On September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key stood aboard an American ship as the British bombarded Maryland's Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Key watched the bombing campaign unfold from aboard aship located about eight miles away. Throughout the day and into the night, the British bombarded the fort located in Baltimore Harbor but were unable to destroy it and eventually gave up. At daybreak the next day, Key was inspired to see the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry and wrote a stirring poem entitled "The Defense of Fort McHenry." His patriotic verse would later be set to music and be called the Star- Spangled Banner. In 1931, the Star-Spangled Banner was officially named as our National Anthem.

Available exclusively from American Mint, this solid 14k gold coinis minted to the highest quality "Proof" standard. The obverse features a magnificently reproduced Lady Liberty from A.A. Weinman's famous Walking Liberty Half Dollar with the American flag wrapped protectively around her shoulders. The opening line of the Star-Spangled Banner appears below the waving flag. The reverse features a majestic eagle perched atop a shield of stars and stripes with a pair of crossed American flags in the background.