(2018) Presidential Silver Medal - John Adams

Coin Details

Auction Record

$139 MS70 09-12-2020 eBay

Description

The 2018 John Adams "1797" silver matte finish medal is the second issue in the U.S. Mint's Presidential Silver Medal Program, honoring the second President of the United States. The "1797" refers to Adams's inauguration year, when he succeeded George Washington to become the first president elected through a contested national election. Adams served a single term through 1801, a presidency defined by the Quasi-War with France, the passage of the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, and the peaceful transfer of power to his political rival Thomas Jefferson — a transfer Adams ensured despite intense partisan pressure. John Adams (1735-1826) was a Massachusetts lawyer whose fierce intellect and unflinching integrity made him indispensable to the American founding. He was the principal advocate for independence in the Continental Congress, nominated George Washington as commander-in-chief, served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, negotiated the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War, served as the first vice president, and authored the Massachusetts Constitution — the oldest functioning written constitution in the world. The silver matte finish medal features Adams's portrait on the obverse, capturing the round-faced New Englander whose blunt honesty and prickly temperament made him both admired and difficult. The .999 fine silver composition and approximately 40mm diameter maintain the program's established specifications. Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — a coincidence that astonished the nation.

Rarity Notes

Second issue in the Presidential Silver Medal Program. Produced during a defined mintage period. Available in the secondary market.

Cross References

PCGS #681144