1909 Medal Cunningham 24-300 Silvered Bronze Preserve Protect Defend

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,200 MS64 04-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1909 silvered bronze medal, cataloged as Cunningham 24-300, bears the presidential oath of office text "Preserve, Protect and Defend" — words from the oath Lincoln took on March 4, 1861 and again on March 4, 1865. The medal was produced as part of the 1909 Lincoln birth centennial celebration, using the oath of office to connect Lincoln to the constitutional responsibilities of the presidency. The silvered bronze composition gave this medal an attractive bright finish suitable for commemorative distribution. The "Preserve, Protect and Defend" text is actually a slight variation of the actual oath, which includes "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," but the abbreviated version became a common shorthand on Lincoln commemoratives. This medal represents the intersection of constitutional reverence and Lincoln veneration that characterized the centennial year.

Rarity Notes

Cunningham 24-300, silvered bronze. Lincoln centennial oath of office medal. 1909 centennial pieces are widely collected.

Cross References

PCGS #898157; Cunningham 24-300; Preserve Protect Defend, Silvered Bronze