2013-P 25C Mount Rushmore NP (Regular Strike)

2013-P Mount Rushmore National Memorial Quarter

The 2013-P Mount Rushmore National Memorial Quarter (#517354, FS #517354) was the fifth issue of 2013 and the 20th overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. Authorized by Public Law 110-456, the series ran from 2010 to 2021, issuing a total of 56 unique designs.

The Mount Rushmore coin commemorates Gutzon Borglum’s monumental sculpture by depicting laborers adding fine details to Thomas Jefferson’s face. Jefferson’s effigy was the second completed, following George Washington. Originally, Borglum planned to place Jefferson on Washington's opposite side, but unsuitable rock forced a change in plans. While the monument remains a point of historical controversy regarding the sacred Black Hills of the Lakota, it stands today as an iconic American landmark, drawing over two million visitors annually—double the population of South Dakota.

Launch and Release

While the coin was released earlier in the year in collector sets, the United States Mint held the official launch ceremony on November 6, 2013, at the National Guard Armory in Custer, South Dakota. Attendees included Nick Clifford, the last surviving worker from the original carving team, and Mint Acting Associate Director David Croft. The Federal Reserve released the coins into circulation on November 4, the same day the Mint opened sales on its online storefront.

An Award-Winning Design

Capturing a mountain-sized sculpture on a small coin is a notorious challenge. In 1991, the Mint released three commemorative coins (50¢ #9642, $1 #9644, and $5 #9646) for the monument’s 50th anniversary; however, those designs—credited to Marcel Jovine, Robert Lambi, William Cousins, and John Mercanti—are often criticized as cluttered or uninspired.

In contrast, Joseph Menna’s approach to the 2013 quarter is widely considered a masterpiece of the series. Rather than attempting to fit the entire mountain onto the planchet, Menna focused on the human element, drawing inspiration from archival photographs of the construction. In this perspective, the artisan is dwarfed by the enormity of his subject’s legacy, as the stone visages of Jefferson and Washington gaze out upon the nation they helped bring into being.

Key Design Strengths:

• Depth of Field: Menna’s sculpt utilizes shadows and textures to create a sense of scale rarely seen on circulating coinage. Here bas relief is not used merely to life the design from the field, but to masterfully articulate the subject's topography through foreced perspective.
• Documenting History: The "work-in-progress" view provides an intimate look at the craftsmanship behind the monument.
• Critical Acclaim: In 2014, Krause Publications named it the Best Circulating Coin, beating out 93 entries from 45 countries.

Collecting the 2013-P Mount Rushmore Memorial Quarter

The America the Beautiful Quarters series, which ran from 2010 to 2021, chronicles the American story through its most cherished parks and national monuments. While the series offers various nuances for the specialist collector, no single issue is genuinely rare in an absolute sense.

Collectors pursuing ultra-high-end examples often turn to coins already certified by PCGS or seek "conditional rarities" by hunting for flawless specimens within original sets and rolls. The PCGS Set Registry allows enthusiasts to share their collections with the broader community, while PCGS TrueView photography provides the opportunity to study these coins in ultra-high resolution.

Since 1999, the United States Mint has utilized the quarter as a canvas to expand the hobby and educate the public on the diverse places and figures that form the rich tapestry of American life. The 2013-P Mount Rushmore Quarter stands as one of the finest designs in the series—a truly worthy pursuit for the modern collector.

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