(2016) First Spouse Bronze Medal - Betty Ford

Coin Details

Description

The Betty Ford bronze medal celebrates a First Lady whose candor about personal challenges reshaped public attitudes toward addiction, breast cancer, and mental health. Elizabeth Anne "Betty" Bloomer Ford was a professional dancer who studied under Martha Graham in New York before marrying Gerald Ford in 1948, just weeks before his first election to Congress. The obverse, designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso, portrays a woman whose openness was both refreshing and controversial in the 1970s political landscape. The reverse, designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Renata Gordon, references her advocacy work and her impact on public health awareness. As First Lady from 1974 to 1977, Betty Ford broke social taboos by publicly discussing her breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy in 1974, a revelation that prompted thousands of women to seek mammograms and saved many lives. She was equally forthcoming about her support for the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion rights, and premarital relations, positions that earned her both praise and criticism. After leaving the White House, her public acknowledgment of her addiction to alcohol and prescription painkillers in 1978 led to treatment and eventually the founding of the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California in 1982, which became one of the nation's most respected addiction treatment facilities. Struck in bronze at 1-5/16 inches.

Rarity Notes

Struck at the Philadelphia Mint during 2016 with open mintage. Betty Ford's broad public recognition makes this a popular entry in the series.

Cross References

PCGS #611830; companion to First Spouse Gold $10