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Presidential and Political
forge friendships that last a lifetime
The program was conceived in the Kennedy administration and
brought to fruition in 1964 under President Johnson. The choice
of putting Johnson’s profile on the obverse was probably not
made by LBJ, as he generally disliked his likeness in portraits.
Lipchitz’ portrait was no exception as the President was quoted
as saying, “Looks like I’ve been dead three weeks, and maybe
ought to be.” In spite of this, LBJ did approve the medal and it
was presented to all Presidential scholars through the end of his
administration when it was changed for Richard Nixon.
Wilhelmina Jenkins was one of the first African-American to be
recognized as a Presidential Scholar. Now in her sixties, she has
lived with the chronic fatigue syndrome most of her adult life. A
widely regarded spokesperson and face of CFS, she has shared
her personal story before national organizations, research and
nonprofit groups, and Congressional and public policy briefings
about her experience living with CFS. She appeared on a segment
of the Oprah Winfrey show about diseases that doctors miss or
misdiagnose the most. In 1983.
This is the first Johnson Presidential Scholar medal we have had.
Previous to this, we have sold singular examples of the Nixon,
Carter and Ford medals, each of which had different designs.
The appearance of a Presidential Scholar in the marketplace is a
rarity because they are universally held by the family as prized
possessions. The Johnson medal is the only Presidential Scholar
design depicting a Presidential portrait. It is among the rarest and
most desirable of all his Presidential portraits. (G-H)
RICHARD M. NIXON
238.
WHITE HOUSE PRESENTATION MEDAL TO NIXON
AIDE, ROBERT H. FINCH, 1972.
63.5mm. Bronze. Unsigned.
(MACO) AU with some reverse corrosion, as shown. Obv:
GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. Rx: Top
1/3 with a rear view of the White House. Below is an incused
presentation inscription: ROBERT H. FINCH/ COUNSELLOR
TO THE PRESIDENT/ 1970-72/ SECRETARY OF HEALTH/
EDUCATION AND WELFARE/ 1969-70/ LT. GOVERNOR
OF/ CALIFORNIA/ 1966-69.
A presentation medal to Robert H. Finch. a long-time confidant
of Richard Nixon, whom Finch befriended as a freshman
Congressman in the late 1940’s. He later worked as an aide to
Nixon as Vice President and was his campaign manager in the
1960 Presidential campaign. Finch’s subsequent career path from
1966 to 1972 is traced on the reverse of this medal up to the point
when he resigned as Counsellor to the President and returned to
California to practice law and later run unsuccessfully for Senator.
A most unusual medal, the likes of which we have never before
seen! We have been unable to unearth any historical reference
to it nor any other like it, Our discussion is thus necessarily
conjectural. Because the medal recites Finch’s service in his
mid-career, from 1966 through 1972 and because the reverse is
personalized, we assume that the medal was presented to him in
1972 on the occasion of his resignation as Presidential counsel.
Lot 238
Lot 237 (reduced)