(c.1977) Medal J. Carter Inauguration

Coin Details

Description

This medal from circa 1977 commemorates the inauguration of Jimmy Carter as the 39th President of the United States on January 20, 1977. Carter, a one-term Georgia governor and peanut farmer, won the 1976 election against incumbent Gerald Ford in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, promising to restore honesty and integrity to the White House. His inauguration was deliberately understated — he walked the entire parade route from the Capitol to the White House, breaking with the tradition of riding in a limousine, to symbolize his populist, anti-imperial presidency. Carter's presidency would be marked by the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, the Iran hostage crisis, and the energy crisis, and he lost re-election to Ronald Reagan in 1980. This inaugural medal documents the beginning of a presidency animated by moral conviction and personal integrity.

Rarity Notes

Inaugural medal, circa 1977. Jimmy Carter inauguration. Moderate availability among modern inaugural medals.

Cross References

PCGS #509699; Jimmy Carter inauguration; January 20, 1977