March 3 is National Anthem Day, and in the United States that surely means a reference to one song near and dear to the hearts of many: “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner” hail from a poem penned by United States attorney and author Francis Scott Key known as “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” Fort M’Henry is a shorthanded reference to Fort McHenry, an American military installation located in Baltimore that was bombarded by the British Royal Navy amid the Battle of Baltimore during trying times in the War of 1812.
The story goes that Key was inspired to write the “Defence of Fort M’Henry” as he witnessed the American flag, then taking the form of 15 stars and 15 stripes, proudly waving above the fort after battle. Key authored the poem on September 14, 1814, and it was eventually set to the tune of a British song by John Stafford Smith called “the Anacreontic Song,” which had become popular in the United States.
Many may wonder why National Anthem Day is celebrated in the United States on March 3 if the nation’s patron song was conceived on September 14 more than two centuries ago. The patriotic hymn was officially made the national anthem of the United States by an act of Congress on March 3, 1931. That was the day Congress passed a joint resolution declaring “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the national anthem, a motion that was quickly signed into law by President Herbert Hoover.
There are certainly many ways you can celebrate National Anthem Day. You might place a hand over your heart and stand with patriotic attention before the American flag while belting out the familiar tune with flag-flavored fervor. Or, if you consider yourself a numismatist (and you just might if you’re reading this article), you could also add to your collection coins that aptly speak to the occasion: the 2012 Star Bangled Banner Silver Dollar and $5 gold coin.
Both commemorative coins were struck in business-strike and proof formats, and they are widely available via secondary market sources, such as dealers on Collectors Corner. These and other commemorative coins can be added to collections built on the popular collecting platform known as PCGS Set Registry – and that’s something also worth celebrating!