Calvin Coolidge

The Illustrious 30th President of the United States... in Color!

Some background: Born in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, John Calvin Coolidge (Jr.) was a shy redhead with a Yankee twang-ish voice, and a penchant for sarcastic humor. He served as President (Republican Party) from 1923-1928. He was elected Vice President under Warren G. Harding in 1920, and ascended to the Presidency upon Harding's death, the causes of which are still not completely certain. During the "Roaring Twenties", he was extremely popular among the public for his hands-off attitude towards government, although some speculate that his lack of regulation of the Stock Market eventually caused it's crash, a leading factor in causing the Great Depression.

Coolidge holds an interesting standing among the Numismatic world. A President known to be almost absurdly frugal, the medals bearing his portrait are uncharacteristically vibrant, designed by the big-ticket engravers of the day, including George Morgan and John R. Sinnock. Here are some of the more interesting medals:

As a side note, Coolidge presented this medal to aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh:

Coolidge's most famous Numismatic appearance is on the 1926 United States Sesquicentennial Commemorative Half Dollar. The reason behind it's fame? Coolidge was the first- and so far only- President to appear on a Unites States coin during his lifetime (and his Presidency!). His portrait appeared alongside that of George Washington, which certainly couldn't hurt his appeal. The reverse of this coin featuring the Liberty Bell (designed by Sinnock) was reused about 20 years later on the Ben Franklin Half Dollar. The majority of these coins did not sell, and were later sent to the mint for melting.

Here's another couple of cool Coolidge pieces, oddly enough from the Republic of Liberia:

I hope you found this brief look at an obscure U.S. President as interesting as I did! Thanks for reading.