QUESTION: One of my father’s most cherished possessions is a silver presidential inaugural medal produced for the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961. I wasn’t born until 1966, so I don’t know much about the Kennedy years. What can you tell me about the inaugural medals and this one in particular?
ANSWER: Of all the presidential inaugural medals, the one produced for John F. Kennedy’s inauguration is one of the most popular, and depending on its condition, the highest priced. But the tradition of producing a commemorative medal for a presidential inaugural is a long and often complicated one. Ironically, it didn’t begin with George Washington but with Thomas Jefferson.
President Jefferson received the first unofficial inaugural medal produced by German engraver John Mathias Reich in 1802. Reich asked Jefferson to hire him to design an inauguration medal. After examination of his sample works, Reich got the job. The silver medal sold for $4.25 and a tin version for $1.25.
The presidential inaugural medals became popular souvenirs for the attendees at the inaugurations for Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, James Polk, and Zachary Taylor. Since there was no standard medal, historians have uncovered medals in various sizes, qualities, and different metals.
When the government decided it could no longer afford the inaugural celebrations at the turn of the 20th century, Washington D.C. residents took it upon themselves to raise all the funding for inaugural festivities. One way to raise funds was through the sale of official presidential inaugural medals. Instead of various presidential medals being produced for tourist consumption, they decided to have the official Inauguration Committee produce and sell an official inaugural medal to the public.
In 1901, William McKinley received the first official presidential inaugural medal—it had his portrait stamped on one side and the Capitol building on the other. Surrounding the Capitol building are the words, "William McKinley President of the United States/Theodore Roosevelt Vice-President." Instead of being produced by the United States Mint as were previous the medals, the McKinley medal was produced by the Joseph K. Davison Company of Philadelphia, which produced three gold medals for the President, Vice President, and President of the Official Inauguration Committee for Medals and Badges. Committee members received silver medals while the bronze medals were sold to the public, originating a tradition that’s still followed today.
But President Theodore Roosevelt decided that the previous medal produced for McKinley wasn’t sufficient for him. He wanted his medal to go beyond a simple portrait. Roosevelt turned to renowned sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens to design a superior inauguration medal for his election. One side displayed a distinguished portrait of Roosevelt and the other side held a high-relief eagle---the same eagle that later adorned the $10 coins produced by the U.S. Treasury.
Roosevelt's artistic design continues to influence presidential inaugural medals today. Following Roosevelt's presidency, the Chairmen for the Committee on Medals and Badges purposely chose an artist to design the inaugural medal. But time constraints and the limitations of producing the medals always affected the final results. Consequently, various degrees of artistic medals have been produced, from the less ornate Woodrow Wilson medals with his portrait on one side and his name and Vice President's Riley Marshall's name on the other, to the more elaborate John F. Kennedy medal that has his portrait on one side and a high relief of the Presidential Seal on the reverse.
Compared to previous inaugural medals, the number of medals produced and sold for Harry Truman’s inaugural totaled 7,500. This allowed the Inaugural Committee to not only raise enough funds to pay for the inaugural ball, gala, and parade, but to amass a sizable profit. By President Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1952, the number of inaugural medals produced had climbed to over 26,000.
The inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961 was met with great enthusiasm. Mrs. Kennedy suggested Paul Manship be contracted to design the medal. Again, the Medallic Art Company was contracted to strike the medals that would be produced in gold, silver and bronze. As part of the promotional campaign, the firm also designed six-piece sets to show the process in which the medals were made. It produced 7,500 silver medals, all of which sold.
The production of inaugural medals now follows a set procedure. The sculptor first has the President-elect sit for a clay sketch. Then the artist turns the sketch into a mask to which he adds facial features. He then transforms the mask into a plaster model, followed by an epoxy cast which can be used to create the die cuts used for striking the medals. After the medals had been created, they’re immersed in chemicals to darken them, creating a two-toned effect. The medals finally receive a coating of lacquer to preserve them.
Traditionally, the Inaugural Committee presents the gold medals as gifts to the newly sworn in President and Vice-President at the luncheon following the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol.
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