(2018) Medal George Washington "1789" Bronze 34mm

Coin Details

Description

The 2018 George Washington "1789" bronze 34mm medal was produced by the United States Mint as part of the presidential medal series. The year "1789" in the medal's title refers to Washington's inauguration as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City — not to the medal's year of production. Washington served two terms through 1797, establishing precedents that shaped the presidency for over two centuries, including the two-term tradition, the cabinet system, and the principle of civilian control over the military. The 34mm bronze format places this medal in the standard U.S. Mint medal size range, slightly smaller than the typical 38mm presidential medal. The obverse features Washington's portrait, the most frequently depicted American on medals, coins, and currency. Washington's image on this medal joins a lineage stretching back to the earliest days of the republic, when his likeness appeared on Comitia Americana medals, Eccleston medals, and dozens of other commemorative pieces even during his lifetime. Washington's accomplishments extend far beyond the presidency. As commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, he held together an often-desperate military effort through eight years of revolutionary war. His voluntary relinquishment of power — first resigning his military commission in 1783, then declining a third presidential term in 1796 — established the peaceful transfer of power as a foundational American principle that King George III called the act of "the greatest character of the age."

Rarity Notes

Bronze 34mm medal produced by the U.S. Mint for public sale. Exact mintage figures available through Mint reports. Accessible to collectors in the secondary market.

Cross References

PCGS #919078