1961 Medal Franklin Delano Roosevelt Matte Silver Medallic Art Co., NY

Coin Details

Description

This matte silver medal depicting Franklin Delano Roosevelt was produced in 1961 by Medallic Art Company of New York. The matte silver finish gives the portrait a contemplative, dignified appearance appropriate to the memory of the president who led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II. FDR served longer than any other president — twelve years and thirty-nine days — and his transformation of the federal government's role in American life made him one of the most consequential figures in the nation's history. The 1961 production date places this medal during the Kennedy administration, when New Deal liberalism was being revived and updated under the banner of the New Frontier. Medallic Art Company produced numerous FDR portrait and memorial medals over the decades following his death in April 1945, reflecting the enduring public fascination with the thirty-second president. The matte silver treatment was a characteristically European technique that MACO employed to create medals with an artistic, sculptural quality distinct from the bright reflective surfaces of standard silver production.

Rarity Notes

Matte silver. Medallic Art Co. NY. FDR portrait medal. Matte silver is a premium finish with limited production. Roosevelt medals have a broad collector base.

Cross References

PCGS #930582