(1974) Medal Medallic Art Co. NY Bronze G. Ford Inauguration

Coin Details

Description

This bronze medal by Medallic Art Company of New York commemorates the inauguration of Gerald R. Ford as president on August 9, 1974. The bronze version represents the most widely distributed format in the Ford presidential inaugural series, alongside the silver and gilt silver editions. Ford's assumption of the presidency was the culmination of an extraordinary constitutional sequence — appointed vice president under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment in December 1973, he became president less than eight months later when Nixon resigned. The bronze medal's accessible price point allowed broad public participation in commemorating this unprecedented event. Ford, a career Michigan congressman and House Minority Leader, had never sought the presidency and was thrust into the role by circumstances no one anticipated. His reputation for personal integrity and straightforward honesty — qualities that had led Nixon to select him as vice president — served the nation well during the transition from Watergate. Medallic Art Company's bronze inaugural medal captures Ford at the beginning of a presidency that, while unelected and brief, proved consequential in restoring public confidence in the institution of the presidency.

Rarity Notes

Bronze. Medallic Art Co. NY. Standard inaugural format. Most available composition in the Ford presidential medal series.

Cross References

PCGS #690796