Options
Cost of U.S. Grant's gold medal
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
About 6 weeks ago there was a thread that included photos and comment about the gold medal given to Gen. U. S. Grant in 1865. Here is the Medal Department cost breakdown for the medal (excluding dies and case).
$619.79 including $25 labor.
6
Comments
Lot of money then.
Interesting. I recently handled two gold U.S. Mint Medals made in the mid-1870s: the unique Gold Centennial Medal, and the only original 1st Class Lifesaving Medal in gold. Curiously, the Centennial Medal contained precisely $100 worth of gold at $20.67/ounce and the Lifesaving medal contained precisely $225 at that rate.
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Well spent, he earned it.
Wow, interesting !!!
Very interesting...An impressive amount of money in those days...Thanks Roger... Cheers, RickO
For those who may have missed the earlier thread:
The medal, whcih is in the Smithsonian.
And here is the medal next to a silver dollar.
Thanks for the info and photos.
Here's the earlier thread by @BillJones:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/939346/the-largest-piece-in-my-collection-a-grant-vicksburg-medal
With a little more information such as date of Lifesaving medal, I can probably find them in the ledger. There are many gold life saving medals, first class in the ledger - all are in the cost range of $60 to $62. A ten ounce life saving medal would be unusual.
It's the only known 1st class, original issue example in private hands, so I think would have been made in 1876. It would be interesting to see how they listed the piece in the ledgers.
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Here are the gold Life Saving, First Class medals made during 1876 and 1877. At least 5 large gold Life Saving medals were made; there are many more in the smaller size. (PS: The Medal Department did not charge for labor on orders from other government agencies.)
June 19, 1876 by U.S. Treasurer
2 gold, 2 silver $456.80 ($223 and $5.40 each respectively)
2 gold = $445.15 in metal
2 silver = $10.71 in metal
September 27, 1876 by U.S. Treasurer
3 gold = $645.00 ($215 each)
3 gold = $642.98 in metal
March 28, 1877 by Director of Mint
27 gold = $1620.00 ($60 each)
27 gold = $1596.92 in metal
June 30, 1877 by Acting Director of Mint (Preston)
2 gold = $124.00 ($62 each)
2 gold = $123.01 in metal