(1882) Gold Medal J-PR-41, Lincoln-Garfield

Coin Details

Auction Record

$5,040 MS64DMPL 06-16-2021 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

The 1882 Lincoln-Garfield medal in gold, cataloged as Julian PR-41, is a variant gold striking of the dual assassination memorial medal. Like its Julian PR-40 counterpart, this medal unites the portraits of the two assassinated presidents on a single piece, but Julian PR-41 represents a distinct die variety or format within the Lincoln-Garfield medal series. The existence of two separate Julian numbers for Lincoln-Garfield gold medals indicates that the Mint produced at least two distinct versions of the assassination memorial, differing in size, design details, or die state. The gold composition elevates this medal to the highest rank in the Mint's metal hierarchy, a distinction reserved for the most significant commemorative occasions. The assassination of a sitting president was precisely such an occasion — Garfield's murder in 1881, coming just sixteen years after Lincoln's, forced the nation to confront the vulnerability of its democratic institutions and the recurring specter of political violence. Both Lincoln and Garfield were Republicans who came to power during periods of intense national division. Lincoln navigated the Civil War; Garfield inherited the bitter factional warfare between Stalwart and Half-Breed Republicans over patronage and civil service reform. The gold Julian PR-41 medal preserves their dual legacy in the most precious medium available to the Mint, creating an enduring memorial to two leaders whose lives were cut short by assassins' bullets.

Rarity Notes

Gold striking is extremely rare. Julian PR-41 gold medals were produced in minimal quantities, single digits. Among the rarest entries in the presidential medal series.

Cross References

PCGS #514996; Julian PR-41