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Historical Commentary
Related Inaugural items - More pics
Medals Often Mis-represented as Official
Issue Specific Bibliography
See a process set of this medal plus many official inaugural medals

 

Quick Facts

1989 George Bush
Official Inaugural Medal

Designer:
Mico Kaufman (1924-????)

Medalist:
Medallic Art Company

Varieties Struck

Dusterburg*
Number

MacNeil**
Number

Alloy

Diameter

Mintage

OIM 23G70

GB 1989-1

14k Gold

70mm

1

OIM 23G28

GB 1989-2

14k Gold

28.6mm

86  (1)

OIM 23S70

GB 1989-3

Silver

70mm

1

OIM 23S63

GB 1989-4

Silver

63mm

452  (1)

OIM 23S38

GB 1989-5

Silver

38mm

--

OIM 23B70

GB 1989-6

Bronze

70mm

6,884

OIM 23B38

GB 1989-7

Bronze

38mm

--

Five Piece Sets

Gold
Silver
Silver
Bronze
Bronze

28.6mm
63mm
38mm
70mm
38mm

123  (2)

(1) Serial numbers 1 through 1000 were reserved for the five piece sets thus the first
      individual medal was numbered 1001.
(2) These mintage numbers are not included in the individual mintages listed above.

  * Dusterberg, Richard B.; The Official Inaugural Medals of the Presidents of the United States ; Cincinnati, Ohio; Medallion Press; 1971

** MacNeil, Neil; The President's Medal 1789 - 1977; New York, New York; Clarkson N. Potter, Inc. /Publisher in association with the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian; 1977

** Levine, H. Joseph; Collectors Guide * Presidential Inaugural Medals and Memorabilia; Danbury, Connecticut; Johnson & Jensen; 1981

** Note: Dusterberg's book published in 1971 ended with the 1969 Nixon Inaugural Medal, MacNeil's book with the 1977 Jimmy Carter medal, and Levine's book with the 1981 Reagan medal. In his book Levine choose to merge the two numbering systems on the 1981 Reagan medal, however here we will continue the traditional Dusterberg and MacNeil numbers.

Artist & Medalist Bios

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Commentary

George Bush
Forty-First President of the United States

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Related Inaugural Items

George Bush
Forty-First President of the United States



Bronze Process Set

Number 44 of 50
Eight 70mm (2.75 inch) Uni-face Medals
Mounted on a
12 inch by 18 inch Walnut Plaque
Sets Produced: 50

See the complete process set of this medal plus many other official inaugural medals


Bronze Process Set


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Pretenders

George Bush
Forty-First President of the United States

There are many individual medals and presidential medal series, which are quite well done and very collectable in their own right, that are often mistaken for or misattributed as "official" inaugural medals. This phenomenon can be seen readily in the descriptions of many of these medals when they appear in online auctions. The official medal, illustrated above, should match the auction item exactly before warranting a bid at official medal prices. Great, now we know the lot is misattributed but what is it? This section will illustrate some of these medals to help new collectors distinguish between the "official" and "unofficial" and to introduce all collectors to these interesting medals. Hopefully, some will be spared the expensive lessons I have seen so many unaware collectors make in online auctions and others will be inspired to expand their collecting interests to include these medals.



United States Mint Presidential Series
Stock Medal #
3 inch (76mm) "High-Relief" Bronze

Designer (Obverse/Reverse):

Other Sizes Struck:
Stock Medal #
1-5/16 inch "coin-relief" bronze

Interesting Notes:

Pretender Identification Tip:


U.S. Mint Stock Medal # 14x

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Issue Specific Bibliography

1989 George Bush Inaugural

  • Reiter, Ed; The Bush Salute ; COINage, Miller Magazines Inc., Ventura, California; Volume 25 Number 2, 1989, February, page 25; illus.

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Presidential Coin & Antique Company

Coin-n-Medal Collector's Asylum

 

ã Copyright David W. Boitnott 2008