01
The offered sword
A hand grips the sword beneath its curved guard.
Saratoga
National Historical Park
History, held in a single gesture.
Two hands and a sword carry New York’s reverse. The Mint identifies the subject as Burgoyne surrendering his sword to Gates.
Read the reverse ⟶DenominationQuarter dollar
Weight5 troy ounces
Fineness99.9% silver
Diameter76.2 mm
Mint markNone · bullion
IssuerUnited States Mint
Reverse design anatomy
Not the whole battle.
The moment after.
The close-up concentrates on the sword exchange. BRITISH SURRENDER 1777 identifies the historical subject, while the separate 2015 inscription dates the coin.
The following close reading describes visible forms. It does not assign undocumented intentions to the artists.
02
The receiving hand
An open hand approaches the hilt in the upper field.
03
The historical date
1777 belongs to the surrender; it must not be confused with the 2015 issue.
The place behind the coin
An event,
then its consequences
Burgoyne’s army surrendered on 17 October 1777 following the Battles of Saratoga. The victory helped bring French recognition and support to the American cause; treaties followed in 1778.
NPS interpretation distinguishes the encounter, the surrender of arms and later retellings. The coin is a compact representation of the sword exchange, not a documentary reconstruction of the entire ceremony.
- 177717 October · surrender
- 1778Treaties with France
- 2015Saratoga coin issued
Historical context, not a reconstruction. No unverified event photograph is used.
Same design. A larger canvas.
From pocket change
to a statement in silver
The 2015 design also belongs to the circulating quarter. At 76.2 mm, the five-ounce silver coin is 3.14 times wider by diameter—not 3.14 times heavier.
The quarter is a measured outline: an exact authorized quarter photograph is not bound for this page. It is not a miniature bullion image.
Collect with context
Know the design.
Know the object.
Reverse designer Barbara Fox · reverse sculptor Renata Gordon
- Standard bullion
- No mint mark · Authorized Purchasers · incuse edge weight and fineness.
- Collector five-ounce
- P mint mark · special finish · a separate object. Collector totals are not bullion mintages.