(c.1960's) Medal FH-114 Var. Yellow Brz Rstrk Franklin Pierce

Coin Details

Description

This circa 1960s yellow bronze restrike medal cataloged as FH-114 Variety features Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth president of the United States. The "Var." designation in the Fuld-Higby catalog indicates a die variety — a measurable difference in the die used to strike this version compared to the standard FH-114, involving differences in lettering, portrait details, or border ornamentation. Die varieties within the Fuld-Higby series are documented but not always fully understood, as the production records for these mid-century restrikes are incomplete. Pierce served as president from 1853 to 1857 during a period of escalating sectional tensions over slavery. His support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which opened western territories to popular sovereignty on the slavery question, contributed to the violent conflict known as "Bleeding Kansas" and accelerated the nation's march toward civil war. The portrait on FH-114 presents Pierce in the formal style typical of pre-Civil War presidential iconography. The variety status of this yellow bronze restrike adds numismatic interest beyond the standard issue. Collectors of the Fuld-Higby series who pursue completeness seek out documented die varieties, making this piece more desirable than the regular FH-114 despite Pierce's relatively low standing among presidential collectors.

Rarity Notes

Die varieties in the Fuld-Higby series are typically scarcer than the standard issues. FH-114 Var. In yellow bronze restrike is uncommon.

Cross References

PCGS #674611; FH-114 Var. (Yellow Bronze Restrike); Fuld-Higby Presidential Series