(1925) Medal Calvin Coolidge Inauguration 70mm Medallic Art Co. NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$11,400 SP63 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 70mm bronze medal commemorates the inauguration of Calvin Coolidge as the thirtieth President of the United States on March 4, 1925. Produced by Medallic Art Company of New York, it belongs to the long tradition of privately struck inaugural medals that complement the official government issues. Coolidge had assumed the presidency upon Warren Harding's death in August 1923 and won election in his own right in November 1924, running on a platform of fiscal conservatism and limited government encapsulated by his famous declaration that "the business of America is business." The obverse features a portrait of Coolidge in formal attire, rendered with the high-relief sculptural quality that distinguished Medallic Art Company's work from mass-produced commercial pieces. The reverse carries inaugural inscriptions and imagery appropriate to the occasion. At 70 millimeters in diameter, this medal is substantially larger than standard inaugural pieces, providing a generous canvas for the sculptor's art. Medallic Art Company was at this time still a relatively young firm, having been founded in 1903, but had already established itself as the leading private producer of commemorative medals in the United States through its commitment to European-style sculptural technique and fine craftsmanship.

Rarity Notes

Bronze, 70mm. Produced by Medallic Art Company, New York. Production quantities for early MACO inaugural medals were modest, typically in the hundreds rather than thousands. Scarce in today's market.

Cross References

PCGS #76636