Options
Should there be a public design competition for the Donald Trump presidential medal?
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
The US Mint has a long-running program of issuing medals of each President. The first was for Thomas Jefferson in the form of his "Indian Peace" medal, followed by others.
Should a competition be limited to professional sculptors, or open to all? What design criteria would be appropriate?
0
Comments
Collectors get confused over this, but there are at least two series of official presidential medals. The most collectable are the presidential inaugural medals. As of now the Trump medal for that is still in the air. The Trump Inaugural committee has not yet issued an official Trump Inaugural medal. If they don't, it will be the first time that has happened since 1889, at least using Joe Levine's definition of the official inaugural medals.
There is a medal that was issued by the Ohio Republicans that is as official as it gets for the time being. That piece was available for sale at the time of Trump's inauguration. I think that we are getting too far away from the inauguration to have an "official medal." My current opinion is that the Ohio piece is as official as it's going to get. That piece is available in bronze, and there is a very limited issue of silver pieces that is now available.
So far as the presidential mint medal is concerned, that one was on the back burner for almost all of Obama's presidency. I believe that nothing was issued until a few months before he left office. The issued two medals at that time for his first and second terms. That was a change in policy because previously all presidents only had one Presidential medal regardless of how many terms they served.
There is a good chance that this will be the Trump inaugural medal for my set.
I refer to the U.S. Mint's Presidential medal series, not inaugural medals commissioned by the Inaugural Committee or other private entities. Presidents McKinley and Wilson pushed this to the back burner, also.
Don't forget that the Republican National Committee also ordered a medal from medalcraft mint - It differed from the Ohio medal and somewhere around 900 were struck. It has so far not been made available to the public so it is largely unknown. I have two Trump medals from the Medalcraft Mint. One is Ohio and I am not sure if the other one is the RNC medal or a prototype. I do not expect an official medal will be approved at this late date.
As for the mint's presidential medal, I assume it will be designed by the mints engravers.
Actually, many other presidents had more than one medal issued as a part of the Mint's Presidential Medal series.
George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Richard Nixon
Lyndon Johnson
Dwight Eisenhower
Harry Truman
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Calvin Coolidge
Warren Harding
Woodrow Wilson
Theodore Roosevelt
William McKinley
Grover Cleveland
James Garfield
Other presidents had more than one medal as well, but I wouldn't necessarily consider them as part of the same series.
A depiction of a person, the president, as it has traditionally been done on these US Mint medals, is very realistic. For this reason, there is very little creativity needed in the designing of the obverse of these medals. I don't think it would benefit from a public design competition.
However, the reverse is the face of the medal where artistry and symbolism really matter and can enhance the appearance. There were some great reverses on presidential medals in the early 1800s (not considered list medals), and some nice reverse designs by Morgan and Sinnock (and possibly Barber) from the 1910s to the 1940s. Ever since then these medals have been rather blah. A public design competition might just result in a better design due to the sheer number of entries and the diversity of submitters.
I'm not sure if they captured his likeness on that medal but they got the color correct
I sure do like that one. Wish I knew where the could pick one up
....and they used Charlie Rich's hair.
Just select a well known and accomplished artist and let her/him do it.... design by committee (even if it is selection) always results in mediocre results..... Consensus = mediocrity. Teddy Roosevelt selected St. Gaudens to 'beautify' American coinage... and just look at the success. I hate these committee approved designs.... Cheers, RickO
I could come up with a good design for a Trump medal but wouldn't buy one for my collection.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
Ebay.
Yes, I bought a great looking coin in a display box that is on another feed of mine. I love to see competition in design as it is what we have always been about. I prefer to stick to precious metal but bronze is attractive looking to get the Reagan set for reasonable price.
Best place to buy !
Bronze Associate member
Maybe a medal to commemorate his first 100 days of accomplishments?
Latin American Collection
Perhaps Donald Duck doing a
Donald dump
Does anybody have a picture or other information on this RNC version of the medal?
I will try to get a photo of my 2nd medal. But, if you Google Trump inaugural medal some pics and an NBC video come up of a medal that is not the Ohio medal. That is the same one I have and it might be the RNC medal.
Could not find anything.
Here is a 2nd Trump medal from Medalcraft Mint. I am not sure but this one might be the RNC medal.
The obverse is quite different from the Ohio medal, and the reverse is largely the same except it has a rim.
Since capturing his eyes on both of these medals as non shady seems to have been troublesome... Maybe the Mint should capture his likeness from a distance on a golf course swinging a 9 iron?
No, make it a mashie niblick!
The 2nd one is worse than the first.
Regardless of merits/demerits of the person, should the general public be allowed to submit designs for a presidential medal, or should it be designed in-house as previously?
I always like it when the public submissions are taken, like for the Jefferson nickel, Washington quarter, SHQs, Constitution half eagle, etc.
What is the edge inscription?
It just says "the Medalcraft Mint". No addl text like the Ohio medal....
Thx.
Either missed this the first time around or just chose not to respond...
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Any further word on these?
At this point we might as well accept the Ohio medal as the semi-official medal. So much time has passed since the inauguration, it does not matter at this point. No medal is going to be official.
Agreed. Get rid of the committee influence.
And maybe we'll see a new Director of the U.S. Mint before the end of this decade. Someone with strong leadership skills. Someone that can inspire...
OK, enough wishful thinking.
Successful BST transactions with forum members thebigeng, SPalladino, Zoidmeister, coin22lover, coinsarefun, jwitten, CommemKing.
This one would get my vote.
They all seem like clumsy, 3rd rate work both in design and striking. All lack creativity, distinction, detail and fail to capture the essence of the subject. I realize these are probably being approached as trinkets by the producers, yet any president deserves an official medal worthy of the office.
I thought to be honored with a medal, such a honor and privilege had to be earned by doing or and achieving something extraordinary for the public or the countries good.
Or is there perhaps a presidential order saying otherwise?
Any medals of Mr. Trump need to show him wearing a red tie with the words " Fake News" embroidered in blue.
Yes, and the "something extraordinary" that someone does to earn an Inaugural medal (and a US Mint presidential medal, for that matter) is being elected President.
BTW, a silver version of the Ohio medal was recently issued.
I hope there is one authorized... and it would be nice if it was not 'designed by committee'. It would more likely to be a well executed piece if they allow an artist to design it. Cheers, RickO
I like the 2nd one.
I wish they could find something other than the Presidential Seal to use for the reverse. It has been used way too often. Here the classic, of course, from Augustus St. Gaudens.
Harry Truman, with the "common men and women" at the lower left, who helped him get elected, is more interesting also.
George H.W. Bush had an interesting inaugural medal too, although the number sold was low for that time.
FDR was very big into "the ship of state" which appeared on two of his medals, the first in 1933 and the last in 1945.
It is the office of President of the United States which deserves to be honored. The characteristics of any individual holding that office are determined by his/her qualities and eventually by history.
My original question relates to an appropriate medal for the office and a distinguished portrait of the holder of that office. It is not a political or ethical question. (Fortunately, our Presidential medals are not like Oscar Wilde's "Picture of Dorian Gray," or we would have some butt-ugly inaugural medals in our collections along with some surprisingly noble ones.)
Bush and FDR portraits are among the best of the series. They display something of the character and challenges of those Presidents. Interestingly, Teddy Roosevelt did no like the Saint-Gaudens portrait, although he gave it ample public praise.
Thank you. Some posters here need to remember that even if you don't respect the individual, you should respect the office.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012