2013-S Fort McHenry Proof

The 2013-S Fort McHenry clad proof carries Joseph Menna's reverse rendering the star-shaped fort viewed from beyond the eastern bastion, with the garrison flag flying above. San Francisco struck 1,232,104 pieces of the issue for collector distribution across the 14-coin Proof Set and the smaller Quarters Proof Set. The design honors the bicentennial of the September 1814 bombardment that produced the verse Francis Scott Key wrote into what became the national anthem, and the 15-star, 15-stripe configuration of the garrison flag is rendered to historical specification rather than the modern flag pattern. The issue is the fourth of five 2013 releases.

Proof finish on the issue is the standard San Francisco style: mirrored fields struck from polished planchets against dies frosted in chemical baths before each press run. Cameo (CAM) and Deep Cameo (DCAM) are the two contrast designations PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company, apply on top of the numeric grade. DCAM is the default outcome on the issue. Grade distribution clusters at PR69-DCAM and PR70-DCAM with population counts running into the thousands at the top tier across both services. The flag's individual star pattern is the diagnostic strike area, since fifteen distinct relief points across a small field require full pressure to render cleanly; a weak strike blurs the star pattern into an ambiguous textured panel. Counterfeit risk is essentially nil at the price point.

Collector demand for the issue routes through year-set or design-set assembly rather than standalone purchase. The historical anchor to the War of 1812 bicentennial gives the design additional contextual weight relative to most ATB proofs, and the issue has held its very modest pricing band better than most of its 2013 sister releases. A raw certified PR69-DCAM example trades for a few dollars over the cost of breaking up a sealed 2013 Proof Set, and PR70-DCAM examples in PCGS or NGC holders sit at a modest premium. The Fort McHenry design pairs naturally in commemorative topical collections with the various War of 1812 bicentennial coinage and currency issued during the same period. For the broader story of the ATB proof program and the series' production arc, see the Washington ATB series history.