James A. Garfield Presidential Silver Medal for $75

Crafted from 1 ounce of .999 fine silver, the James A. Garfield Presidential Silver Medal makes its debut today at Noon ET, courtesy of the United States Mint. This medal commemorates the 20th President of the United States, featuring his portrait on the obverse (heads side).

James Garfield was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in 1831, in a log cabin, making him the last President to be born in such humble circumstances. Before graduating from Williams College in Massachusetts in 1856, Garfield worked as a canal boat team driver. He then pursued a career as a classics professor at Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (later Hiram College) in Ohio. Within a year, he was appointed as its president.

Political ambition soon followed, as he was elected to the Ohio Senate as a Republican in 1859. He then answered the call of duty to the Union military, successfully leading a brigade at Middle Creek, Kentucky, against Confederate troops. At only 31 years of age, he was made a brigadier general, followed two years later by an appointment as a major general of volunteers. While still serving in the military, he was elected to the U.S. Congress and resigned his commission at the request of President Abraham Lincoln, who wanted more party members in the House of Representatives.

Garfield won re-election for 18 years, eventually becoming the leading Republican in the House. In 1880, despite initially promoting his friend John Sherman at the Republican convention for President, Garfield emerged as the "dark horse" nominee on the 36th ballot, eventually defeating the Democratic nominee by a margin of only 10,000 popular votes.

As President, Garfield is reputed to have restored the prestige to the office that had been diminished by his predecessors. However, his time in office would be tragically brief, as he was assassinated after serving only 100 days.

U.S. Mint Presidential Medal Programs

Presidential medals, produced by the U.S. Mint, have a longstanding history tracing back to the inception of the nation, often bestowed as "Peace Medals" upon Native Americans. Modern Presidential silver medals made their debut in 2018 and have since been released with the following associated sales:

• George Washington – 35,427
• John Adams – 23,753
• Thomas Jefferson – 24,421
• James Madison – 17,000
• James Monroe – 15,358
• John Quincy Adams – 14,892
• Andrew Jackson – 16,739
• Martin Van Buren – 13,807
• William Henry Harrison – 13,663
• John Tyler – 13,717
• James K. Polk – 13,308
• Zachary Taylor – 13,074
• Millard Fillmore – 12,691
• Franklin Pierce – 12,585
• James Buchanan – 12,330
• Abraham Lincoln – 18,956
• Andrew Johnson – 12,475
• Ulysses S. Grant – 13,319
• Rutherford B. Hayes – 11,280

The Rutherford B. Hayes medal launched earlier this year on Feb. 13th. Medals honoring Chester Arthur and Grover Cleveland are scheduled to be released later this year.

Medal Designs

A portrait of James A. Garfield appears on the obverse (heads side) of each new silver medal along with the inscription of his name “JAMES A. GARFIELD.”

The reverse (tails side) depicts a wreath of laurel and oak leaves wrapped in crossed ribbons. Inside the wreath are the inscriptions "INAUGURATED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 4, 1881," "ASSASSINATED JULY 2, 1881," and "DIED SEPT 19, 1881."

Presidential Silver Medal Specifications

Presidential silver medals have a matte finish, which gives them an appearance similar to that of an uncirculated coin. Additional medal specifications are as follows:

Ordering and Price

Priced at $75, James A. Garfield Presidential Silver Medals are available for purchase directly from the U.S. Mint’s catalog for silver medals, without any mintage or household order limits.