No Date Medal Martin Van Buren Type 1

Coin Details

Description

This undated bronze medal of Martin Van Buren represents the Type 1 version of his Peace and Friendship presidential medal in the 34mm collector format. The obverse features a portrait of the eighth president adapted from the original die work, while the reverse carries the standard clasped-hands Peace and Friendship design. Van Buren occupies a unique place in presidential history as the first president born after American independence, the first of Dutch descent, and reportedly the only president for whom English was a second language, having grown up speaking Dutch in the Kinderhook, New York, community. His political career was remarkable for its influence on the development of American party politics — he is often credited as the architect of the modern two-party system. The Type 1 designation distinguishes this die combination from the Type 2 variant, with differences in portrait or reverse die details that medal specialists have identified. These type distinctions help collectors and catalogers track the production history of the presidential medal series, as dies were periodically replaced over the decades that the Mint produced these medals. The 34mm bronze format makes this medal part of the standard collector series that the Mint has offered for direct public purchase, allowing enthusiasts to build complete sets of presidential medals at reasonable cost.

Rarity Notes

Common. Standard Mint production for public sale. The Type 1 designation distinguishes the die variety but does not significantly affect availability.

Cross References

Julian PR-6 (original design reference); Type 2: PCGS #509790; PCGS #408680