(2013) First Spouse Bronze Medal - Ida McKinley

Coin Details

Description

The Ida McKinley bronze medal honors a First Lady whose life was marked by devastating personal losses and chronic illness. Ida Saxton McKinley was the daughter of a prominent Canton, Ohio banker and was well educated and traveled before her 1871 marriage to the future president. The obverse, designed by Barbara Fox and sculpted by Don Everhart, presents a portrait of a woman who suffered the deaths of both her young daughters within three years — Katherine in 1875 and Ida in 1873 — losses from which she never fully recovered. She developed epilepsy and became increasingly frail, yet William McKinley devoted himself to her care with extraordinary tenderness that was widely admired by the public. The reverse, designed by Barbara Fox and sculpted by Joseph Menna, references her life and the challenges she faced. As First Lady from 1897 to 1901, Ida McKinley attended official functions when her health permitted, with her husband always seated beside her rather than across the table, so he could place a handkerchief over her face if she experienced a seizure during dinner. She crocheted thousands of pairs of bedroom slippers for charity during her years in the White House. After McKinley's assassination in September 1901, Ida returned to Canton, where she visited her husband's grave almost daily until her own death in 1907. Struck in bronze at 1-5/16 inches.

Rarity Notes

Struck at the Philadelphia Mint during 2013 with open mintage. Available from dealers at standard pricing for the series.

Cross References

PCGS #518186; companion to First Spouse Gold $10