(2024-S) Medal Chester A. Arthur Silver Matte Finish

Coin Details

Auction Record

$121 MS70 09-30-2024 eBay

Description

This silver matte-finish medal from the San Francisco Mint features President Chester A. Arthur, the twenty-first president who served from 1881 to 1885. Arthur assumed the presidency following the assassination of James Garfield by a disappointed office-seeker, an event that galvanized support for civil service reform. Arthur, himself a product of the patronage system as former Collector of the Port of New York, surprised his critics by championing and signing the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, which established merit-based government employment and remains the foundation of the modern civil service system. Arthur's presidency also saw the construction of the first modern steel warships and the dedication of the Washington Monument. This matte-finish silver medal documents a president whose transformation from machine politician to reformer represents one of the most remarkable personal evolutions in American presidential history.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. San Francisco Mint silver matte-finish presidential medal. Arthur is a less commonly collected president.

Cross References

PCGS #965266; Chester A. Arthur; Silver Matte Finish; Presidential Medal; 2024-S