(2016) First Spouse Bronze Medal - Nancy Reagan

Coin Details

Description

The Nancy Reagan bronze medal honors a First Lady whose devotion to her husband and controversial "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign defined her eight years in the White House. Anne Frances "Nancy" Davis Reagan was a Hollywood actress who appeared in eleven feature films before marrying Ronald Reagan in 1952. The obverse, designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Renata Gordon, presents a portrait of a woman whose fierce protectiveness of her husband and his legacy earned her both admiration and criticism throughout his political career. The reverse, designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Don Everhart, references her "Just Say No" campaign, which she launched in 1982 to discourage drug use among young people. Though critics dismissed the program as simplistic, it became one of the most recognized anti-drug slogans of the twentieth century and raised national awareness about substance abuse. As First Lady from 1981 to 1989, Nancy Reagan drew criticism early in the administration for accepting designer gowns and initiating a costly redecoration of the White House, though she later donated the gowns to museums. Her influence over White House personnel decisions, including her role in the departure of Chief of Staff Donald Regan, was widely reported. After Ronald Reagan's Alzheimer's diagnosis in 1994, she devoted herself to his care and became a vocal advocate for stem cell research. She died in 2016. Struck in bronze at 1-5/16 inches.

Rarity Notes

Produced at the Philadelphia Mint during 2016 without a fixed mintage limit. Nancy Reagan's death in March 2016 occurred during the year this medal was issued, adding a commemorative dimension to its release.

Cross References

PCGS #612508; companion to First Spouse Gold $10