(1933) Bronze Medal FDR 2nd Inauguration

Coin Details

Description

This bronze medal commemorates Franklin D. Roosevelt's second inauguration on January 20, 1937 — the first inauguration held under the Twentieth Amendment, which moved Inauguration Day from March 4 to January 20. Roosevelt's second inauguration followed his historic 1936 landslide, in which he carried 46 of 48 states and won 523 electoral votes to Alf Landon's 8 — the most lopsided Electoral College result in the modern two-party era. His second inaugural address famously declared "I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished," signaling his commitment to expanding the New Deal programs that had begun to address the Great Depression. However, Roosevelt's second term would be far more contentious than his first, as his attempt to "pack" the Supreme Court, the 1937 recession, and growing opposition from a conservative coalition of Republicans and Southern Democrats limited his legislative achievements. This bronze inaugural medal marks the beginning of a tumultuous second term that tested the limits of New Deal liberalism.

Rarity Notes

Bronze inaugural medal from 1937. FDR second inauguration. First inauguration held on January 20 under the Twentieth Amendment.

Cross References

PCGS #925620; Franklin D. Roosevelt second inauguration; January 20, 1937