MEDAL MONDAY. Post a US MINT Made Medal

This is the one that got me into the Liberty series. I’m sure it looks even better in gold, but I can’t afford that and these look great in silver too. Plus, isn’t the gold one a coin and therefore does not qualify for this thread? 😉

Abraham Lincoln once said Henry Clay was “my idea of a great man.” Lincoln delivered a eulogy in the Illinois statehouse upon Clay’s death in 1852 that closed with the following: “Our country is prosperous and powerful; but could it have been quite all it has been, and is, and is to be, without Henry Clay? Such a man the times have demanded, and such, in the providence of God was given us.”

https://intelligentcollector.com/henry-clay-presentation-medal/

Who Was Henry Clay?

Those who are not avid scholars of American history may be forgiven for asking. Clay may be the most under-appreciated American historical figure. He was a candidate or presidential hopeful in every election from 1824 through 1848, save for 1828 when he supported incumbent John Quincy Adams for re-election. While that ultimate prize eluded him, Henry Clay cast a bigger shadow over the politics of his era than many who have occupied the White House, leading Abraham Lincoln to characterize him as "my ideal of a great man."

Clay was born in Virginia in 1777, the son of a Baptist minister and owner of a prosperous plantation. He studied law in Virginia before relocating at age twenty to pursue opportunities in Lexington, Kentucky, where he would reside for the remainder of his life. He quickly developed a successful law practice, gaining a reputation as a sharp attorney with great oratorical skills. Perhaps his most famous client was former vice president Aaron Burr, whom Clay defended successfully in 1806 when Burr came up on serious charges stemming from his plot to invade and seize land west of the Mississippi River then governed by Spain.

https://historical.ha.com/itm/political/massive-us-mint-medal-of-pure-california-gold-struck-for-presentation-to-henry-clay-lincoln-s-own-ideal-of-a-great-man-total-2-items-/a/6163-43082.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515#

Massive U.S. Mint Medal of "Pure California Gold," Struck for Presentation to Henry Clay, Lincoln's own "ideal of a great man," in Recognition of His Half Century of Public Service. The medal, presented to Clay in 1852, is 3.5 inches in diameter and approximately a half inch thick, containing nearly 30 ounces of gold. The dies were engraved by Charles Cushing Wright, the premier engraver of his time, who also created the large silver case in the form of a hunter's case pocket watch, designed to protect the medal's delicate proof finish. The reverse of the medal itself features just a partial list of Clay's lifetime achievements, while the silver case depicts the U.S. Capitol building as it appeared before the now-familiar dome was added, as well as the Clay monument and his famous Kentucky mansion, Ashland. Also included are the original handwritten vellum document which accompanied the presentation of the medal to Clay and the original velvet-lined case.

The medal's stunning design, imposing size and mass, historic importance, and distinguished, thoroughly documented provenance establish it as one of the premier examples of American Medallic art.

Getting back to the topic of this string, here is the 19th century version of a Lincoln medal that mint has issued a number of times. This variety is on the fly page of the 19th century American medals book by Julian. Lincoln had the reputation of being an unattractive man, but this medal is greatly admired as a handsome piece.

And for something unusual, here is an Indian Peace Medal for Millard Fillmore who is famous for being the president "No one knows anything about him."