Has anyone here purchased the Bronze First Spouse Medals?

Longacre

I got the Mint catalog the other day, and on the back cover, they had listed the First Spouse Bronze medals. The medals are cheap ($3.50 each). Has anyone ordered these? Because I am not collecting the gold First Spouse coins, maybe it makes more sense to keep up with the bronze issues. Any comments?

Horizon

Yes, I have purchased all three to-date.
For the price how could you go wrong, and, I like the reverse to the Jefferson, and, Madison medals.

pf70collector

I have bought also. But the 4 medal set is a better deal(cheaper than buying all four individually. I will purchase the sets from now on.

beartracks42

I also am buying them. They are nicely done.

MilesWaits

I have purchased a few for gifts to friends. They have enjoyed them, particularly the Jefferson, which allows people to see the beauty without the price.

Miles

Cladiator

Yup, I got 'em. Check out this thread about one of them...

...Link-A-Dink-A-Doo...

57loaded

<< <i>I have purchased a few for gifts to friends. They have enjoyed them, particularly the Jefferson, which allows people to see the beauty without the price.

Miles >>



i have done (bought) them too, for gifts and and give-a-ways at work...people "love" them and then you have an opportunity to spaek of the gold series and then like a cascade....soon every body wants one....the bonze medals that is....free from me of course....at leats i keep 'em happy. they just love the Jefferson....

now if i could just type..

Horizon

asdfy

Coin World was reporting about 80,000 of the bronze medals sold. That was before the Holiday Catalog came out with the 4 medal set available. I think its a great offering and definitely worth it.

Mesquite

Yep. They are affordable and they photograph well. I've even gone so far as to purchase (volume discount) all of the airtites needed to accommodate the entire series.

BECOKA

Nope, gold looks better.

19Lyds

Yes I have purchased the first three.

There is a collectors market for the bronze metal stuff sold by the US Mint but its collectability in its purest form. Just for the sake of collecting.

ModernCrapNut

I bought a couple of the Jefferson spouse medals. I think it's well struck and very attractive. It's nice when you can keep them around to look at and not have to hide them in a SDB.

Coinhog

Two questions:

Are they higher relief than their gold counterpoints?

Will the mint off an album to hold them in, similar to the medals of the presidents series?

MrHalfDime

Although I dropped my name from the Mint's mailing list and stopped buying their "modern crap" several years ago, I must confess that I have bought a few of the Jefferson "spouse" medals. They are beautifully rendered, and although Jefferson's wife had passed away before he became the third President of the United States, so she was not depicted on the medal, I find the allegorical representation of Miss Liberty to be one of the more attractive designs to come out of the mint in .... well, about 200 years. I bought the Jefferson medals primarily out of my respect and admiration for Thomas Jefferson, and all that he did for his country, his fellow man, and for science.

Coinhog

<< <i>Although I dropped my name from the Mint's mailing list and stopped buying their "modern crap" several years ago, I must confess that I have bought a few of the Jefferson "spouse" medals. They are beautifully rendered, and although Jefferson's wife had passed away before he became the third President of the United States, so she was not depicted on the medal, I find the allegorical representation of Miss Liberty to be one of the more attractive designs to come out of the mint in .... well, about 200 years. I bought the Jefferson medals primarily out of my respect and admiration for Thomas Jefferson, and all that he did for his country, his fellow man, and for science. >>




Didn't he also have slaves and father children out of wedlock with them? Not downplaying his achievements but just adding perspective.

ricko

Nice medals, but would rather have something of value... oh yeah.. I already do. Cheers, RickO

Longacre

<< <i>Are they higher relief than their gold counterpoints? >>




Good question. Does anyone know?

MrHalfDime

"Didn't he also have slaves and father children out of wedlock with them? Not downplaying his achievements but just adding perspective."

I have previously answered this question in detail in other posts, but since it was asked, I feel obligated to respond with at least a short response.

It is true that Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and of the words "All men are created equal" did, in fact, own several slaves. But the circumstances regarding how he acquired those slaves is crucial to understanding the man. Jefferson married into a wealthy family, even beyond his own economic means. His father-in-law owned many slaves, and when his father-in-law died, his estate, including the slaves, was willed to his daughter and to Jefferson. At that time in American history, it was not possible for him to simply set the slaves free, as independence for slaves was not legal. If he had set them free, they would have been rounded up and returned to Jefferson, and if he refused them, they would have been taken to the town square and simply resold to the highest bidder.

During his terms in Congress, Jefferson authored no less than thirteen bills to abolish slavery, but all were defeated. His colleagues in Congress took him aside and admonished him that if he continued to sponsor abolitionist bills at a time when the country was simply not ready for such action, he would be defeated, and thus not able to help anyone.

The persistent rumor that Thomas Jefferson fathered one or more children with Sally Hemmings, one of the slaves he inherited, just does not seem to go away, no thanks to the likes of NBC who fabricated a completely fictitious 'made-for-TV' movie about a presumed romance between the two. What rarely seems to get reported was the fact that Jefferson's father-in-law publicly admitted to having relations with Hemmings before she was bequeathed to Jefferson. In recent years a DNA test was conducted to hopefully answer the question. DNA samples were taken from undisputed descendents of Thomas Jefferson and from Sally Hemming's descendents, and an apparent link was found. However, any present day descendent of Thomas Jefferson would also be a descendent of his father-in-law, who admitted having relations with Hemmings. More recent research has indicated that Jefferson was not present at Monticello at the specific dates of conception of Sally Hemming's babies, but Jefferson's brother was.

I, personally, do not know whether Thomas Jefferson fathered illegitimate children with Sally Hemmings or not; I was not there. However, I think it is tragically unfair for people to perpetuate this unfounded rumor for such a brillaint, talented and patriotic man who served as President Washington's Secretary of State, the American Ambassador to France, the third President of the United States, the Governor of Virginia, the President and founder of the University of Virginia, the author of the Declaration of Independence, the man responsible for the Louisianna Purchase (the largest land purchase in history), inventor, scientist, surveyor, botanist and so many other accomplishments too numerous to mention. That is what he is remembered for? Every American should learn about Jefferson, read about Jefferson, study Jefferson, and then form an opinion. But to simply yield to such irresponsible rumor and innuendo does a great disservice to this great man.

Just my opinion.

OPA

<< <i>

<< <i>Are they higher relief than their gold counterpoints? >>




Good question. Does anyone know? >>




They appear to be. I've orderd the First Spouse Bronze Medal set of 4 that the Mint just came out with for $12.95.
US Mint link

Longacre

<< <i>"Didn't he also have slaves and father children out of wedlock with them? Not downplaying his achievements but just adding perspective."

I have previously answered this question in detail in other posts, but since it was asked, I feel obligated to respond with at least a short response.

It is true that Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and of the words "All men are created equal" did, in fact, own several slaves. But the circumstances regarding how he acquired those slaves is crucial to understanding the man. Jefferson married into a wealthy family, even beyond his own economic means. His father-in-law owned many slaves, and when his father-in-law died, his estate, including the slaves, was willed to his daughter and to Jefferson. At that time in American history, it was not possible for him to simply set the slaves free, as independence for slaves was not legal. If he had set them free, they would have been rounded up and returned to Jefferson, and if he refused them, they would have been taken to the town square and simply resold to the highest bidder.

During his terms in Congress, Jefferson authored no less than thirteen bills to abolish slavery, but all were defeated. His colleagues in Congress took him aside and admonished him that if he continued to sponsor abolitionist bills at a time when the country was simply not ready for such action, he would be defeated, and thus not able to help anyone.

The persistent rumor that Thomas Jefferson fathered one or more children with Sally Hemmings, one of the slaves he inherited, just does not seem to go away, no thanks to the likes of NBC who fabricated a completely fictitious 'made-for-TV' movie about a presumed romance between the two. What rarely seems to get reported was the fact that Jefferson's father-in-law publicly admitted to having relations with Hemmings before she was bequeathed to Jefferson. In recent years a DNA test was conducted to hopefully answer the question. DNA samples were taken from undisputed descendents of Thomas Jefferson and from Sally Hemmings, and an apparent link was found. However, any present day descendent of Thomas Jefferson would also be a descendent of his father-in-law, who admitted having relations with Hemmings. More recent research has indicated that Jefferson was not present at Monticello at the specific dates of conception of Sally Hemming's babies, but Jefferson's brother was.

I, personally, do not know whether Thomas Jefferson fathered illegitimate children with Sally Hemmings or not; I was not there. However, I think it is tragically unfair for people to perpetuate this unfounded rumor for such a brillaint, talented and patriotic man who served as President Washington's Secretary of State, the American Ambassador to France, the third President of the United States, the Governor of Virginia, the President and founder of the University of Virginia, the author of the Declaration of Independence, the man responsible for the Louisianna Purchase (the largest land purchase in history), inventor, scientist, surveyor, botanist and so many other accomplishments too numerous to mention. That is what he is remembered for? Every American should learn about Jefferson, read about Jefferson, study Jefferson, and then form an opinion. But to simply yield to such irresponsible rumor and innuendo does a great disservice to this great man.

Just my opinion. >>




I am currently reading Cunningham's bio of Jefferson, and also have the Peterson book as well as a few volumes of the mutli-volume work on Jefferson (Malone?). I am admiring the man more and more.

MrHalfDime

The Dumas Malone six volume biography of Thomas Jefferson is the most comprehensive and complete study of the man that has ever been written, while the Noble Cunningham "In Pursuit of Reason" biography is more concise but equally recommended. Another great read about the life of Thomas Jefferson is Stephen Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage". My library contains several other biographies of Jefferson, as well, and I never tire of learning more about the man.

To the point of your OP, I have several of the Jefferson "First Spouse" medals, and also a half ounce uncirculated gold coin, as well. Although the half ounce gold coin is smaller in diameter than the medal, and therefore presumably proportionally "smaller" in relief, as well, the only real difference in relief that I can detect by eye is just that - the normal difference in relief that you would expect from a smaller diameter coin. I am reluctant to open the capsule and measure the actual relief using a micrometer, but from a strictly subjective obeservation, there does not appear to be an appreciable difference in relief.

swampfox

Will these medals fit in a direct fit air tite ?

jsf

I sold and redirected my gold First Spouse purchases into covering my UHR debt. I did decide to get the Liberty subset, First Spouse medals though. I got two sets of the current three offerings for the grandkids and one set to open and keep on my desk.

Of this open set, I have noticed that the Jackson and Van Buren medals are toning very quickly, while the Jefferson medal is remarkably clean.

All three have been handled and kept out in the same environment. I don't know what the difference is. Does anyone here happen to know what the difference in these might be?

jsf

ttt

BECOKA

My how things change in two years.

mikeyg

thank you mr half dime.Obviously you are well read on the subject of mr jefferson.I really enjoy the threads where I learn things I never thought about whether it be about coins or other subjects.

bigmarty58

Does Dansco make an album for the Bronze First Spouse Medals?

Robert

oldfolkie

I am one of those few that have loved the idea of the first spouse coins since they came out. I have several sets of the bronze, and an uncirculated set and proof set of the gold. I haven't seen a Dansco album but noticed Whitman had one in their classic format--the only problem is they only gave Tyler one space for his two wives. I still love the old albums and being able to keep my coins out to look at, so I do hope Dansco puts out an album for the bronze, or Whitman at least corrects theirs. For as much as these coins have been knocked everyone I show them to thinks they are great.

illini420

<< <i>I am one of those few that have loved the idea of the first spouse coins since they came out. I have several sets of the bronze, and an uncirculated set and proof set of the gold. >>



It's ok... don't worry, although we are a rare breed, you are not alone!!

I'm keeping all of my proof and unc gold in the original capsules, but would also like to display the bronze medals in an album once a correct one is made.