Miami Valley Coin Club

Presidential Inaugural Medals

For the 57th time since George Washington took the oath of office at Federal Hall in New York City in 1789, we’ve celebrated the quadrennial inauguration of a president, in this case the second inauguration of our 44th president, Barack Obama. The inauguration is rich in tradition, with the gathering of dignitaries, the pomp of the ceremony, the eloquence of the inaugural address, and the sense of a fresh start as our republic begins a new cycle of leadership.

For the numismatic community one of the highlights of the inauguration is the inaugural medal. The modern version of the medal dates to William McKinley, and every president since has had one. Some are truly works of art while others are, well, maybe a bit routine. All are souvenirs of their time and are avidly collected by a small but steady band of enthusiasts. To take a look at the modern inaugural medal, check out Joe Levine’s website, History of the Official Inaugural Medal.

The official inaugural medal for 2013 was sculpted by Peer Hansen and struck by the Medalcraft Mint. Coin World ran an informative article in January.  Joe Levine’s Presidential Coin & Antique C0., Inc. would be happy to sell you a bronze, silver, or gold version of the medal; click here for more information.

Finally, sculptor Amy Kann has created her own inaugural medal for 2013. While not the official medal, it is a very attractive work. Amy is funding the project via Kickstarter, an on line funding community. If you back the project at a certain level, you get the medal. If you back it at a high enough level, she’ll put you on a medal! Very cool!