James McCartney of Stack's Bowers published a blog article October 10, 2019 about a rare Presidential inaugural medal offered in the firm's upcoming Whitman Coin &
Collectibles Winter Expo sale. -Editor
United States Presidential Inaugural medals been official issued since William McKinley's took the oath of office in 1901. For the past 118 years these medals have marked
the change of administrations, and can conjure nostalgia or bitterness depending on the events of the four years in-between. Among the rarest issues from this series are those
from the 1921 inauguration of Warren G. Harding. Just two were struck in gold and fewer than 10 each are known in silver and bronze. We are thrilled to present an exceptional
silver example graded Specimen-63 (PCGS) in our November 2019 Baltimore Auction, where it is being offered as part of the Edmund W. Dreyfuss Collection of Presidential Inaugural
Medals.
It is a gorgeous example with glossy surfaces and original patina throughout. The lavender-gray surfaces display colorful iridescence blending golden and violet shades. The
strike is very sharp and perfectly centered. File marks at the rim are as-issued and most obvious at the right reverse border. This piece is an exceptional rarity among United
States medals and is certainly the holy grail of the Presidential Inaugural series.
The November 1920 victory of Republican Warren G. Harding over Democratic contenders James M. Cox and Franklin Delano Roosevelt was to have been celebrated with "the most
dazzling celebration in the memory of the present generation." This event was to be directed by Washington Post publisher Edward "Ned" McLean and his heiress
spouse Evalyn. Campaign denunciations of Woodrow Wilson's supposed governmental extravagance, surviving asceticism from the First World War and the sudden lurch of the
nation's economy into a vicious post-war Depression derailed the planned extravaganza. Nevertheless, the McCleans offered their own lavish private hospitality, which extended
to the striking of this Inaugural Medal in very small quantities by R. Harris & Co. of Washington.
While not as famous as the 1905 Roosevelt inaugural medal by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the medals of Warren G. Harding's 1921 inauguration are exponentially rarer, and each
appearance is a significant numismatic event. Of the fewer than 10 thought to survive in silver, most are held tightly in private collections or institutions. We have not handled
a silver example since April 1986 when we sold the collection of David W. Dreyfuss, the present collector's brother. More recently, we offered a bronze example in our March
2011 Baltimore sale which brought $17,250. We expect even stronger interest in this silver piece.
Inaugural medals are a fascinating series to collect, and this is one of the keys. Great medal. -Editor
To read the complete article, see:
Rare 1921 Harding Inaugural Medal in Silver to be Featured in our November
2019 Baltimore Auction (https://www.stacksbowers.com/News/Pages/Blogs.aspx?ArticleID=waren-harding-medal-november-2019)
Wayne Homren, Editor
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor
at this address: whomren@gmail.com
To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 The Numismatic Bibliomania Society (NBS)
All Rights Reserved.
NBS Home Page
Contact the NBS webmaster
|