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N560: 1885 Grover Cleveland Satirical Inaugural Medal

US Medal-Token
Identifier:
N560
Type:
Medal
Date:
1885
Dimensions:
Description:
This is an inaugural medal for President Grover Cleveland for his first term as president from 1885-1889. Grover Cleveland was the Democratic candidate running against Republican candidate James G. Blaine. Overall, Cleveland was a crusader for political reform fiscal conservatism that made him icon for American conservatives during this time period. This coin is celebrating Cleveland being inaugurated and satirizing Blaine which can be seen from the images and meanings from each side of the medal.

Front side: At the top of the medal there is an image of a bison or buffalo that says "Beef takes the Presidential Chair March 4, 1885." The inclusion of the bison/buffalo/beef could refer to Buffalo, New York where Cleveland was once mayor. It could also be an insult calling him fat or someone who overindulges. At the bottom of the coin it says "R.R.R. did it." This refers to the a pro-Blaine event that Minister Burchard spoke at. The three R's refer to "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion." Rum - democrat party ruled by drunks; Romanism - democratic party ruled by Catholics; Rebellion - democratic party ruled by Confederates. This was supposed to gain support and criticize the Democrat party, but the audience was majority Irish Catholic immigrants. This speech lost the crucial state of New York for the Republican party.

Obverse side: In the middle of the medal on this side is a snake with a harpy sitting on it. Usually harpies are female, however this one is a male with what is supposed to be Blaine's face on it. This is an insult to Blaine because harpies were vultures with the head and breasts of a woman and were fierce and loathsome, living in an atmosphere of filth and stench and contaminating everything they touched. Left of the image says "I say nothing because" and on the right of the images continues the phrase: "I have nothing to say." Under the image says "Renegade Press, Free Traders; Dependents."
Post-Civil War
Related Collection
Numismatic Collection: Donor Unknown (NUM.2003.000)