(1970s)-D Medal Gerald R. Ford 34mm Inaugurated 1974

Coin Details

Description

This 34mm Denver Mint presidential medal features Gerald R. Ford with the notation "Inaugurated 1974." Ford is the only person to serve as both Vice President and President without being elected to either office — he was appointed Vice President under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment after Spiro Agnew's resignation, then became President when Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. His controversial pardon of Nixon on September 8, 1974 cost him significant public support but is now generally viewed by historians as a necessary act that allowed the nation to move beyond the Watergate trauma. The Denver Mint medal noting his 1974 accession documents this unique constitutional succession. The rarity spectrum for political campaign medals ranges from common pieces produced in large quantities for mass distribution to unique or near-unique presentation examples that command premium prices in specialized auctions. Ford lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter in a close contest.

Rarity Notes

Denver Mint 34mm presidential medal, 1970s. Gerald R. Ford. Only unelected president in American history.

Cross References

PCGS #922169; Denver Mint presidential medal series; Gerald R. Ford; inaugurated 1974