This coin is part of the America the Beautiful silver bullion coins (abbreviated ATB) - a series of 56 silver bullion coins with a face value of a quarter dollar. The coins in the series contain 5oz (five troy ounces) of silver, making them the largest silver bullion coins issued to date by the United States Mint. The design of the coins duplicates exactly - though much enlarged - each of the America the Beautiful quarters. They were issued from 2010 to 2021.
All coins in the series feature a common obverse depicting George Washington in a restored version of the portrait created by John Flanagan for the 1932 Washington quarter, while the reverses feature five individual designs for each year of the program (one in 2021), each depicting a national park or national site - one from each state, federal district, and territory.
The Fort Moultrie (Fort Sumter National Monument) quarter design is the fifth to be released in 2016 and the 35th overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program; it was released on 14 November 2016 and represents the state of South Carolina.
Fort Moultrie, the first fort on Sullivan’s Island, was still incomplete when Commodore Sir Peter Parker and nine warships attacked it on June 28, 1776. After a nine-hour battle, the ships were forced to retire. Charleston was saved from British occupation, and the fort was named in honour of its commander, Colonel William Moultrie. In 1780, the British finally captured Charleston, abandoning it only on the advent of peace. After the Revolutionary War, Fort Moultrie was neglected, and by 1791 little of it remained. Then, in 1793, war broke out between England and France. A second Fort Moultrie, one of 20 new forts along the Atlantic coast, was completed in 1798. It too suffered from neglect and was finally destroyed by a hurricane in 1804. In 1809 a new, brick third Fort Moultrie stood on Sullivan’s Island. It was established as a national site in 1948. |
Obverse | |
At its centre, the obverse of the coin shows the portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States (1789 - 1797), facing left. He has long hear, tied below the neck with a ribbon.
The designer's initials JF (for John Flanagan) are in relief on the neck truncation.
To the left of the portrait, the inscription LIBERTY. On three lines to the right, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
Around above, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Around below, the value and denomination in words: QUARTER DOLLAR.
Ordinary "bullion" coins have no mint mark; those of the "uncirculated" variety have the Philadelphia Mint's P mint mark behind George Washington's neck. |
|
Reverse | |
The design depicts Sergeant William Jasper returning the South Carolina State Militia regimental flag to the ramparts while under attack from a British ship.
Around above, the inscription FORT MOULTRIE. Around below left, the name of the state: SOUTH CAROLINA.
Below left, the initials of the designer RS (for Richard Scott); below right, the initials of the sculptor, JFM (for Joseph Menna).
The date of issue 2016 is below, followed by the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM ("Out of many, one" - signifying unity in diversity). |
|