(1965) Silver Medal Lyndon Johnson Inauguration Medallic Art Co. NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$36 SP65 07-22-2022 eBay

Description

This silver medal commemorates the inauguration of President Lyndon Baines Johnson on January 20, 1965. Produced by Medallic Art Company of New York, the medal marks Johnson's election to a full term after having assumed the presidency following John F. Kennedy's assassination in November 1963. Johnson won the 1964 election in one of the most lopsided victories in American presidential history, defeating Barry Goldwater with over 61 percent of the popular vote and carrying 44 states plus the District of Columbia. The inauguration took place as Johnson was beginning to push his Great Society legislation through Congress, including the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 already signed and the Voting Rights Act and Medicare that would follow in 1965. The silver composition places this medal in the premium tier of Medallic Art Company's inaugural offerings, produced in smaller quantities than the bronze version for collectors and dignitaries. The "AR" designation in the title derives from the Latin "argentum" for silver. Medallic Art Company's inaugural medals from this period reflect the firm's mature artistic and technical capabilities, with finely detailed presidential portraits and carefully composed reverse designs that document the peaceful transfer of democratic power. The silver Johnson inaugural medal captures a president at the peak of his political power, before the Vietnam War eroded public support for his administration.

Rarity Notes

Silver. Produced by Medallic Art Company, New York. Silver inaugurals from the mid-1960s are scarce, with production typically in the low hundreds. Johnson's decisive electoral mandate makes this a historically significant piece.

Cross References

PCGS #690769