Along with coins, the United States Mint has produced Presidential medals since the early days of the nation. Designs for medals honoring President Obama are now one step closer to production.
Presidents who served two terms are often honored with one medal highlighting each term. Design candidates for the two Obama Presidential medals were reviewed by Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) on June 16 and then by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) on June 27. Both panels recommended the same designs.
Six candidates went under review. They included two obverse and one reverse design for Obama’s first-term medal and one obverse and two reverse designs for the president’s second-term medal.
For the first medal, the panels preferred design #1 for the obverse, which shows a larger portrait of President Obama. Inscribed to the left is BARACK OBAMA. The reverse design offers the excerpt from President Obama’s first inaugural address: OUR DESTINY IS NOT WRITTEN FOR US. IT IS WRITTEN BY US.
Additional elements include the Presidential seal, the inauguration date of JANUARY 20, 2009, a signature and 50 surrounding starts.
The second-term medal design features a left-facing portrait of the president and BARACK OBAMA centered at the top. The panels recommended the simpler reverse design #2, which shows the excerpt from President Obama’s second inaugural address: THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL WORD IN OUR DEMOCRACY IS THE WORD "WE."
Other elements include an image of the White House, the inauguration date of JANUARY 20, 2013, a signature, the words the words WE THE PEOPLE, WE SHALL OVERCOME and YES WE CAN, and 50 surrounding starts.
The U.S. Mint will eventually strike bronze duplicates of the two Obama Presidential medals and sell them to collectors. Options will include 3-inch medals and smaller 1.3125-inch medals at prices of $39.95 and $6.95 each.
Bronze medals for past presidents are available from the U.S. Mint’s website, right here, or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
