US Mint Medals - Silver

vvaed · March 11, 2009 8:36AM

I posted this on another list and got a couple of answers but just discovered Collectors Universe and I'm impressed with the quality of the chatter here, so if you have already seen this you have my apology.

I have a couple of the 3 inch US Mint Presidential Medals which appear
to be struck in silver. They are definitely a lot thinner than the
bronze versions. They have the same finish as current medals struck
by the US Mint. One is Woodrow Wilson.

I am wondering:

1) Where they ever sold to the public in Silver? If not sold over
the counter, then what was the occasion meritting a silver strike?
They have been in my possession since the very early 1970s and I purchased them from a collecctor who had owned them for ten or more years.

2) Certainly they seem to be rare, but I wonder how to determine
their possible value.

3) I purchased a complete catalog of US Mint Medals back in the 60's
from the Government printing office. A very nice book picturing each
medal. Both of these are listed in that book but there is no mention
of any being struck in silver.

I'd be interested in hearing informed opinions and also "best guess"
opinions on this.

Thank you for your time and interest.

DorkGirl · March 11, 2009 8:51AM

I'm sorry I can't help with your questions.

OPA · March 11, 2009 9:01AM

Without a scan of the medal, it's tough to say.

Check out this web site to see if these are the medals you have
Presidential silver medals

imron · March 11, 2009 9:10AM

Welcome to the Forum!

I do not know the answer to your question.

It appears that the Medal you refer to is NOT included in the PCGS Price Guide or Population Reports.

It would help if you had pics.

OPA posted a link that might help you, but I think that link is more about the current Presidential Medal Series.

However, in OPA's link it does state, "Solid silver medals were made in the early days of the United States for presentation to American Indian chiefs, these are extremely rare. They are so seldom encountered that their price is very high." And if you have one of these, you just won the lottery.

Good luck!

zeebob · March 11, 2009 9:35AM

WELCOME!

JupitarCoins · March 11, 2009 9:54AM

Welcome to the jungle.

jonathanb · March 11, 2009 11:03AM

Yes, many of the 20th century US Mint medals were struck in silver. I have several auction records for presidential medals in silver that sold in the range of "hundreds" of dollars. Based on the number of auction records I have, it appears that the Wilson medal is the most common in silver. I also have records for Hoover, FDR, Coolidge, and McKinley medals in silver, possibly others if I look more carefully.

Photos sure would help...

Flatwoods · March 11, 2009 11:26AM

I am sure someone here can assist you with the answers.
Just not me,sorry.

crazyhounddog · March 11, 2009 1:49PM

Sure would like to see a picture of these!

Tumblew33dKickR · March 22, 2020 9:29PM

New here to collectors dot com. Not sure if I should post here, not too technology savy.
I own a Congressional Gold Medal duplicate which was struck in Silver.

I've contacted several individuals in the Exonumia world and finally found this site.

My medal features Major General Edmund P Gaines. Julian mi-13.
Desperately attempting to find a list of sorts of commissioned officers that would have been awarded the Medal sometime in the mid 1820's.

Thought about sending it to either NGC or PCGS. But the only examples I can find are Bronze strikes or re-strikes on either companies websites.
Tested with a Sigma Metalytics verifier pro.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Here are the pictures.

Coinosaurus · March 22, 2020 9:55PM

Julian lists it as known in silver.

Dreyfuss had a silver example -- https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=4&AuctionId=523996&page=73

Tumblew33dKickR · March 22, 2020 10:10PM

I've archived that exact link awhile ago.
I've been attempting to find out exact names of men who were given these medals.
I purchased this a few years back at a flee market in El Paso TX where I had been buying early 1800's Sterling items and thought it was a coin of sorts. Recently showed it to a dealer friend of mine and was told that it was a Medal not a coin.
I've contacted:
J. Kraljevich
B. Weiss
W. Hyder
P. Gilkes
W. Carmichael
And others but to no avail.
I'd like to know whether I can determine the recipient history.
Perhaps find out whether this is worth encapsulating through NGC or PCGS. Not sure if it holds numismatic value rather than intristic value. Just not something I'm familiar with.

I've been investing in bullion since high school and whenever I go to 2a shows or flee markets I buy interesting items. This has been a real difficult one to find real world information about.

ricko · March 23, 2020 5:34AM

@vvaed....Welcome aboard....
@Tumblew33dKickR....Welcome aboard.....This forum is a great resource, experts in all areas visit here. Cheers, RickO

Coinosaurus · March 23, 2020 7:02AM

I'm fairly certain there would not be a list of recipients in the U.S. Mint archives. There might be one in the military or congressional records.

1Bufffan · March 23, 2020 7:17AM

If you Goggle the Furst. F. medals you will see that there are a lot of medals awarded to Military Men or their first living Sons or relatives that were produced in silver , Hope this helps in you search . Welcome to the Forum!! Knowledge is Key, learn what you can, ask what you don't know someone else might!

Namvet69 · March 23, 2020 8:27AM

My collection includes a 3" MACO in . 999 silver of George laying the capital cornerstone in all his Masonic regalia. Peace Roy

BillJones · March 23, 2020 9:51AM

I purchased this piece in a Stacks' auction some years ago. It is a three inch silver medal that was struck in the 1960s. According to the catalog, this was custom made, by the Philadelphia Mint, for a collector named Ed Rice. The story is you could have a silver medal made. The fee was $25 plus you had to supply the silver. The only surface that was available was the sandblasted one that also appeared on the regular “yellow bronze” medals.

The $25 fee plus suppling the silver sounds simple enough, but I have a post from a blogger who looked into to doing this years ago. His comment was “It was more trouble that it was worth.”

I have read the Ed Rice was quite wealthy. He lived in southern New Jersey, which is not that far from the mint. He might have had some “pull” with the mint personnel to get medals like this made. My impression is that he had quite a few of them done.

tokenpro · March 23, 2020 10:51AM

Rich Hartzog had more than a couple of these thinner silver Presidential series medals back when he did auctions on a regular schedule (not 10 years between sales!). I can't recall if he offered the group privately or if they made it into one of his catalogs -- Sale #9 is a possibility, I'll see if I have that one in the office. My recollection of their history is similar to what Bill Jones relates above.

DrDarryl · May 5, 2020 8:32AM

@Tumblew33dKickR said:

New here to collectors dot com. Not sure if I should post here, not too technology savy.
I own a Congressional Gold Medal duplicate which was struck in Silver.

I've contacted several individuals in the Exonumia world and finally found this site.

My medal features Major General Edmund P Gaines. Julian mi-13.
Desperately attempting to find a list of sorts of commissioned officers that would have been awarded the Medal sometime in the mid 1820's.

Thought about sending it to either NGC or PCGS. But the only examples I can find are Bronze strikes or re-strikes on either companies websites.
Tested with a Sigma Metalytics verifier pro.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Here are the pictures.

Mention of Major General Edmund P Gaines in this snippet.

DrDarryl · May 5, 2020 8:49AM

FYI - The number 63 indicates it was the 63rd National medal sanctioned under a Congressional vote.

US Mint Medals - Silver

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