The new quarter depicts a close-up of the moment British Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered his
sword to American Gen. Horatio Gates, considered a turning point in the American Revolution.
The U.S. Mint joined the National Park
Service on Nov. 17 to launch the Saratoga
National Historical Park quarter.
The quarter’s reverse (tails side) depicts
a close-up of the moment British Gen. John
Burgoyne surrendered his sword to American
Gen. Horatio Gates, a turning point many believe
marked the ‘beginning of the end of the
American Revolutionary War.’ Inscriptions
are “British Surrender 1777,” “Saratoga,” “New
York,” “2015,” and “E Pluribus Unum.”
“This new coin honors the patriots who
fought so bravely to defend our fledgling nation
and whose victory forever changed the
face of the world,” said Mint Acting Quality
Manager Ron Harrigal.
Hundreds of schoolchildren were on hand,
with several of them participating in the ceremony
which was live-streamed to the public.
Additional event participants included Mint
Artistic Infusion Program artist Barbara Fox,
designer of the coin’s reverse side; Saratoga
National Historical Park Superintendent Amy
Bracewell; park ranger and historian Eric
Schnitzer; and Matt Scollin, regional director
for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Event attendees were among the first in the
nation to get newly minted quarters during
the coin exchange held after the ceremony.
Collectible bags and rolls of circulating quality
Saratoga National Historical Park quarters
are available for purchase from the Mint at
www.usmint.gov catalog and 1-800-USAMINT
(872-6468).
The Saratoga National Historical Park
quarter is the 30th release in the America
the Beautiful Quarters program, a 12-year
initiative to honor 56 national parks and
other national sites authorized by Public
Law 110-456.
Each year, the public will see five new
national sites depicted on the tails side of
the America the Beautiful Quarters coins.
The Mint is issuing these coins in the order
in which the sites were officially established,
officials of the Mint said.
The U.S. Mint was created by Congress in
1792 and became part of the Department of
the Treasury in 1873. It is the nation’s sole
manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is
responsible for producing circulating coinage
for trade and commerce. It also produces
numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated,
and commemorative coins; congressional
gold medals; and silver and gold
bullion coins. The U.S. Mint’s numismatic
programs are self-sustaining and operate at
no cost to taxpayers.