dollar to commemorate the Star-Spangled Banner. In my opinion it is one of their best coins ever...the obverse depicts Lady Liberty waving the 15-star, 15-stripe Star-Spangled Banner flag with Fort McHenry in the background...the reverse depicts a waving modern American flag.

The secret to this coin goes beyond its design...just take a look at its population! Between the Proof and Uncirculated silver dollars you have a total mintage of 210,750 coins – for comparison the 2014 Baseball Dollars with a mintage of almost more than double (400,000) sold out in the blink of an eye!

The most important part of this coin’s release for collectors was the limited edition Silver Dollar Folio Set they released alongside the OGP silver dollars! This special colorized folio contains one of the Proof Silver Star Spangled Banner Silver Dollar, a reproduction of one of Francis Scott Key’s original manuscript “Star Spangled Banner”, impressive artwork depicting the battle of Fort McHenry, and also includes a detailed history of the National Anthem’s creation!