Charles E. Barber

The medal's obverse bears portrait bust of Garfield facing left. Around, JAMES A. - GARFIELD; signed under truncation, C. BARBER F.

The reverse bears a laurel wreath in centerfield. Around, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; in wreath, INAUGURATED / MARCH 4. / 1881.

James A. Garfield was only president for 199 days. This lovely design was used until Garfield's Assassination in July of 1881. He was shot on July 2 by a disgruntled lawyer  while waiting at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C.  It took Garfield till September 19th to die from an infection he probably contracted from his doctor's ministrations. His death made a new reverse design necessary which bore his death date.

As a consequence of his short time in office and the redesign of the reverse, only 89 medals with the original design were struck, so this is a pretty rare presidential inauguration medal. The medal is often referred to as Julian PR-20.

The circular medal measures 77mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the U.S. Mint.  The mintage is reported as 89 pieces.

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Theodore Roosevelt, facing left; at left, anchor within wreath and scrollwork. Across, THEODORE / ROOSEVELT / PRESIDENT / OF THE / UNITED / STATES; signed at bottom right, BARBER

The reverse bears three ships under steam on wide ocean expanse; at left, female figure holding chart with imprinted globe; nude child figure raising flag. in exergue at right, HAMPTON · ROADS · DEC · 16 · 1907 / DEPARTURE · OF · UNITED · STATES · ATLANTIC / FLEET · ON · CRUISE · AROUND · THE · WORLD; signed at bottom left, MORGAN

By 1907, tensions between Japan and the United States were increasing.  Japan had just won the war with Russia and the U.S. had acquired new territory in the Pacific as a consequence of the Spanish-American War. Neither country was interested in a war with the other and Roosevelt decided to sailt the Atlantic Fleet around the world, both as a show of strength and as a symbol of American goodwill. 

On December 16, 1907 a fleet of sixteen American battleships set sail on a world cruise of friendship, diplomacy and propaganda. The flagship was the USS Connecticut, which was commanded by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans. The battleships were painted white save for gilded scrollwork on their bows. This color scheme would later be responsible for the name "The Great White Fleet."

The plaquette was a coproduction of the two senior engravers at the U.S.Mint: Charles E. Barber and George T. Morgan. Barber designed the obverse and Morgan the reverse.

The plaquette measures 83mm x 62mm and was struck in bronze by the U.S. Mint. The mintage is not known to me.