More than 13 years ago, in June 2012, I posted images of the 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial ("SSB") Silver Dollar Set soon after I received mine. (You can see the post here:
2012 Star-Spangled Banner Dollar Set Pictures.)
My recent exploration of the SSB coin program's history triggered a desire to go back and expand the Set's story beyond images. And so, here we go:
The SSB Bicentennial coin program included a Gold Half Eagle and a Silver Dollar. The coins were available individually, as well as in a two-coin set (one gold coin, one silver). In addition, the United States ("US") Mint released the "Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Silver Dollar Set."
The 2012 SSB Silver Dollar Set was an effort by the Mint to develop additional collector interest in the program's coins and provide supplementary historical background on the US National Anthem.
The Set included a Proof version of the Silver Dollar, a reduced-size reproduction of one of Francis Scott Key's manuscripts of the
Star-Spangled Banner poem plus historical background information. The overall packaging for the Set includes colorful imagery that showcases the fight between American and British forces at Fort McHenry in September 1814.
The SSB Silver Dollar Set went on sale on June 1, 2012 (the individual Gold Half Eagle and Silver Dollar coins went on sale on March 5, 2012.). The Set had a Product Limit of 50,000 and an Issue Price of $53.95. Somewhat surprisingly, the Set did not sell out - it had a final sales total of 39, 632 units (~79% of limit).
Note: The Set's 50,000 limit was included within the 500,000 Silver Dollars authorized - the coins in the Set were not in addition to the number of other Silver Dollars available.Historical Note: The Star-Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key in September 1814 after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry and the still-standing American Flag the next day. The SSB coin program was issued in 2012 to coincide with the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812, of which the Battle of Baltimore and Fort McHenry were a part. The coin program specifies that it commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner, but the coins were not issued in exact synchronization with the poem's Bicentennial anniversary.The packaging for the Set features six panels:
SSB Silver Dollar Bicentennial Set -- Front Cover
SSB Silver Dollar Bicentennial Set -- Interior / Left
SSB Silver Dollar Bicentennial Set -- Interior / Center - Coin Obverse
SSB Silver Dollar Bicentennial Set -- Interior / Right
SSB Silver Dollar Bicentennial Set -- Inside Back Cover
SSB Silver Dollar Bicentennial Set -- Back Cover - Coin Reverse
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more about modern US commemorative coins, see: [b]
Commems Collection
Posted 12/15/2025 09:14 am
