A look at some U.S. Presidential Inaugural Medals 0

[BillJones]

Bodin's medal cabinet project inspired me to share some of my presidential inaugural medals. So far as I know H. Joseph Levine's book, Collectors Guide Presidential Inaugural Medals and Memorabilia is still the main source for information on these pieces. Levine's guide begins with the 1889 Benjamin Harrison piece, which mounted on a ribbon. To be official, that piece has to hang from the right ribbons with the official markings. Here is an example of the piece that I have. It's listed in DeWitt / Sullivan as BH 1888-8.

 

 

This same small medal was issued with the eagle mount shown here during the centennial celebration for the Constitution in 1889. According to Levine one can't tell if this piece was sold in New York City or Washington, DC during the inaugural festivities so it's no official.

 

The next piece for Grover Cleveland was issued in 1893. It was also on a ribbon.

 

 

Today inaugural medals are issued as a fund raiser. In the days before Franklin Roosevelt they were given to contributors and who people who worked on the campaign committee. This is one of the reasons why the mintages were sometimes very low in the early years.

 

The last piece I'll show for now is the 1897 McKinley which was also on a ribbon. Beginning in 1901, these pieces became strictly medals and were not mounted on ribbons. To my way of thinking this was the first really handsome piece in the series.

 

 

 

I could continue this and make it into a series, if there is interest.

[physics-fan3.14]

I really like that McKinley piece. The ribbon around the wreath with the states names is a really cool effect. How big is this piece?

 

Why does the book you mention start in 1889? Was nothing done for inaugurations before that? That seems like a rather arbitrary starting point, but there must be a reason.

[BODIN]

Bill, I always love seeing the inaugural medals in your collection. You've chosen some fine pieces. As I recall, you only have medals of presidents that you like, so if you decide to do the whole series, I'll fill in the gaps when/if you need me to. I'm looking forward to seeing some beauties!

[bsshog40]

Those are nice Bill! I've seen you post many medals over the years my friend and I do believe you could make a series of a thread easily with much content and history info.

[CaptHenway]

Very Nice!

[BillJones]

I really like that McKinley piece. The ribbon around the wreath with the states names is a really cool effect. How big is this piece?

 

Why does the book you mention start in 1889? Was nothing done for inaugurations before that? That seems like a rather arbitrary starting point, but there must be a reason.

 

The 1897 McKinley Hobart is 44 mm in diameter.

 

The 1889 starting date is due to the fact that medals for then were not labeled as "official." There are certainly some pieces that have a claim to "official status" at by the wording that appears on them.

 

The 1801 Jefferson has such a claim. John Reich, who is most famous for the Bust half dollars made the dies for this piece. I've had two chances to own one. One of the pieces was badly worn and polished, and I just couldn't buy something like that. This one is wonderful, but I made the mistake of listening to someone who told me that it was "too expensive." I kick myself to this day for not buying it. With only 12 known in silver and a couple of others in white metal I will never have a chance to buy one again.

 

 

Credit for these photos goes to Stacks-Bowers.

 

Here is a piece that marked U.S. Grant's 1869 inauguration. This falls into the "duck cliché. "If it walks, quacks and acts like a duck ... it must be ..." This is in white medal, and it came in one of those 19th century plush cases.

 

 

Let's get into the 20th century with the 1901 McKinley medal. I've always liked this although it's fairly common and does not seem to be very popular. I've seen these sit in dealers' inventories for a long time. To me McKinley is an underrated president.

 

[RWB]

Interesting to see the Inaugural Committee medals, rather than the formal "Inaugural Medals." Now, how about posting that gold Coolidge medal....

[BillJones]

As I recall, you only have medals of presidents that you like, so if you decide to do the whole series, I'll fill in the gaps when/if you need me to. I'm looking forward to seeing some beauties!

 

I don't have anything after the 1985 Reagan.

 

I have stopped there for a couple of reasons. First the marketing of these medals has gone over the top. There are too many sizes, and the money makers now have you spending too much money.

 

Second, people know that I collect to political campaing buttons. After the 2012 campaign, during which I walked from door to door in the Florida heat trying to drum up the vote, I gave away all but four or five of the 2012 buttons I had in my collection, and marked the Riker Mount box which houses the remainder, "The Election from Hell." My opinion has not changed.

 

Nuff said.

[BODIN]

I really like that McKinley piece. The ribbon around the wreath with the states names is a really cool effect. How big is this piece?

 

Why does the book you mention start in 1889? Was nothing done for inaugurations before that? That seems like a rather arbitrary starting point, but there must be a reason.

 

I too LOVE the Mckinley. The size of the medal is 44mm, I don't remember how long the ribbon is.

 

The 1889 inauguration of Benjamin Harrison was the first time the inaugural committee made a medal for distribution celebrating and commemoration the event in medal-form. In the case of Harrison, Cleveland, and McKinley, the medals were struck only for members of the inaugural committee to wear at the festivities. The ribbon was labeled as to the committee you were a part of. For instance, Bill's Cleveland medal says PUBLIC COMFORT.

These are a list of the committees for the 1897 Inauguration along with how many members/medals were distributed.

 

As you can see, some of the committee ribbons are impossibly rare, if they even still exist.

 

 

The first medal that was offered for sale to the general public and not just to committee members was the 1929 Hoover medal. 1,012 were ordered made and all were sold.

 

[BillJones]

Thanks for the list, Bodin! It's very interesting. Unfortunately I can't seem to download it so that I can save it.

 

There are three presidential inaugural medals that are rare and pricey, the 1905 Theodore Roosevelt by St. Gaudens, the 1921 Warren G. Harding and the 1925 Calvin Coolidge. The mintage on the Theodore Roosevelt piece was 125. Levine believes that then are less than 60 Harding pieces in bronze, 6 in silver (A silver piece was available at the FUN show last January. It was not in Mint State, but the asking price was over $30,000.) and 75 College pieces in bronze. From what I've read Harding and Coolidge wanted their inaugural ceremonies to be very low key, and suppressed the mintage of their medals as a result.

 

With prices in the 5 figures, most collectors can afford these pieces, but there are interesting alternatives for the Harding and Coolidge pieces. This Harding piece is a U.S. Miint medal. I bought it in a auction for a little less than $450.

 

 

This Coolidge medal is almost identical to the official piece that was issued in 1925. As it says on the reverse it was issued by the Union Leage of Philadelphia in 1927. It is a little smaller than the real thing, but the design is virtually the same. I bought this one via a private purchase for $75.

 

[RWB]

Bill - Right click on the table image, then select either "Save Image As" or "Copy Image." If you copy it, you can paste it into any imaging program you have.

[BODIN]

When comparing side by side, you can see why inaugural medal collectors are happy to use the "Union League" medal to fill the Coolidge hole.

 

I used Bill's nice medal for comparison.

*I wish I owned the real Coolidge Inaugural medal, but I do not. The medal below sold at auction recently.

 

[BillJones]

 

 

Bill - Right click on the table image, then select either "Save Image As" or "Copy Image." If you copy it, you can paste it into any imaging program you have.

 

Thanks!!!!

[RWB]

Long ago I photographed the gold Coolidge medal along with other pieces in the personal collection of John Coolidge for collector Dr. Darrell C.Crain, Jr. (his father had designed the medal). I think one of the two gold medals is in the George Washington University Presidential Inaugural Collection.

[BODIN]

Long ago I photographed the gold Coolidge medal along with other pieces in the personal collection of John Coolidge for collector Dr. Darrell C.Crain, Jr. (his father had designed the medal). I think one of the two gold medals is in the George Washington University Presidential Inaugural Collection.

 

What?!??

WOW!!

 

Can you post them?!??

 

[BODIN]

 

Initially Warren G. Harding was looking forward to a festive inauguration as it was in years past, however, having ran on ridicule of the Wilson Administration's extravagance and excess, added to that the rationing of a war time era, party leaders advised him to abandon the inaugural festival.

.....Long story short :

Darrell Crane had designed a medal that the R. Harris Company struck on gold to be given to the President and Vice President(as was tradition).

The R. Harris Company then privately, and unofficially struck pieces on bronze made to order.

This is why there is no OFFICIAL Harding Medal and why about 60 of these medals are known to exist today.

 

Another more affordable substitute in the Presidential Inaugural Medals series is the Harding medal design that was used for the Keller Mechanical Engraving Company (KME). It was struck on a token for their 25 year anniversary. There are no numbers known as to the rarity of this piece, but it is quite hard to find.

 

 

 

[RWB]

The photos belong to Dr. Crain's family, so I cannot post them. Sorry.

[BillJones]

Here is third rarest of the presidential inaugurual medals, the 1905 Theordore Roosevelt by Augustus St. Gaudens. This piece was cast, not struck. The design was by St. Gaudens, but Adolph Weinman (Mercury Dime and Walking Liberty half) did the execution. The mintage was 125 pieces.

 

[RWB]

Weinman did the modeling for both sides with guidance from Saint-Gaudens. A bronze copy was sent to him from the President at SG's request.

[Matthew Chiarello]

Hi all - new to this thread but not Inaugural Medal collecting.  Seen some great photos here and learned a few things.  I've spent a good bit of time over the last year compiling information about official inaugural medals and put together an informal internet guide.  I know folks don't like clicking on strange hyperlinks, but I'll put this here anyhow.  

https://officialinauguralmedal.com

The site includes all kinds of interesting information organized by medal and president.  In line with this thread, the site includes photo slideshows on the pages where I own the medal in my collection (which is only missing a few tough pieces).  Feel free to check it out - hope you all find it of interest.  Feel free to post your thoughts.  

[Matthew Chiarello]

Just finished and published a guide to Official Presidential Inaugural Medals - first authoritative guide on the subject since the 80s. Hoping some folks here might find it interesting and useful -- https://www.loriferber.com/official-inaugural-medals-book.html