A 1801 Thomas Jefferson Inaugural Medal.
BillJones
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Whenever someone asks if you have any regrets about the purchases you didn't make, my answer for the last decade has been that I passed on an 1801 Thomas Jefferson inaugural medal. I purchased this one in the last group of Stacks' auctions. It's not perfect. There are a couple toning spots on the obverse which I wish were not there, but I have "filled the hole", which makes me very happy.
This piece was John Reich's first medal that he produced after he came to America in 1800. The obverse commemorates Thomas Jefferson's inauguration as President on March 4, 1801. The reverse commemorates the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was the prime author of that document.
This piece is made of silver. There are an estimated 12 known examples. In addition there might be four or five examples in white metal. PCGS graded this piece SP-62. I am a bit more conservative at SP-58. When there are only 12 known, you can't be overly choosey. I think that the finest known example is the piece in the Massachusetts Historical Society collection.
I done some Google searches and found pictures of 9 other examples in silver. I grade my piece the fifth best among that group. A tenth piece was stolen from the University of Virginia in 1973 and has never been recovered. It belonged to one of Jefferson's daughters, Maria. It was said to be polished with a rim bruise at 11 k.
I found four white metal pieces on line.
Comments
with only 12 known examples you have to feel good about the acquisition and that is besides the historic properties mentioned
I got to see that one at the Baltimore show. What a fantastic work of art! super high relief and one of the Mint’s noblest looking medals.
Congrats on a great pickup!
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
Wow, cool medal!
Very nice and congrats!
Congratulations and thanks for the history on the piece
Congrats, Bill! I've heard you speak about this piece as "the one that got away" for many years. I'm glad you were able to locate one that you can live with. As we both know, in the world of exonumia sometimes you have to make concessions or you will never own an example. And that is a beautiful medal that I'd be proud to own.
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Wow, congrats. The obverse is remarkably similar to the peace medals given to the natives by Lewis & Clark - @BillJones are you aware of any connection between the two?
https://www.numismaticnews.net/world-coins/indian-peace-medals-to-cross-the-auction-block
Congratulations! I know you have been looking for this one for a long time.
Yes. Robert Scot gets the design credit for the Jefferson Indian peace medal, but the bust of Jefferson was taken from the inaugural medal. Reich was hired to do menial tasks at the mint after he crafted the dies for the inaugural medal. He did not get a full time job until 1807 when he became an assistant engraver.
congrats
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Yours is one Beautiful medal. Congrats. One to surely be proud of.
Stunning design.
Repop of the friendship medal:
Great medal, thanks for posting.
Congratulations.
Love that you got this Bill! Its a beautiful medal. I've had my hole filled with a 19th century cast copy, until I can muster the heavy price tag of the actual medal. Congratulations on your accomplishment. I will tell you, my fellow inaugural medal collector, that of the estimated 12 silver medals, I have collected over the last 15 years photos of 9; and of the estimated 4 white metal, I have photos of 3. SO I'm keeping track.
https://imdb.com/name/nm1835107/
Fantastic piece, thanks for sharing your passion.
On the 1801 medal reverse, is that initials IC next to the drum on the right side and if so, what does the initials stand for?
NVM, it is an R but worn and appears as IC
I'm usually not interested in medals, but this is fantastic and an interesting bit of history.
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Is this what you see? I think that you are reading more into it than is there. I think it's just part of the ground.
Thanks for sharing that, @BillJones. It's easy to appreciate anything related to Thomas Jefferson. I visited Monticello around 2005 and lately have been think about a return trip without the children so I can spend more time in the History of it all.
Back to Exonumia, as I have gotten more selective through the years I now make two exceptions. I avoid White Metal unless I have no other choice and I just won't purchase anything that's holed.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Such artistry.
To be able to engrave all the allegorical and symbolic elements of the reverse and keep it from looking busy, genius.
Congrats on a very special purchase Bill.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Yes, I am very impressed with John Reich’s die work on the Jefferson inauguration medal. It is comparable, and sometimes better than work the French artists did on the Cometia Americana medal series for American Revolutionary War heroes.
Beautiful medal and so appropriate to give this thread a bump on the 200th anniversary (July 4) of Jefferson's passing.
With exonumia, it depends upon what you are collecting. I too prefer copper and bronze over white medal, but if you collect 19th century presidential campaign pieces, the pieces in white medal are more likely to have been made for the campaigns. A hole is also an indication that the piece may have been worn suspended from a string or thin ribbon or had once been part of a badge.
Some of the really nice looking and well preserved pieces in bronze are restrikes, which were made for collectors, after the election ended. I don’t mind collecting those pieces, but I am aware of what they are.
What a wonderful medal! Now I have to find a copy. I can't wait to research it and discover the history!