Today, March 5, 2012, the 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins will go on sale with a launch ceremony at the the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. Program is scheduled to begin at 11:00 A.M. at the Visitor Center and sales to begin at 11:30 A.M.
According to the media release from Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the group organizing the bicentennial of what historians consider America’s second revolutionary war against the British, “Those who purchase a coin that day will receive a Certificate of Authenticity from the United States Mint and a special acknowledgement from the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.”
In addition to the coin sales, specially made chocolate versions of the coins will be offered by Kirchmayr Chocolatiers, a Baltimore company specializing in fine European chocolate.
If you cannot make it to Baltimore for the launch, fear not! Your intrepid blogger will be making the trip, camera and iPhone in hand. As part of the trip, I will be live tweeting on Twitter from Baltimore. Follow me @coinsblog to read about the ceremony and see some the pictures I take. I plan to shoot video of the ceremony and will post an edited version later this week.
Fort McHenry aerial image and nugget courtesy of the National Park Service.