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A 1937 Presidential Inaugural Medal
BillJones
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Franklin Roosevelt was the first and only president who won four terms in office. Among the four inaugural medals that were issued for his swearing into office, the 1937 piece is the most unusual. Like $2.50 and $5.00 Indian gold coins, the lettering is incuse, and vice president John Nance Garner gets almost equal billing with his portrait on the reverse. Artist Joseph A. Atchison (1895 - 1967) designed this unusual medal.
In most cases the vice president only has his name mentioned on the inaugural medal or if he is lucky he might get to share his profile behind the president's image. For the 1961 Kennedy Inaugural medal vice president Lyndon Johnson was not mentioned at all, which might have been an indicator of how Kennedy insiders viewed him. Johnson certainly felt that way during his time as the VP.
The reported mintage on this piece in bronze is 1,006, but it is believed that at least 90 pieces were melted. There were also two gold pieces, two silver pieces and two bronze pieces with a special dark finish issued as well.
Why did Garner get this special treatment on the 1937 inaugural medal? Perhaps someone was grooming him to take FDR's place in 1941 when it was presumed that Franklin Roosevelt would retire from office. At any rate it did not work out that way. FDR ran for an unprecedented third term and Garner elected to leave the ticket. By then he had come to the conclusion that the New Deal was too liberal for him, and he decided to return to Texas.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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Steve
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
1940 was one of the most interesting Presidential elections in history- mainly because of the Third Term. After a considerable amount of research, I see FDR as running mainly because no other Democrat would win. FDR rewarded his most ardent supporter through the economic down turn and his effort to pack the Supreme Court. FDR had little use for the conservatives in his own party and Garner was one who was out of step with where the New Deal was going. Garner, James Farley and even Joe Kennedy were considered Presidential timber in 1940- Kennedy was an early exit based on his misjudgment of how WWII was unfolding. I seriously doubt Henry Wallace could have been nominated in 1940 as the Presidential candidate. Alben Barkley would have been the best choice in the event FDR chose not to run in 1940.
Even though Willkie was a darkhorse and a political novice, he was very popular and likely would have defeated any Democrat other than FDR. Keep in mind, The Democratic Convention followed the Republican convention and the Willkie-McNary ticket had been nominated- FDR was needed even though there was opposition to a third term. FDR moved to reward his loyalists- one such loyalist was Henry Wallace and with his VP nomination came a whole new chapter of controversy. Most was not anticipated and it never made headlines until a later time which begs the question whether FDR was already thinking about 1944.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
<< <i>Thats cool Bill, do you have all of FDR's Inaugural Medals?
Steve >>
Yes, here they are:
1933
1941, Second Issue ("2" on the reverse is the way to tell)
1945 This piece is interesting because it reflected how bad the president's health was as he began his fourth term.
The third inaugural rendering really looks like the '46 Sinnock portrait.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Fantastic pieces all. The rough, real look of the 1945 and 1941 stand out to me.
The motto on the 1945 reverse "Thou too sail on o ship of state, Sail on o union strong and great" is great stuff from another era.
I popped in this thread just to see the font on this medal and it was worth it as always. The sculptural quality and style/vantage/interpretation seen on some of there you have posted reminds me of an FDR bust that was behind the Federal Building at the 1939 NYWF which I research and restore images of. It was only there in 1939, replaced by Churchill at some point for the 1940 season. It was seldom photographed - I don't see it online - but appears in the 1977 Wurts volume on the 1939 NYWF and the book by Bill Cotter I did captions/edit for and maybe the NBM WF catalog I did as well. I am sure I have it in my stock in b/w and probably color. It looks like it goes right along with these.
Thanks!
Eric
Successful BST deals with mustangt and jesbroken. Now EVERYTHING is for sale.
<< <i>It appears that some sort of darkening agent was used on the one in the OP, an "antique finish" that also makes the incuse lettering stand out. I am curious how this was done and what they used. >>
I believe the patination of bronze works is normal if the gold color is not desired. Hot and cold methods, chemicals, additional heat etc. Liver of Sulphur and so on. Rodin created a neat effect that now bears his name.
Eric