NEW BOOK: PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF APPRECIATION

Numismatic Researcher Discovers and Names Undocumented United States Mint® Medal Series

Presidential Medal of Appreciation Award Medals

United States Mint® numismatic discoveries has been limited to the physical identification of a new error, new variety, or newly found hoard. The discovery of an entirely undocumented United States Mint® series is virtually unheard of in U.S. numismatics; however this seemingly impossible feat has been achieved. An entire United States Mint® series has been discovered and cataloged for the very first time.

Dr. Gomez numismatic research findings are documented in his recently published book titled, Authoritative Numismatic Reference: Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ Awards 1958 – 1963, ISBN: 1511786744. This book is the first to document general numismatic information for the entire series of twenty-two Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ award medals.

Dr. Gomez reveals that between 1958 through 1963, the United States Mint® periodically designed, manufactured, and issued “special Government medals” to the White House Office. These “special Government medals” were created for and awarded by the President of the United States. The United States Mint® has been cognizant in the fact they functioned in a supplier role to the White House Office and do not have full details in how the medals were used or the exact purpose of the medals. Due to this fact, they have engaged in a non-disclosure policy with these “special Government medals” for the last 56 years and continue to do so today.

Presidential Medal of Appreciation Award Medals sample page

In 1961, a staff member in the White House Office transferred active files relating to the “special Government medals” to his personal records to function as the executive assistance for President Eisenhower after he left office. These records were essentially sequestered from both the U.S. Government and public for fifty years. In 2011, the family of the staff member donated the records to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum for proper historical archiving.

The United States Mint® non-disclosure policy and the sequestered White House Office records are the primary reasons for the 56 years information gap relating to these presidential award medals. In 2013, Dr. Gomez was the first numismatic researcher to access the sequestered White House Office records and resulted in the initial cataloging of twenty presidential award medals. In 2014, two medals from the John F. Kennedy presidency fit the medal classification criteria and were added to presidential award medals series. Currently, no other U.S. President has been identified with a United States Mint® appreciatory “special Government medal”.

Both the United States Mint® and the White House Office have neither designated an official name to the individual medals nor a name for the entire series of the medals. Dr. Gomez has applied for a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the adjectival phrase, Presidential Medal of AppreciationTM. Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ was created to function with the nouns: Award Medal; Award Medal Series; and so on, to indicate a badge of origin for the numismatic research discovery and initial collective grouping of previously unknown types of United States Mint® “special Government medals” that were created for and awarded by the President of the United States.

United States Mint® is a registered trademark if the United States Mint. Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ is a pending trademark (application filed with USPTO) of Darryl A. Gomez

Other Notable Facts from Authoritative Numismatic Reference: Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ Awards 1958 – 1963, ISBN: 1511786744.

All medals were designed and manufacture by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro were the designers of the Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ Medals.

On May 1, 1960, a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union airspace. This cold war event resulted in collapse of the Paris Summit and the destruction of three gold medals (Gomez identifier DDE-C3-01) was to be awarded to the attending Heads of State after a successful conference. The medals were never awarded and returned to the United States for destruction by the United States Mint®.

On June 10, 1960, the Haggerty incident (United State Marine helicopter rescued White House Press Secretary due to riots in the newly signed United States and Japan defense treaty). Protection of the upcoming visit of the President could not be guaranteed and subsequently President Eisenhower made a last minute decision to cancel his visit to the nation of Japan. Majority (410 of the 500 original struck) of the Japan medals (Gomez DDE-C2-04) were returned to the United States and destroyed by the United States Mint®.

The Presidential Medal of Appreciation™ Medals were awarded in 26 countries. These countries include: Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America (numerous States), Uruguay, and Vatican City State. The medals were awarded by President Eisenhower or President Kennedy during their presidential visits during their tenure in office.

The 1960 Eisenhower State of Hawai’i Visit Award Medal (Gomez DDE-C2-07) was awarded during President Eisenhower visit to the State of Hawai’i during the period of June 20 - 25, 1960. Gomez DDE-C2-07 is the first United States Mint® product to bear the State of Hawai’i as a design element (not to be confused with the Kingdom of Hawai’i issues).

Here's a larger image of one (cropped from the sample page above). I can't say I'd ever seen or heard of these medals before Gomez' earlier book on the Eisenhower Appreciation medals, although of course, these have been available in hobby circles for years and have been cataloged in sales by medal dealers such as Joe Levine. I've included all the release's trademark symbols, although I'm skeptical of the need or ability to trademark an otherwise generic name for the series.

I'll have to get the book to learn more. If these are given at the sole discretion of the President, does that make them more like military challenge coins? Other national medals have strict rules, procedures and committees for being awarded, the highest honor being the Congressional Gold Medal which requires, well, an Act of Congress. I've been in briefings with the director of a government agency, and at the end of the meeting a flunky came by with box full of the director's coins, and they were handed out to everyone like candy on Halloween. On which end of that spectrum do these “special Government medals” reside?

I'd love to hear from readers who've acquired or handled these medals. Given that they were awarded in 26 countries, perhaps some of our international readers have encountered them. Have any found their way into national collections or prominent museums? Has anyone been awarded one personally? Would anyone like to write a review of the book for our readers? Thanks. -Editor