Numismatic

2010-W 1/2 oz Proof Gold Mary Todd Lincoln (w/Box & COA)

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This half-ounce gold coin, struck with a proof finish at the West Point Mint, honors Mary Todd Lincoln as part of a series dedicated to the spouses of American presidents. Composed of 0.9999 fine gold, the coin serves as a detailed canvas for two distinct portraits that capture her personal history and her public contributions during a tumultuous era. The obverse side displays a portrait of Mary Todd Lincoln, who grew up in a wealthy Southern household and received an advanced education. The inscriptions surrounding her likeness include her name, the year 2010, the word LIBERTY, and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. It also notes her position as the spouse of the sixteenth president, spanning the years 1861 to 1865. On the reverse, a narrative scene designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill shows Mary Todd Lincoln offering books and flowers to injured Union troops. This side carries the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the face value of $10, along with the weight and purity markers of 1/2 oz. and 0.9999 FINE GOLD. Her complex life journey later included relocating to Europe in 1868, returning to Chicago in 1871, being institutionalized in 1875, and passing away in Springfield, Illinois, in 1882.