 1845 James K. Polk Inaugural Medal. J.PR.9. Silver. 63.1 mm. 4.0 - 4.5 mm. thick. 1,524.7 gns. (compare the weights of the bronzed coppers in the next two lots). About Uncirculated. Struck on a cast planchet. Once thickly lacquered (like the silver Hawaiian medal later in the sale), cleaned and hairlined. Sharply struck twice, traces of the first impression most visible around the obverse letters. Surfaces granular in many places, rough in some, particularly noticeable on the edge. The cataloguer suspects this to be a restrike made for a collector at some remove from the 1845 date on the obverse. It is curious to note that Julian writes about these Polk medals: ''On June 24, 1857 President Polk visited the mint together with several top government officials. [Rembrandt] Peale had struck at least six of the Polk inaugural medals, had them gilded, and then presented them, with suitable cases, to President Polk and his suite.'' The cataloguer notes that the medal was unknown to Carlson in silver and was not represented in the Dreyfuss Inaugural collection in either silver or bronzed copper.
Ex Henry Grunthal on October 9, 1961.
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