(1866-68) Medal Ulysses S. Grant, J-PR-42

Coin Details

Auction Record

$264 MS62DMPL 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This undated bronze medal of Ulysses S. Grant, cataloged as Julian PR-42 in the presidential medal series, was struck at the United States Mint during Grant's presidency (1869-1877). Grant, the commanding general who accepted Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, won the presidency in 1868 on the strength of his wartime reputation and served two terms through 1877. His administration oversaw Reconstruction, the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteeing voting rights regardless of race, and the establishment of the Department of Justice. The obverse features a right-facing bust portrait of Grant in civilian attire, reflecting his transition from military hero to statesman. The reverse carries an appropriate presidential inscription identifying Grant as the eighteenth President of the United States. Julian PR-42 is part of the long-running U.S. Mint presidential medal series, in which the Mint produced portrait medals of each president for sale to the public and for diplomatic gift purposes. The bronze composition and undated format indicate this was intended as a standard collector issue available over an extended production period. Grant's presidency was marked by both significant achievements in civil rights enforcement and controversies surrounding corruption among political appointees, though Grant himself was never personally implicated. His memoirs, completed shortly before his death in 1885, remain one of the most acclaimed works of American nonfiction.

Rarity Notes

Standard U.S. Mint bronze presidential medal produced over an extended period for public sale. No fixed mintage limit. Readily available in the numismatic market.

Cross References

PCGS #902199; Julian PR-42