The Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial Quarter represented seventeenth overall release within the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The site represents the state of Ohio and was federally designated on March 3, 1919.
The reverse design for this coin was selected after an extended process, which showed the difficulty in presenting the site. An initial slate of three design candidates were rejected by both the Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, leading the US Mint to present a second round of eight different designs. One of these became the eventual design selected by the Treasury of the Secretary.
A statue of Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry appears in the foreground of the scene with the Peace Memorial visible in the distance across an expanse of water. Inscriptions read “Perry’s Victory”, “Ohio”, “2013”, and “E Pluribus Unum”. The reverse was designed and sculpted by Don Everhart.
The Perry’s Victory Quarter was officially released for circulation on April 1, 2013. The Denver Mint would strike 131,600,000 coins, while the Philadelphia Mint would strike 107,800,000 coins.
Numismatic products featuring this quarter included circulating quality coins with the “S” mint mark, annual sets, America the Beautiful Quarters program sets, and numismatic bags and rolls with the traditional “P” and “D” mint marks. The US Mint also offered both bullion and collector versions of five ounce silver coins with a diameter of 3 inches.
Perry’s Victory Quarter Mintages
- 2013-D Perry’s Victory Quarter: 131,600,000
- 2013-P Perry’s Victory Quarter: 107,800,000
- 2013-S Perry’s Victory Quarter: 1,425,860
Perry’s Victory Quarter Specifications
- Designers: John Flanagan (obverse), Don Everhart (reverse)
- Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel (clad), 90% silver, 10% copper (silver proof)
- Diameter: 24.26 mm
- Weight: 5.67 grams
- Thickness: 1.75 mm
- Edge: Reeded
About Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
While many people know that the Revolutionary War was the means through which the young United States of America officially won its independence from Britain, many do not know the many significant battles that were fought after the Revolutionary War to ensure that the initial victory would not have be achieved in vain. The Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial was put in place to commemorate the Battle of Lake Erie, which took place during the War of 1812. As a result of this famous battle, the nations of Canada, the United States and England would finally establish their long-standing records of peace and collaboration.
It was on the morning of September 10, 1813 that Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry heard the news that the British fleet was entering the bay to challenge the American control of shipping routes between Fort Malden and Port Dover. Without hesitation he ordered his naval troops to sail out on to the lake and engage the British fleet, even though his ships were smaller and had much less powerful guns. It was during this battle, which the American’s ended up winning, that Perry hoisted a flag of encouragement to his fleet which read “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”
Today, a memorial stands to commemorate the battle that was fought on that day in 1813. The Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial is a Doric column that rises almost three hundred and sixty feet up into the air over Lake Erie. Not five miles away is the border between Canada and the United States, which still stands as one of the longest undefended borders in the world.
