U.S. Mint Releases William McKinley Presidential Silver Medal

The U.S. Mint’s Presidential Silver Medal series continues today with a release honoring the 25th President of the United States, William McKinley. The medal contains one troy ounce of 99.9% fine silver and features a portrait of the former president. Introduced in 2018, the series honors the nation’s presidents in the order they served, with thousands sold each year.

William McKinley was born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio. His father operated iron foundries. When the American Civil War broke out, McKinley enlisted as a private and saw action in multiple battles. He rose through the ranks and was awarded a brevet commission as major shortly before the war’s end.

After his military service, McKinley studied law. He began his political career by winning election as the prosecuting attorney of Stark County and often campaigned for his friend and fellow veteran, Rutherford B. Hayes. McKinley entered Congress in 1877 and was elected Governor of Ohio in 1892.

On March 4, 1897, McKinley was sworn in as the 25th U.S. President. He was the last president to have served in the Civil War and the only one who began as an enlisted man. His administration oversaw a period of rapid economic growth, supported protective tariffs, and enacted the Gold Standard Act of 1900. Under his leadership, the U.S. annexed the independent Republic of Hawaii and won the Spanish-American War, gaining control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. His administration also secured what is now American Samoa through the Tripartite Convention of 1899, which partitioned the Samoan Islands.

McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz on September 6, 1901. He died eight days later and was succeeded by Vice President Theodore Roosevelt.

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 versions have since been released with the following associated sales:

• George Washington – 36,249
• John Adams – 24,014
• Thomas Jefferson – 24,798
• James Madison – 17,251
• James Monroe – 15,569
• John Quincy Adams – 15,105
• Andrew Jackson – 17,002
• Martin Van Buren – 14,027
• William Henry Harrison – 13,900
• John Tyler – 13,920
• James K. Polk – 13,547
• Zachary Taylor – 13,295
• Millard Fillmore – 12,890
• Franklin Pierce – 12,795
• James Buchanan – 12,577
• Abraham Lincoln – 20,043
• Andrew Johnson – 12,784
• Ulysses S. Grant – 13,968
• Rutherford B. Hayes – 11,892
• James A. Garfield – 11,716
• Chester A. Arthur – 11,037
• Grover Cleveland – 11,239
• Benjamin Harrison – 9,854

The Benjamin Harrison medal launched earlier this year on February 10. Still to come in the series this year are medals honoring Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft.

Medal Designs and Specifications

U.S. Mint artist C.E. Barber designed the portrait of William McKinley that appears on the obverse (heads side) of each silver medal. It is accompanied by the inscription "WILLIAM McKINLEY."

The reverse (tails side) features the inscriptions "INAUGURATED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MAR∙4∙1897," "SECOND TERM MAR∙4∙1901," "ASSASSINATED SEP∙6∙1901," and "DIED SEP∙14∙1901." To the left, a mourning figure of Columbia rests her right hand on a shield bearing the Presidential eagle. Below are a palm branch and a wreath tied with crossed ribbons.

Each medal has a matte finish, similar in appearance to uncirculated coins. Additional specifications include:

Ordering and Price

William McKinley Presidential Silver Medals are available for $90 through the U.S. Mint’s catalog for silver medals, alongside other still-available releases in the series. There are no mintage or household order limits.