Featured Theodore Roosevelt has two official inaugural medals issued for him in 1905

Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901 following the assassination of William McKinley. Roosevelt was an activist president who put his stamp on the office forever. In 1904 he was elected in his own right.

1904 Roosevelt - Fairbanks Campaign Button




As it had been for recent presidents of the period, the Inaugural Committee issued medals that celebrated the event. The medals were given to the Inaugural Committee, members of the president’s administration and, in increasing numbers, sold to the public to raise money for the celebration.

In 1905 there were two official inaugural medals, which is highly unusual. Charles Barber and George Morgan designed the more common piece. It is a fairly modest medal, three inches in diameter, with a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt on the obverse and the phrase, "Inaugurated President of the United States March 4, 1905," and sprig of flowers on the right side of the reverse. This piece was made only in bronze and is relatively common with a mintage of 3,000 pieces. The Joseph Davidson Company made these pieces.



Theodore Roosevelt was not pleased with the appearance of his first inaugural medal which prompted his committee to authorize a second design. The second variety was designed by Augustus St. Gaudens designed the piece and Adolph Weinman, designer of the Mercury Dime and Walking Liberty Half Dollar, executed the molds. These pieces were cast, not struck, by Tiffany and Company, the famous jewelry firm.




The obverse features of portrait of President Roosevelt, and the reverse is dominated by an eagle similar to that found of the Indian $10 gold piece. With a mintage of only 125 pieces, this medal is rare and popular. Auction price prices for the bronze pieces have been as high as $30,000. Only three gold medals were cast, and they are in museums.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Teddy didn't like the first medal because he must have thought it wasn't flattering to his appearance. The second medal makes him look younger and no glasses

 

The are significant numismatic researchers (Roger Burdette) who say he didn’t like the St. Gaudens - Tiffany design also.

 

One of my favorite president's, great thread.

 

This is cool, would be awesome to get one of these for my collection

 

This is an awesome piece of history - these would both be a great addition to a collection.

 

This one came out a 'coin and chronicles' set from a few years ago........



For the life of me, I don't know where the squiggly hair on Teds' temple comes from. It must be in the holder, and when I view it with the naked eye I see absolutely nothing.

 

Roosevelt wrote in the footnote of the letter thanking St Gaudens, "I don't want to slop over, but I feel just as if we had suddenly imported a little of Greece of the 5th or 4th centuries BC into America..."

But I don’t see ancient Classical or Hellenistic Greece in this medal at all. In particular, Roosevelt’s eye is disproportionately, almost grotesquely, small and obscure.

I collect fine style Ancient Greek and for me, of all the traits of a design, it is how the eye is rendered that makes all the difference in seeing humanity and life in a coin. Eyes on most American coinage are lifeless when you look closely.

Here are two of my coins that are particularly alive in large part because of how the eyes are engraved.