My 2021 FUN Exhibit - Presidential Inaugural Medals, 1901 - 1961

This exhibit is Covet jinxed. I made it up for the Summer FUN only to have then canceled. Then I applied to show it this January only to have the virus shoot it down again. Maybe the sickness is trying to tell me something. At any rate I have decided to post it here in a number of parts.

My apologies for all the chapters, but since the topic is presidential inaugural medals, we can “milk” the topic for a while. The next inauguration is in less than a month. At any rate, here is the first panel.


A Quadrennial Celebration

Presidential inaugurations have been a time for celebration since George Washington took the first Oath of Office in 1789. Quite often the United States Government or a private concern issued medals that commemorated the event. Starting in 1889, the Inaugural Committee, which was responsible for organizing the celebration, issued official medals. The early medals were suspended from ribbons. Inaugural volunteers, workers and officials wore these decorations, which were often marked with the role that person had in the event or the title an event official held.

Starting with the 1901 inauguration, the pieces became stand alone medals. Gold medals were awarded to the president, vice president and often the chairman of the Inaugural Committee. Silver medals, when they were made, were given to other dignitaries. Bronze medals were awarded to workers and sold to the public as a fund raising project for the event.

This exhibit covers the official inaugural bronze medals issued from 1901 to 1961. The names of Democratic Party presidents are presented in blue. Republican presidents are shown in red. Contemporary campaign buttons, that display pictures of the president and his vice presidential running mate, are exhibited in the upper right of most panels.





An 1893 Grover Cleveland Medal that was issued for someone who worked on the "public comfort" committee.






A medal issued for the 1897 McKinley Inauguration.

William McKinley

1901



A campaign button showing William McKinley and his running mate, Theodore Roosevelt, "The Rough Rider."



Designer “U.S. Mint” Charles Barber probably had considerable influence.

Diameter 44 mm

Mintages 2 or 3 in gold, 55 in silver, 4,000+ in bronze

Notes: The 1901 McKinley medal is the most common early inaugural medal in bronze. The gold medals were awarded to the president, vice president and perhaps the chairman of the Inaugural Committee. This would be the policy for many of the medals that follow. The silver pieces were awarded to senior members of the inaugural committee staff. They were housed in flip-top, leather presentation boxes.

 

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Theodore Roosevelt

1905

The St. Gaudens Medal



Designer Augustus St. Gaudens

Diameter 74 mm

Mintages 3 in gold, 125 in bronze

Notes: 1905 was the only year in which there were two official inaugural medals. Theodore Roosevelt had met St. Gaudens at a dinner party a few years earlier. Their discussions drifted toward the topic of classical coins in high relief. The culmination of their meeting would be the 1907 High Relief $20 gold pieces and the $10 Indian gold coins.

In 1905 Roosevelt asked St. Gaudens to design a medal for his inauguration. St. Gaudens drafted the design, and Adolph Weinman, who was one of his assistants, crafted the dies. Weinman later designed the Mercury Dime and the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. Tiffany & Co., the famous jewelers, made these medals, which were cast, not struck. Many collectors regard this medal as the most desirable piece in the inaugural medal series. The eagle on the reverse of this is very similar to the bird that appeared on the Indian $10 gold coins.

A 1907 $10 Indian Gold Piece



A 1904 Campaign Button featuring Theodore Roosevelt and his running mate, Charles Fairbanks.



Theodore Roosevelt

1905

The Davison Medal



Designer Charles Barber obverse, George Morgan reverse

Diameter 44 mm

Mintages 3,000 in bronze

Notes: The Philadelphia Mint prepared the dies for this second 1905 official medal. The dies were sent to the Joseph K. Davison’s and Sons Company in Philadelphia who struck the medals. The Inaugural Committee awarded these pieces to “second tier” workers who ranked below those who held high positions in the organizing committee and the Federal Government.

 

William Howard Taft

1909



A campaign button featuring William Howard Taft and his running mate, James Sherman.



Designer Joseph K. Davison’s and Sons Company “in house” project

Diameter 51 mm

Mintages 3 in gold, 3,000 in bronze

Notes: This was the first stand alone medal that had an image of the vice president included in the design. Victor D. Brenner, who designed the Lincoln Cent, was selected to design it, but he could not fit the project into his work schedule. Photos of Taft and vice president Sherman were sent to Davison’s and Sons who used them to design the piece.

 

Woodrow Wilson

1913



Woodrow Wilson and his running mate, Thomas Marshall on a 1912 campaign button.



Designer Whitehead and Hoag Co. “in house” project

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 3 in gold, 30 in silver, 3,000 in bronze

Notes: For the first time since 1901, silver medals were struck. They were awarded to important Inaugural Committee group chairmen. There are also silver plated bronze pieces known. The silver medals have “sterling” marked on the edge, and are heavier. Woodrow Wilson was only the second Democrat, after Grover Cleveland, to be elected president since the Civil War.

Woodrow Wilson

1917



Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Marshall shown on a 1916 campaign button



Designer Darrell C. Crain

Diameter 51 mm

Mintages 3 in gold, 1 known in silver, the bronze mintage is unknown, but is no more than 300

Notes: Woodrow Wilson’s second inauguration was a subdued affair. War with Germany was certain, and the mood was somber. The R. Harris and Company of Washington, DC struck these medals. The bronze pieces are known in the “finished” and “unfinished” formats. The “finished” pieces have brown patina and are stamped “R. Harris and Company” on the edge. The “unfinished” pieces have a wire rim and brighter surfaces. The example shown above is an “unfinished” piece.

 

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Warren G. Harding

1921



A 1920 campaign button featuring Warren G. Harding and his running mate, Calvin Coolidge. This is a scarce item. Its counterpart which features Democratic candidates, James Cox and Franklin D. Roosevelt, is the "holly grail" of campaign buttons.



Photos courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Designer Darrell C. Crain, made by R. Harris and Company

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 2, maybe 3 in gold, 6 in silver, unknown, no more 60 in bronze

Notes: Harding requested that his inauguration would be a very subdued affair. Many of the plans that had been in the works were scrapped, and the production of inauguration medals was curtailed. Expert dealer, H. Joseph Levine, estimated that 60 bronze medals were struck, but only 6 to 8 are known today. Your author had a chance to purchase an example in silver a few years ago. The piece was not quite Mint State, and the price was over $30,000.



The Unofficial Harding Inaugural Medal

Given the rarity of the official Harding medal, some collectors opt to obtain this unofficial Harding inaugural piece to fill that slot in their sets. The Philadelphia Mint introduced this piece soon after Harding took office, which was consistent with past mint policy. Collectors often confuse these mint medals with the official inaugural medals.

After Harding’s death in 1923, the mint paired the same obverse with a new reverse that noted his passing. The mint issued that variety for many years, which makes it far more common than this design.

 

Calvin Coolidge

1925



A large 1924 presidential campaign button featuring Calvin Coolidge and his running mate Charles Dawes. Dawes would win the Noble Peace Prize in 1925. This piece is quite flamboyant for a Coolidge button. Most of them are very subdued.



Photo courtesy of Heritage Auctions, HA.COM

Designer Darrell C. Crain, made by the Medallic Art Company

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 3 in gold, 2 in silver, 75 in bronze

Notes: Calvin Coolidge was a frugal man, and asked that his inauguration fit his tastes. It was a very subdued affair, and the medal production was curtailed. Given the rarity of the official Coolidge medal, some collectors acquire the 1927 Union League medal to replace it in their collections. The Union League medal is slightly smaller and the League motto, “Amor Patriae Ducit” (Led by love of country) replaces the inauguration date on the obverse.



The Calvin Coolidge Union League Medal

The Union League is a political organization, that was formed in 1862 to support the pro-Union policies of President Abraham Lincoln. At first it backed political candidates from both parties. Later it became strictly a Republican organization.

On November 17, 1927 the League held its 65th Founders Day celebration. The League admitted Calvin Coolidge as an honorary member and awarded an example of this medal to him. The reported mintage is 3,000+ pieces.

 

Herbert Hoover

1929



This small campaign button features Herbert Hoover and is running mate, Charles Curtis. Curtis was the only Native American vice president.



Designer Henry K. Bush-Brown

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 2 in gold, 1,012 in bronze

Notes: Herbert Hoover banned many of the usual inaugural events such as the ball and a military parade, but he did allow a modest issue of inaugural medals to go forward. For that reason, this medal is collectable although it is not as inexpensive as the mintage of over 1,000 pieces might indicate. Designer Bush-Brown depicted aspects of Hoover’s professional life on the lower portion of the reverse. Herbert Hoover was a great mining engineer, and some of the tools of his trade are shown in that area.

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1933



This 1932 campaign button features Franklin Roosevelt and his running mate, John Nance Garner. It can be dated to the 1932 race because it mentions the word, "repeal," which refers to the repeal of Prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages. This is a scarce item because of the reference to "repeal" on it.



Designer Paul Manship

Diameter 76 mm

Mintages 2 in gold, 4 known in silver,1,500 in yellow bronze, 50 in finished bronze

Notes: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inaugural medal features a “ship of state” on the reverse. Roosevelt admired the metaphor and used it during his administration and on his 1945 medal. The bronze medal appears with two finishes. The much more common “yellow bronze” finish (shown above) was made at the Philadelphia Mint. The Medallic Art Company imparted a rich brown patina on the 50 pieces that it issued. Collectors highly prize the finished bronze pieces.

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1937



This Roosevelt and Garner button may have been used in 1932, 1936 or both.



Designer Joseph Anthony Atchison

Diameter 76 mm

Mintages 2 in gold, 2 in silver,1,006 in bronze

Notes: Designer Joseph Atchison raised some eyebrows when he used incuse lettering on this inaugural medal. Some observers still criticize it today. Another unusual touch was to include vice president John Nance Garner’s portrait on the reverse. It was reported that 90 of the bronze medals went unsold and were melted. Despite that, this medal is usually available for hobbyists who wish to add it to their collections.

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1941



This 1940 campaign button features Franklin Roosevelt and his running mate, Henry Wallace.



Variety One



Variety Two

Designers Jo Davidson obverse, John Sinnock, U.S. Mint Engraver, reverse

Diameter 42 mm

Mintages Variety #1, 1 in gold, 2 in silver,1,000 in bronze.

Variety #2, 2,000 in bronze.

Notes: There are two minor varieties of the 1941 inaugural medal. After the initial issue of 1,000 bronze pieces was sold out, the Philadelphia Mint struck an additional 2,000 pieces. A small “2” was added to the reverse, at the top of the wreath, on the second issue to distinguish it from the first run of medals. The first issue pieces sell for about $100 more than the second issue medals because of their lower mintage. Most collectors obtain an example of both varieties. Only one gold medal was struck. It was presented the president and is housed in the FDR Library.

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1945



This 1944 button features FDR and his third running mate, Harry S. Truman. Many Democrats thought that Henry Wallace was too liberal and forced the change to Truman.



Designer Jo Davidson

Diameter 45 mm

Mintages 10 in gold, 2 in silver, 3,500 in bronze

Notes: Artist Jo Davidson captured the fatigue on the war weary president’s face on this final FDR inaugural medal. Roosevelt died less than three months after his fourth inauguration. The unprecedented high mintage of 10 gold medals was a reflection of the diplomatic situation during World War II. Gold medals were awarded to Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, Stalin aide V. M. Molotov, British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia and two American ambassadors.

 

Harry S. Truman

1949



Harry Truman and his running mate, Alben Barkley, appear on this 1948 presidential campaign button.



Designer C. P. Jennewein

Diameter 51 mm

Mintages 2 in gold, 9 in silver,7,500 in bronze

Notes: Truman’s surprise victory in the 1948 Presidential Election extended the Democratic winning streak to five, four year terms. His grassroots support prompted designer C. P. Jennewein to include a tribute to the average citizen on the reverse on the medal. They are shown as shadow figures on the lower left. All of the bronze medals were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in yellow bronze.

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1953



Dwight Eisenhower appears with his running mate, Richard Nixon, on this 1952 campaign button.



Bronze Medal



Silver medal

Designer Walker Hancock

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 2 in gold, 813 in silver, 25,685 in bronze

Notes: Eisenhower’s landslide win in 1952 ended 20 years of Democratic Party dominance in presidential politics. The Republicans celebrated in a big way. The inaugural parade was the largest ever to pass before a presidential viewing stand. The silver metal was offered to the public for the first time resulting in an unpreceded high mintage of 813 pieces. Bronze medal sales soared to over 25,000. In addition, charm sized versions of the medal (21 mm) were struck in gold and awarded to the First Lady and the wives of the inaugural committee officials.

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1957



A heart attack plus an attack of Crohn’s disease led some to believe that Dwight Eisenhower would not seek re-election in 1956. A “draft Ike” movement proved to be unnecessary.



Richard Nixon was Eisenhower's running mate again in 1956, although Ike suggested that he might serve the administration better in a cabinet position.



Designer Walker Hancock

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 3 in gold, 1,033 in silver, 21,705 in bronze

Notes: President Eisenhower requested that Richard Nixon’s portrait appear on his second inaugural medal and once more asked Walker Hancock to design it. Hancock had moved to Rome to serve as the Sculptor in Residence at the American Academy, where he had been a fellow 30 years earlier. He was not prepared for the request but felt obligated to accept it. He was forced to work from photos and had many problems with the obverse lettering. Those difficulties accounted for the simplicity of the reverse design.

 

John F. Kennedy

1961



Senate majority leader, Lyndon Johnson, was John F. Kennedy's running mate in 1960.



Bronze Medal



Silver Medal An aggressive ad campaign led to an unprecedented sale of the Kennedy inaugural medal in silver with total sales of 7,500 pieces.

Designer Paul Manship

Diameter 70 mm

Mintages 1 in gold, 7,500 in silver, 53,331 in bronze

Notes: Paul Manship, who designed the 1933 FDR medal, designed this piece for the Kennedy inauguration. John Kennedy requested that the Presidential Seal appear on the reverse. Manship’s portrait of a youthful, yet dignified John F. Kennedy has been widely admired. The sales of the bronze and silver medals hit unprecedented levels due to an aggressive sales campaign. Bronze sales more than doubled the previous high, and silver medal sales were seven times greater than the previous record. Examples of the silver medal were closely held after Kennedy’s assassination, but more examples have become available to collectors in the recent decades.

 

Bibliography

Dusterberg, Richard B., The Official Inaugural Medals of the Presidents of the United States, Second Edition, Published by Richard B. Dusterberg, 1976

Levine, H. Joseph, Collectors Guide Presidential Inaugural Medals and Memorabilia, Johnson & Jenson, Danbury, Connecticut, 1981

Websites:

beta.medallicartcollector.com/medal/union-league-club-calvin-coolidge

Heritage Auctions, HA.Com

Smithsonian American Art, americanart.si.edu/artwork/warren-g-harding-inaugural-medal-98032

 

Wow, that's really cool!