Trump medal fills inauguration void
Although the new Trump medal (top) looks like an inaugural medal, especially on the obverse side, it does not say it is an inaugural medal. Shown for comparison (bottom) is an official George W. Bush inaugural medal.
The Presidential inaugural medal series came to an end in 2017.
Or did it?
It might just depend on what collectors do.
The Trump Presidential campaign website is now selling bronze medals.
Collectors will apply the duck test.
Does it look like a duck and walk like a duck, that is, an inaugural medal?
The obverse of the medal has a full facing portrait of President Donald Trump.
Legend is simply his name: “Donald J. Trump.”
It was created by Medalcraft Mint in Green Bay, Wis., a firm that has done previous inaugural medals.
It has all the quality of their work and is every bit the equal of prior inaugural medals.
I compared it to the George W. Bush inaugural medal from 2001.
It featured a full facing portrait of Bush, also with just his name.
On the reverse of the Trump medal is an enameled American flag.
It says “Make America Great Again.”
On the reverse of the Bush medal is the Presidential seal.
The Bush reverse says “Forty-third President of the United States of America – Inaugurated January 20, 2001.”
There is no enameling on the surface of the Bush medal.
Both medals have a diameter of 2.75 inches.
The Trump medal has a wooden stand. So does the Bush medal.
Price of the Trump medal is $45.
You can still by a Bush medal from the website of his Presidential library.
On the Trump website is a nearly three-minute video shot at Medalcraft.
It is called “Promises Made, Promises Kept.”
The emphasis is on apprenticeships and vocational training as well as manufacturing in America.
So collectors of the United States will now have to decide. Is this new Trump medal a part of the inaugural series?
We might find ourselves quibbling a bit about definitions.
But there is the favorable conclusion of the duck test. It looks like an inaugural medal.
There is also the need of collectors to collect something rather than nothing.
This medal likely will be fit into the inaugural medal series.
Perhaps collectors will demand silver and gold versions in the future.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News. >> Subscribe today.
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