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John Adams

Biography

Born in Braintree, now called Quincy, Massachusetts. He Graduated from Harvard in 1755. Taught school at Worcester, Massachusetts. Studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1758. Opened a law office in Suffolk County. Married Abigail Smith October 25, 1764. Father of five children including John Quincy Adams.

Adams served as a delegate to the first and second Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He supported the appointment of George Washington as general of the American Army. Appointed Commissioner to the court of France in 1778 and minister to Holland and minister to England 1785 to 1788. He negotiated a treaty with Holland.

He served as Vice President under Washington 1789 to March 3, 1797. Elected as 2nd President and served March 4, 1797, through March 3, 1801. His Vice President was Thomas Jefferson who defeated him in the presidential election of 1801. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of Massachusetts in 1820. He died in Quincy, Massachusetts, on the same day as Jefferson, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

No Indian peace medals were produced for Adams during his term in office. The Washington seasons medals, produced in England, were not delivered until July 1798. They were used during the Adams administration and later.

Adams medals were produced to satisfy collector demand for a complete series of presidential medals. A 51mm medal (Julian IP-1) was produced in December 1878. The larger 76mm medal (USM 102) was issued about 1904. Obverse die was by Moritz Furst. The reverse is the common die by John Reich. Modern copies (USM 102) have been sold by the mint.

The John Adams presidential dollar coin was released May 17, 2007. A launch ceremony was held in Quincy, Massachusetts on May 22, 2007. The obverse was designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Charles Vickers.

bio: ApCAB; BDEB; DAB; Drake; Failor; Loubat; NCAB 7; TCBDA; WAB; WWWA-H

Source credit: Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies

 

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