Today, the U.S. Mint released the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Silver Medal, which honors the remarkable achievements of the 16th President of the United States and commemorates the lasting legacy of one of the most significant figures in American history.
Before he became President of the United States in 1861, Abraham Lincoln held various roles, including that of a self-taught lawyer, a captain in the Illinois Militia, a state legislator, and a U.S. Congressman. His presidency coincided with what is widely regarded as the most challenging era in American history — the Civil War. Tragically, Lincoln was assassinated shortly after the war’s conclusion by a sympathizer to the Southern cause.
U.S. Mint Presidential Medal Programs
Struck from 1 troy ounce of 99.9 percent fine silver and measuring 1.598 inches in diameter, the new medal is priced at $75.
Presidential medals have a rich history that dates back to the early days of the United States. Initially coined in bronze and referred to as "Peace Medals," these medals bore a portrait of the current President and were typically presented to Native American tribes as a symbol of peace during treaty ceremonies and other related events.
In 2018, the U.S. Mint started their current lineup of Presidential Silver Medals, which share the same designs as the first bronze medals and honor the former chief executives in the order in which they served in office. To date, the program has seen the release and associated sales of the following medals:
- George Washington – 33,939
- John Adams – 23,189
- Thomas Jefferson – 23,447
- James Madison – 16,465
- James Monroe – 14,995
- John Quincy Adams – 14,485
- Andrew Jackson – 16,334
- Martin Van Buren – 13,499
- William Henry Harrison – 13,339
- John Tyler – 13,406
- James K. Polk – 12,977
- Zachary Taylor – 12,752
- Millard Fillmore – 12,331
- Franklin Pierce – 12,122
- James Buchanan – 11,372
The first medal issued this year from the series, honoring Buchanan, was launched on Feb. 13. Today’s Lincoln medal will be followed by one honoring Andrew Johnson in the summer, and an Ulysses S. Grant medal in the fall.
This series has no mintage limits with past medals still available for purchase directly from the U.S. Mint.
Abraham Lincoln Silver Medal Designs
George T. Morgan, the 7th Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, designed both the obverse (heads side) and reverse (tails side) of the medal. He is perhaps best known for designing the "Morgan Dollar," a U.S. circulating $1 coin that debuted in 1878 and was in circulation until 1904, with a brief reappearance in 1921.
For this Presidential Silver Medal, Morgan’s depiction of Lincoln is featured on the obverse, with the inscription ABRAHAM LINCOLN around the portrait.
The ornate reverse of the medal features a wreath of oak and laurel encircled by a pearled ring. Within the wreath is a spray of pine and cedar, and at their base is a serpent with its tail in its mouth, symbolizing eternity and immortality in Egyptian culture.
On the reverse, an inscription reads "INAUGURATED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 4, 1861. SECOND TERM MARCH 4, 1865. ASSASSINATED APRIL 14, 1865.""
Presidential Silver Medal Specifications
Each medal has a matte finish, which gives them an appearance similar to that of an uncirculated coin. Here are some additional medal specifications:
| Denomination: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Finish: | Matte |
| Composition: | 99.9% Silver |
| Silver Weight: | 1.000 troy oz. |
| Diameter: | 1.598 in. |
| Edge: | Plain |
| Mint and Mint Mark: | N/A |
| Privy Mark: | None |
| Design: | Designer: George T. Morgan |
| Struck Under Authority of: | 31 U.S.C. § 5111(a)(2) |
Ordering
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Silver Medal can be purchased from the U.S. Mint’s catalog for silver medals. Each medal comes encapsulated and with a Certificate of Authenticity.
I believe this medal would have better served by displaying one of Lincoln’s immortal quotes on the reverse rather than the standard biographical information as shown. To be fair though, I recognize the intent in this case was to keep the obverse clean except for the image of his profile. A rather clear demonstration of the concept that having everything isn’t always possible.
I need this medal like I need another hole in my head
I had honestly not been aware that you too have a hole in your head, Dazed and Coinfused. All along I’ve believed I was alone in possessing this peculiar malady.
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So I’m wondering if Darrin Lee or Mike,could possibly get(FOIA) “definitive” clarification, as to where and who, or whether or not these “Presidential Silver Medals” are actually produced by the US Mint? I think that it is an assumption that Philadelphia is making them. Even though Coin News published previously that Philadelphia was producing, I wouldn’t be so sure. Mint and Mint Mark are listed as both being N/A. Even though the bronze versions don’t have a MM either and zero listed specifications, the product page still lists “Philadelphia (P)” below the named product on the product page and individual… Read more »
The Philadelphia Mint, from it’s earliest days as our only Mint, strikes almost all bronze medals offered & most of the silver medals, and all of the Congressional Gold Medals. Mainly because the Mint’s entire full-time design & engraving staff are all headquartered at the Philadelphia Mint.
Once In a while, the “W” Mint & “S” Mint & the “D” Mint will strike a medal with their Mint mark on them, but the medal dies are prepared at the Philadelphia Mint & sent out to the 3 branch Mints.
NumisdudeTX
Seth Riesling and CaliSkier,
Isn’t it common practice for the Mint to omit mint marks on both medals and bullion coinage? I’m not saying there couldn’t be exceptions, but the lack of mint marks on those two categories of Mint products seems to be standard procedure.
Kaiser, The Mint does from time to time use Mint marks on medals. The recent “Liberty” with bucking Mustang silver medal has a “P” Mint mark on it for example. One set with 4 silver medals with the black Lady Liberty had 4 different finishes with “P”, “D”, “S” & “W” Mint marks on them was a great set around 2017 at an issue price of $199.95. We picky medal collectors tend to prefer Mint medals with Mint marks on them that add extra cachet. The Mint made bicentennial of the U.S. Mint medals in 1992 – one in bronze… Read more »
Many thanks, Seth, for that comprehensive overview of the Mint’s medal mint mark policy, or perhaps its lack of a consistent one might be the better way to put it.
I do remember that Liberty Four Medal Set from 2017. That was in fact a great looking collection of medals, but since I collect only coins I never picked one of those up.
Forcing collectors to buy an expensive gold coin set to get a limited edition mint-marked medal seems like a nasty ploy, but I guess the Mint is entitled to an occasional brush with ethical laxity.
Kaiser, I love it! – “Ethical laxity”. The Mint also stopped offering the “S” quarter rolls in a single roll option & in the ‘S’ bags option & now forces those who want them to buy the whole 3-roll set of “P”, “D” & “S” quarters at $60. The “S” quarter rolls were like $18.95 for a number of years when they were offered as a single product & they still made a good profit on them It’s not that the price is high now, it’s actually quite fair, but forcing loyal customers to buy unneeded & unwanted products is… Read more »
Well, Seth, I suppose it’s all summed up pretty well in Cabaret by the line “Money makes the world go ’round, world go ’round.” By the way, you can bet your bippy that if the Mint was still selling the “S” quarter rolls separately I would still be buying them. On the other hand, I’m through with catering to the Mint’s meaner side by way of falling for the three roll scam, so it’s no more quarter rolls for me. Incidentally, Seth, one may indeed wonder if the Mint’s ingestion of ethical laxatives is in any way complicit in that… Read more »
I wonder how many people are subscribed to this series. Perhaps 11,000 are subscribed and 372 actually thought “I really like this James Buchanan medal, I’m going to order one.”
In 2018 when this 1-ounce silver medal series began, the price was $39.95 if I remember right. Then they were raised to $65 under the previous horrible Mint Director David J. Ryder & this year were raised to $75 thanks to Mint Director Madame Ventris C. Gibson – almost double the first year issue price! Reminds me of a song titled “Shame on You,” by the music duo Shirley & Company! You can tell how popular a president is by the sales figures…Lol. About 13,000 people give a damn about completing a medal series that will cost thousands to complete,… Read more »
Yes 39.95 when they came out. I quit buying when they jumped to 65.
Seth, I’ve been watching the Presidential Medal sales count drop steadily as the succession of the nation’s former leaders extends ever further from the era of the Founding Fathers. At this rate the Mint could conceivably hit zero soon.
Kaiser,
Yes, when they get to Nixon! Lol.
The U.S. Mint’s special “I am not a crook” presidential silver medal.
NumisdudeTX
Seth,
True, except that thanks to the endless record of miscreant behavior still being served up by Trump, Tricky Dick now looks like a saint in contrast.
Kaiser, How many formats do we need in order to pay homage to our former “leaders?” I don’t know about any of you, but I think the powers to be got lazy in 1909 when they decided to put “portraits” of presidents on our bullion coins. I like Washington, not the City, and Lincoln, but do I need to see them every year on a quarter and cent? No! It’s one of the appeals of the ASE and Morgan/Peace Dollar series…no presidential portraits. Count me in the group that wouldn’t pay $39.95 for a piece of bronze with a presidential… Read more »
Well, yes, Craig, it could certainly be argued that our coinage could use some new material when it comes to what adorns it, and I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that. The hard part would be getting the “great deciders” in D.C. to think outside of their habitual boxes.
The ‘great deciders”, you can always come up with a good one Kaiser. Although I would have said the impossible part in getting these folks to think.
Why thank you, Craig, and I assure you from my observations here you certainly don’t come up short in that department either.
By the way, the term “thinking politician” is a classic oxymoron.
Seems like all the presidents had only 2 names JQ Adam’s naturally to delineate from the previous president. Then suddenly boom 3 name presidents US Grant. Harry S Truman, Franklin D roosevelt. Nope. Just democrats seemed to prefer 3 names or initials. JFK LBJ DDE. Also most serial killers also had 3 names. JW Booth. JW Gacy. Jack the Ripper, LH Oswald, Ob Ladin. Seems overly simple for a medal. A detailed pic from an engraver from 150 years ago that is eerily similar to the almighty too common penny. Give em a top hat, or put up his hall… Read more »
“Maybe trump’s will say 45 on one side and to life on the other side.”
With that, Dazed and Coinfused, you have just won yourself the Best Projected Coin Design Award with no other entry of any sort even coming close. Mega Kudos!
DDE was a Republican. So was US Grant.
JW Booth and LH Oswald were murderers, but neither was a serial killer.
Thanks for the correction. After previous post on phone I didn’t want to go back and redo my thought. Sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain. Didn’t mean to imply exclusivity. And wasn’t sure if killer or murderer would have been better. And I had brain fart of serial killers. I don’t like leaving the page to search because sometimes when I click back on coin news it refreshes and I lose everything I wrote earlier. Very soon after Lincoln and his successor Grant, the parties seemed to flip. I believe the carpet bagging and radical republican ideas and… Read more »
LGBTQIA2+…it grows every year… The Royal Canadian Mint commemorated the decriminalization of homosexuality a few years ago with circulating coins & a colorized silver coin. The Royal Mint of the UK produced a gay Pride coin recently & the Bank of England issued it’s first polymer 50-pound banknote (the highest denomination note) featuring the famous gay mathematician/computer scientist/WWII Nazi Enigma code breaker Alan Turing, who was prosecuted (& chemically castrated) under the anti-homosexual laws of England & committed suicide at age 41. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II pardoned him posthumously a few years ago. And in the good old USA… Read more »
Without Alan Turing, Seth, the Battle of the Atlantic would likely have been lost by the Allies and possibly with it the option of ever launching the D-Day Landings and thereby commencing the absolutely pivotal and eminently imperative invasion of Fortress Europe. And what did the clearly indispensable Mr. Turing get for turning the tide of World War II and thus saving the United Kingdom from the Nazi onslaught; chemical castration and a prison sentence. Such behavior by the powers that be, much as our medievalist Supreme Court is now engaged in, does not bring peace and fraternity to any… Read more »
Kaiser,
Amen! It takes not only a village to make a healthy Democracy, it takes a widely diverse village population to make a successful village.
NumisdudeTX
I happily and enthusiastically second that prescription, Seth.
Kaiser,
Amen to that!
NumisdudeTX
France will be added to that small but illustrious list on May 7 when it issues a Marriage for All mini-medal and silver coin celebrating the country’s 10th anniversary of marriage equality.
morgan,
Thanks for the info. I’ll have to look up the design. If it’s by the official Mint of France, the Monnaie de Paris, it is probably a great design.
NumisdudeTX
Seth and morgan,
That relatively “quiet” Paris Mint produces some amazing coins!
Kaiser, It was the official Mint of France that produced the first “curved” coins in 2009 if I remember the year right – 5 years before the U.S. Mint asked them for technical help to do the same in 2014 for the baseball commemorative curved coins. The official Mint if Italy produced the first ringed bi-metallic coins a couple of decades ago with a special process. The U.S. Mint copied that process by asking them for technical help only once in 2000 for the Library of Congress ringed bi-metallic gold/platinum commemorative coins & hasn’t done it since. The U.S. Mint… Read more »
This is one of those instances where I’m going to vote for optimism, Seth, and think of the U.S. Mint’s reliance (not necessarily dependence) on foreign machinery, technology and know-how as an exceedingly positive development. In other words I would definitely prefer that the Mint continue to gather required resources, both mechanical and intellectual, from abroad rather than close itself off from those sources when they happen to be ahead (sometimes clearly even by leaps and bounds) of what the Mint itself has thus far been able to achieve and/or muster of its own accord. The world is after all… Read more »
Wow, that’s tomorrow, Morgan; thanks for the heads up! 🙂
Aha, Dazed and Coinfused, now that you mention it (I guess, whether you did or not) snapped up three more Republicans out of the multiple name “trend” list: Richard Millhouse Nixon, George Herbert Walker Bush and George Walker Bush. And lest we forget, there was a certain J. Edgar Hoover, who although not a president might as well have been with the power he wielded.
Just saw this. Makes for interesting read. But considering how nothing was made demand should have been down. Doesn’t pass the snuff test to me. Other article from 2 days ago confirming a deficit of sorts as referenced by Caffeine Magic Mike. He sounds like he should be a 3 named dude as he’s killed the hobby for many. But not by slashing prices.
https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2023/05/01/ongoing-us-mint-failures-bring-discredit-to-america-002733
That gentleman’s argument, Dazed and Coinfused, about the US Mint not living up to its chartered obligations, while perhaps numerically correct, is for all practical purposes unsound and irrelevant. I would be hard pressed to believe that any substantial amount of the gold and silver bullion produced by the Mint goes to anyone but the very wealthy. Yes, there are stackers who accumulate bullion, mostly silver at that, but their take of the Mint’s annual production must be rather negligible. The thrust of that individual’s complaint, when one bothers to look behind the curtain, is essentially that big precious metal… Read more »