1881 Silver Medal J-PR-44, James A. Garfield

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,600 AU Details 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1881 silver medal of James A. Garfield, cataloged as Julian PR-44, represents a second die variety in the silver Garfield presidential medal series. The existence of Julian PR-44 as a separate catalog entry from PR-43 indicates a distinct die pairing, size, or design variant within the Garfield medal program. The Mint sometimes produced multiple versions of a president's medal to serve different purposes — standard collector sales, diplomatic gifts, or memorial distribution — and each distinct version received its own Julian catalog number. Garfield's presidency, though the second shortest in American history after William Henry Harrison's thirty-one days, left a lasting impact on the nation's political institutions. His assassination by a disappointed office-seeker provided the catalyst for the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, which established the United States Civil Service Commission and mandated competitive examinations for certain government positions. The reform transformed the federal bureaucracy from a patronage-based system into a merit-based professional service. The silver composition of Julian PR-44 elevates this medal above the bronze issues in both material value and collector desirability. Garfield silver medals are sought by collectors interested in the assassination-era medals and by those pursuing complete runs of the Julian presidential series. The 1881 date ensures that this medal was produced in close proximity to the events it memorializes, giving it an immediacy that later restrikes or reproductions cannot match.

Rarity Notes

Silver presidential medal variant produced in limited quantities. Julian PR-44 represents a separate die variety from PR-43 and may be encountered less frequently. Scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

PCGS #514979; Julian PR-44