Evening star., 1953-01-19
Inaugural Medals Developed
From Identification Bodqes

1000 copies in bronze were
struck by the United States
Mint.
An innovation was made that
year by the committee. Instead
of giving the bronze medals to
the inaugural committee men,
bers, the whole issue was sold
as a souvenir of the occasion.
This practice has continued.
The sculptor chosen was Henry
K. Bush-Brown of Washington,
who created a profile of Mr..
Hoover in relief on the diverse
side and the President and Vice
Presidents names on the reverse
with symbolic design, featur-
ing an American eagle.
In 1888, for the Inauguration
Of Franklin Roosevelt and John
Nance Garner, the committee on
medals. badges and souvenirs
chose Sculptor Paul Manship to
design the official. inaugural
medal. The size was 3 inches
in diameter with a relief profile
of Mr.. Roosevelt on the diverse
and the design of the ship
Constitution cold IronsideS")
on the reverse with the quota
ton Thou too, sail on, o Ship
of State: Sail on, o Union, strong
and great" The Medallic Art Co.
again did the dies, but the two
gold and 1,5O0 bronze copies
were struck by the United States
Mint in Philadelphia.
Only 1000 Sold.
However, only 1000 were sold.
Chairman Robert w. Wooley
tells why:
Some weeks after the in
auguration, was a caller at the
White House where the Presi-
dent spoke warmly of what the
inaugural committee had done.
When told that, unfortunately,
all the medals had not been
sold, the President asked why.
You closed the banks on March
4, and I wouldn't take checks
"The Presidents answer to
this was a hearty laugh"
OF passing interest is the fact
that the inscription on the face
of the medal designated Mr..
Roosevelt as the 31st President
of the United States.
According to an Associated
Press report of the time, Mr..
Woolley instructed Mr.. Manship
to use this designation. Most
historians and common usage
would make Franklin Roosevelt
32d President of the United
States, by counting Grover
Cleveland 22d and Oath Presi-
dent.
In 1887, for the second Roose-
velt Garner inaugural, Mr..
Woolley was again chosen chair
man of the committee on
medals, badges and souvenirs.
The medal was designed that
year by Joseph Anthony Atchi-
son of Washington, and he again
designated Mr.. Roosevelt the
31st President. Mr.. Roosevelt's
profile appears on the diverse
and Mr.. Garner's on the reverse
side.
The medal was again struck
by the United States Mint in
Philadelphia, 1000 being in
bronze for public sale.
In 1941, for the Inauguration
of Mr.. Roosevelt and Henry Wal
lace. the model was done by 10
Davidson. The profile of Roose-
velt is on the diverse and an
inscription on the reverse says
Third Inauguration" and the
date. Three thousand bronze
copies were struck, again by the
Mint.
For the 1945 Inauguration of
Mr. Roosevelt and Harry S. Tru-
man, the profile of Mr.. Roose-
welt was again done by 10 David
son. Because of the shortage of
metal, Joseph E. Davies, chair
man of the committee on the in
augural medal. had the size re-
duced to 2 inches in diameter,
and 5000 struck by the Mint in
Philadelphia. The diverse is the
profile head of Mr.. Roosevelt
and the reverse is the same de-
sign and inscription as in 1888,
the U. S. S. Constitution and
the Longfellow quotation.
~ Truman Wore Glasses.
For the 1949 Inauguration of
Mr.. Truman and Alben Barkley,
the likeness of Mr.. Truman was
done by C. P. Jennerwein of New
York. Seven and a half thou
sand were struck by the Mint.
It was again a two-inch medal
and sold for $2.15. The reverse
side has a symbolic figure Of
Liberty. Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross.
director of the Bureau of the
Mint, was chairman of the medal
committee. The profile of Mr..
Truman is unusual in that he is
depicted wearing his glasses.
Although the first official in
augural medal was struck in 1901
for the second Inauguration of
President Mckinley, the Mint
has struck a medal for every
President of the United Safes,
beginning in 1889 with George
Washington. This is the So
called presidential series, which
is entirely separate from the in
augural medal.
In Colonial times, it was the
custom of the European powers
to give medals of friendship to
the Indian tribes. George II and
George III of England both gave
medals bearing their likeness to
Indian tribes in North America
The English, after they con-
quered Canada, Systematically
got rid of similar French medals
by exchanging their own for