(1872) Bronze Medal J-PR-15, Ulysses S. Grant

Coin Details

Description

The 1872 bronze medal of Ulysses S. Grant, cataloged as Julian PR-15, is the standard bronze version of the Mint's presidential portrait medal struck during Grant's presidency. Produced as a companion to the silver Julian PR-14, this bronze issue was intended for broader public distribution and collector sales at a more accessible price point. The 1872 date places this medal in the year Grant secured re-election, defeating newspaper editor Horace Greeley in one of the most lopsided Electoral College victories in American history, 286 to 66. The obverse features the characteristic Grant portrait used across the presidential medal program, capturing the general-turned-president with the steady, determined expression that became his public image during and after the Civil War. Grant's distinctive close-cropped beard and direct gaze reflect the no-nonsense demeanor that earned him the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant after his demand at Fort Donelson in 1862. The reverse carries the presidential inscription identifying Grant and his service as the nation's eighteenth chief executive. Julian PR-15 represents the bronze counterpart in the paired silver-and-bronze medal production that the Mint employed for its presidential series during this period. The bronze format ensured that the presidential medal series remained accessible to ordinary citizens who wished to collect portraits of their national leaders, a democratic impulse that aligned with the Mint's broader public education mission.

Rarity Notes

Standard bronze presidential medal produced for public sale. More common than the silver Julian PR-14 counterpart. Available in the numismatic market without significant difficulty.

Cross References

PCGS #924196; Julian PR-15