Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-05
Inauguration Medals
ny Frederic J HAskiu

his profil. struck on a soif medallion I
as an inaugural souvenir fbr himself. 4
Ever since the time Of william Henry !
Harrison this has been one Of the cus-
toms of the occasion. a gold medal
with tho likeness Of the new executive
is presented TO him. anothsr goes 70 the
Vice President and q third to the
chairman Of the general inaugural com
mittee. Silver duplicates go TO chair
men OF the inaugural sub-cornuitfees,
| bronze medals TO the COMMITTEES nism-
| bers and faw extra bronzo copiss
/ are made for museums and collectors.
| These medals arc among The permanent
/ souvenirs of the administration, and
/ as such they are always highly prizsd.
! This year the committee On medBls
! planned to eclipse all past performances
/ in artistic finish. Eleven desipus wsfe
submitted. and one had been selected
II borg tho profiles OF Harding and
| Coolidge. with Harding In front. In
| soribed around the heads were phrases
selected hs typifying the policies OF two
America Firft" for Harding. ana
| law and Order for Coolidge. The
reverse side Of tho medal was 10 carry
Columbia seated. looking toward the
national Capital. her left hand leaning
on tho national coat ~ arms, and her
| right holding the fasces symbolic ~
The unity of the republic
The Inaugural medal is financed by
prirafo allbBcrlptiou IN Washington, go
that 500 cupiss. costing about $4,000 do
not represent any expense 70 the Fed
erai Treasury Even 50. me media
viii probably not ba produced this year
as the committees are nov dissolved and
tho money raised for the medal ls to be
| returned.
There viii, however. be bronze
inaugural medal which any one can
buy. because tne q. : mint always
celebrates this way few people know
that the Philadelphia mint runs sort
J of art shop where the public can huy
pictures fo bronze. of All ~ our Presi-
dents and some naval heroes and other
great neu
This il M foRe ike the aged wheez"
~ a steel engraving os Wash tngton for
two cents IN other words postage
stamp Most ~ the fGiut7 llkenasses
aoI for ono dollar and are round bronze
rfceiafIiGrr three inches in diameter
They carry the head of nero usuaI
III profile. On one eide. and approprls'c r
lettering dr symbols On the reverse
Medal. for the Indians.
I, Is said tnaf originally tho govern.
yr.nnt produced fhnae 3rohze objects 81
urt to .nculcara iova and patriotism n
tnn Indians Among he frst ~ rhess
eeas.i4le- r. fhc indians wnre three
medals known aa the seasons Medals
rat, arr row exfraTneiv rare A se
sf .hre. Sells fir about 81 600 Al
three wrrc made during Wsshlrgtou
second Presidency bur his portrait wa
nor used on them. Instead the date
ard admnis'ra ti0n vere marked Nh W.
bark bct,gecu a design ~ creased oal
and laurel leaves
The other side bears the pictures b
which he Indians were ID profit sprin
il represented by farmer sowin
grain ard another man plo~ing wit
1 farm house az one side. summer IA
a shepherd watching his flock, wit
mountains IN the background and N
IL | house still n the distance. Autumn
/ uaa ak pped and r ne winter media
l. the scene shifts to the interior ~ N
il house. revealing woman weaving 4
loom. another spinning. and a chill
I rocking a habys cradle Lest there b
anv mistake, each scene IS labeled Z
i S a
II - not plain now iust' exactly VIVA
.ho carly republic expected 10 teach %
1 Indians hv these ilyliic scenes. Tn
= Indians knew now % plant and rals
thev certainly were past masters .
le tn. ART ~ weaving. and their record q
taking are -f tnelr children seems
+ he s.. good as any The idea was. po.
~ 4iblv 70 urove to me original Ian
owners hat th,s country was not goin
:. - ne dogs Ill me white man hand
Al and mat he new republic was a stau
and horue-respecrln proposition. Ma,
be IN addition 10 ihls. the red me
al ,yars expected ID Ioid their tents az
ne take - t.oionla. mansions and tol
Is poster beds Ii Is not clear.
5 These prizes we're handed out 20 2
~ good Indian chiefs. and they must ma
Ie nee, somewhat satisfactory FOR med
h making cor various purposes contlnue
n There were over a hundred differe
n medals ol Washington, comn~inoraili
z. MS virtues and fame. L was aiWa
me peace-iovins side of Washingt'
that ,yas stressed IN these bron
"a memorials. A collector OF Washlngt
medals saxs there was not one laUdll
,te he victories 4 few OF the dies Of 9
+. washington medals are stin n posse
:, sion Of the mint The others yan
-, longer be struck. and The few cop.
of Them in existence are nuch-priz
by Collectors
washington set precedent that n
never been broken when he refused
allow his likeness 70 be reproduced
our coinage a teW "ssnlhst
cents were minted II ltsl ana ~
following the European usage by viii
the soverlsns head adorns The COMA
~, eolntry. Some OF these col
-, ,r i believed. minted in Engla
washington is said 20 have been
n ksnant over the suggestion that su
tvs h.eofY,e standard He insisted
the destruction q dies for pieces bes
ing his head and advocated in tht
Z No.. designs with a head Of I.iber
- 'rrs senate held that the Prssiden
= baad should in respect TO him be as
- on the money q the republic, but {
= House agreed with Washington, and
= law was enacted as the President war
= / cd ii.
- Use Only Dead Celebrities.
= Since then. no Twins persons Il
Il lures have been used on our monsS
= either paper or coins. Likenesses
X persons who might be suitable