The United States Mint has released the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Silver Medal, honoring the 30th president of the United States. Each medal contains one troy ounce of 99.9% silver and carries a portrait of Coolidge on the obverse. The release adds another name to the Mint’s Presidential Silver Medal Program, which began in 2018 and has been working through the nation’s former presidents in order.
The Coolidge medal draws on designs by John Ray Sinnock, the same engraver whose work graced the Franklin half dollar. Both sides of the medal follow Sinnock’s original Coolidge medal, right down to a date detail that looks like a mistake but is not. Coolidge medals are available now at the Mint’s online catalog, and the Mint says no mintage, product or household limits apply. The Mint also plans to add a Herbert Hoover medal later this year.
Calvin Coolidge Presidential Silver Medal: Specifications at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Product | Calvin Coolidge Presidential Silver Medal |
| Series | Presidential Silver Medal Program (launched 2018) |
| President honored | Calvin Coolidge, 30th president |
| Designer | John Ray Sinnock |
| Denomination | N/A (a medal, not a coin) |
| Finish | Matte |
| Composition | 99.9% silver |
| Weight | 1.000 troy ounce |
| Diameter | 1.598 inches |
| Edge | Plain |
| Mint and mint mark | N/A |
| Privy mark | None |
| Price | $164 |
| Mintage limit | None |
| Product limit | None |
| Household order limit | None |
| Sales start | Noon ET, Mint online catalog |
| Next in series | Herbert Hoover Presidential Silver Medal, later this year |
Ordering and Price
The process is simple compared with many modern Mint releases.
- Where: The Mint’s online catalog at usmint.gov.
- When: Sales began at noon ET on the release date.
- Price: $164 per medal.
- Limits: The Mint has set no mintage, product or household order limits. There is no cap on how many you can buy, and no stated cutoff date.
- Earlier medals: Previous releases in the series remain available directly from the Mint, so collectors can fill gaps in their sets at the same time.
Because there is no mintage limit, the final number sold will depend on demand. The Mint’s sales reports, which cover each medal’s total through a given date, are the best way to track how many have sold.
Historical Background
Calvin Coolidge: The President
Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872, in the small village of Plymouth Notch, Vermont. After graduating from Amherst College, he practiced law in Northampton, Massachusetts, and rose steadily through local and state politics as a mayor, state legislator, lieutenant governor and governor.
His handling of the 1919 Boston Police Strike brought him national attention and helped put him on the Republican ticket in 1920 as Warren G. Harding’s running mate. When Harding died in August 1923, Coolidge became the 30th president. His father, a notary public, swore him in at the family homestead in Vermont.
Coolidge was known for his quiet demeanor, which earned him the nickname “Silent Cal.” He championed limited government, fiscal restraint and pro-business policies during the economic expansion of the 1920s. He won election in his own right in 1924 and left office in 1929 after declining to seek another term. He retired to Northampton, wrote his autobiography and stayed active in public affairs until his death on January 5, 1933.
Coolidge on U.S. Coins
Coolidge has appeared on two U.S. coins:
- 1926 Sesquicentennial of American Independence half dollar. This coin paired his portrait with George Washington’s. It marked the first time a U.S. president appeared on a coin during his lifetime.
- 2014 Presidential $1 Coin. The obverse portrait was designed and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
The Presidential Medal Tradition
The Mint’s Presidential Medal series goes back to the nation’s earliest years, when medals were presented to Native American leaders as symbols of peace and friendship. The modern one-ounce silver series continues that tradition. The Mint launched it in 2018, and it has been releasing the presidents in order ever since.
John Ray Sinnock: The Designer
Sinnock designed both sides of the Coolidge medal. His portrait presents Coolidge in a dignified, formal style consistent with the traditional presidential medal series. For collectors of the Franklin half dollar series, his name will be familiar.
Design Description
Obverse
The obverse (heads side) shows a detailed bust of Calvin Coolidge, surrounded by the inscription CALVIN COOLIDGE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Sinnock’s portrait is formal and restrained, in the same traditional style as the other medals in the series.
Reverse
The reverse (tails side), also by Sinnock, shows a seated female figure holding fasces, a classical emblem of authority. A heraldic eagle perches atop the shield of the United States, with a cornucopia nearby. A stylized laurel wreath frames the composition.
The inscriptions read INAUGURATED, AUG 3 1923 AND MAR 4 1925, and 1928. They mark Coolidge’s accession to the presidency after Harding’s death, and his later inauguration. The 1928 date appears here exactly as it does on Sinnock’s original medal.
Finish
Every Presidential Silver Medal in the modern series has a matte finish, similar in appearance to uncirculated coins. A bronze version of the Coolidge medal carries the same designs.
Series Sales: How the Medals Have Performed
The Mint reports sales through Aug. 30 for medals already released:
| President | Sales | President | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington | 39,656 | Grover Cleveland | 11,982 |
| John Adams | 24,657 | Benjamin Harrison | 10,699 |
| Thomas Jefferson | 26,491 | William McKinley | 10,755 |
| James Madison | 17,841 | Theodore Roosevelt | 13,002 |
| James Monroe | 16,028 | William H. Taft | 10,451 |
| John Quincy Adams | 15,539 | Woodrow Wilson | 9,082 |
| Andrew Jackson | 17,937 | Warren G. Harding | 8,634 |
| Martin Van Buren | 14,422 | Abraham Lincoln | 23,106 |
| William Henry Harrison | 14,259 | Andrew Johnson | 13,150 |
| John Tyler | 14,271 | Ulysses S. Grant | 15,064 |
| James K. Polk | 13,939 | Rutherford B. Hayes | 12,270 |
| Zachary Taylor | 13,631 | James A. Garfield | 12,191 |
| Millard Fillmore | 13,225 | Chester A. Arthur | 11,479 |
| Franklin Pierce | 13,175 | ||
| James Buchanan | 12,955 |
Three patterns stand out:
- George Washington is the top seller by a wide margin, followed by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Abraham Lincoln.
- Most later medals have sold roughly 10,000 to 15,000 each.
- Harding and Wilson, the two presidents just before Coolidge, sit at the low end of the range. That is a useful guide for how the Coolidge medal could perform. No sales figure for Coolidge was available at release.
Why This Matters for Collectors
1. It continues a series with a clear finish line. The program works through the presidents in order, so each new release extends a set. Collectors who have been buying since 2018 can add Coolidge and look ahead to Hoover.
2. It carries real silver at a fixed price. Each medal holds a full troy ounce of 99.9% silver and sells for $164, with no mintage or household limits to complicate ordering.
3. The Sinnock connection adds numismatic interest. Collectors who know Sinnock from the Franklin half dollar can see his portrait work in a different format.
4. It ties to a rare presidential coin milestone. The Coolidge name links to the 1926 Sesquicentennial half dollar, the first coin to show a sitting president during his lifetime.
5. Later medals sell in modest numbers. With most recent releases in the 10,000 to 15,000 range, the series is not a mass-market product, though collectors should not assume that low sales translate to future premiums. That is a matter of market demand.
6. The date detail is a talking point. The 1928 date on the reverse matches the original medal, which gives collectors an authentic design detail to discuss.
This article provides general information, not financial advice. Medals are collectibles, and resale values are not guaranteed.
Quick-Reference Buying Guide
- Decide how many you want. With no household or product limits, you can order as many as you like. Decide whether you want one for your set or several.
- Check your set. Review which earlier medals you own. The Mint still offers previous releases directly, so you can fill gaps at the same time.
- Go to the Mint’s online catalog. Visit usmint.gov and find the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Silver Medal.
- Order at the $164 price. Each medal is $164, and sales opened at noon ET on the release date.
- Choose the right product. Confirm you are ordering the silver medal, not the bronze version, which carries the same designs.
- Check the specifications. The medal is 99.9% silver, one troy ounce, 1.598 inches in diameter, with a matte finish and plain edge.
- Review shipping and payment. Complete checkout through the Mint’s standard process.
- Inspect your medal on arrival. Look for any handling marks and confirm the portrait and reverse details, including the 1928 date.
- Store it carefully. Keep it in its packaging, away from moisture, and handle only by the edge.
- Watch for Hoover. The Mint plans a Herbert Hoover Presidential Silver Medal later this year, so watch its announcements if you are building a full set.
