Fort McHenry Quarter Launch

[triplewitch]

I went to the launch for the Fort McHenry America the Beautiful quarter on Friday, the 13th of September, in Baltimore and have some pictures here.  People not identified by title are my personal friends.
https://plus.google.com/photos/101122512158969022563/albums/5923460393964776081
Since I knew I wouldn't be able to stay after the ceremony, I went to Fort McHenry on Tuesday, the 11th of September, and took a few pictures inside:
https://plus.google.com/photos/101122512158969022563/albums/5922990717227305153
Also, for my own personal interest, I visited Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore on Tuesday to see the Booth family plot where presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth is buried.  His grave has no headstone by request of the family.  Two of his co-conspirators are also buried in that cemetery, but as the temperature was in the high 90s (F) and no shade, I was not able to complete my search for their graves.  There is actually a coin connection of sorts here.
https://plus.google.com/photos/101122512158969022563/albums/5923011740782263617

[Fulvio]

There was an episode of Drunk History about Booth. Although the premise of the show is very strange, the history is purportedly accurate. :dodgy:

[Triggersmob]

I didn't realise that the Fort McHenry quarter hadn't been released yet. I received mine, earlier in the week.

[triplewitch]

The quarter was released on the 26th of August.  The launch ceremonies are held up to 30 days later.

[Triggersmob]

The quarter was released on the 26th of August.  The launch ceremonies are held up to 30 days later.

Mine came in a mint set of all the 2013 coins. How much earlier do they release them? It was posted to me on the 2nd August.

[triplewitch]

All the quarters for the year are in the mint and proof sets even though the quarters are released for circulation individually during the year.  The quarter proof sets, base and silver, were released in January.  The full base proof set was released in March, and the full silver proof set in May.  The quarter uncirculated set came out in April, and the full uncirculated set came out in June.  The final quarter set of uncirculated business strikes will come out in November.  This has been the approximate schedule for some time.  The quarter proof sets are sold separately, and they are included in the regular proof sets.  Same for the quarter uncirculated sets except for the business strikes.  The quarter uncirculated sets have different packaging, unlike the proof quarters.
These coins are difficult to find in circulation.  There is such a huge inventory of quarters resulting from the State Quarter program that the Federal Reserve is holding them back.  Banks cannot specifically request them. Many people including dealers go to these events to obtain them at face value, believing that the Mint charges too much for them.  They are also sold at Mint sales offices.  The uncirculated 'S' mint quarters are not currently in any sets and can only be obtained from the Mint in bags and rolls.

[Triggersmob]

Thanks for the info, John.

[triplewitch]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfGwsorC3g