John Hanson Medallion
$25 per .999 Fine Silver Half Ounce (15.55 gram) Medallion

Shipping is $7.00 Priority Mail for One to Twenty Medallions - Free for orders over Twenty

© Stanley L. Klos has a worldwide copyright on the artwork in these Medallions not legal tender.

    Medallion Obverse: John Hanson of Maryland was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled November 5, 1781 serving until November 3, 1782. Hanson was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1715 and died in Oxen Hills, Prince George County, Maryland on November 22, 1783. On November 5, 1781 the first Delegates, who were elected by their respective States, assembled  under the Constitution of 1777 in Philadelphia.  Delegate Hanson, earlier that year, was instrumental in persuading the Maryland Legislature to ratify the Articles of Confederation.   President Hanson served one year as U.S. President under the Constitution of 1777 and is often claimed to be the First President of the United States. In addition to the confusion surrounding the existence of a 1777 Federal Constitution there is a large contingent of historians and federal officials who, although agree the Articles of Confederation were a legal constitution, maintain they did not go into effect until November 5, 1781. Officials from Maryland especially support this view as their Delegate John Hanson was elected to the Presidency on that same date. In hundreds of bills and laws the State of Maryland maintains that John Hanson was the first President of the United States. This error is pervasive even finding support in some of our most venerable educational institutions including the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. This Hanson Legend is incorrectly perpetuated by books, articles, the Library of Congress, the State of Maryland, the Smithsonian Institute in various exhibits and the U.S. Post Office. These claims are without merit as Hanson as the third President actually wrote Thomas McKean a Presidential letter of “official thanks” for serving as the Second President of the United States, in Congress Assembled. - for more information visit www.johnhanson.net.

Born in a Tavern and ending in a Tavern The United States Founding governments
occupied 11 different capitol buildings experienced 15 years of challenges that included war,
hyper-inflation, a failed constitution, judicial corruption, armed citizen and U.S. Army rebellion. 

Medallion Reverse:  The York-Town Court House served as the Capitol Building of the Continental Congress from September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778.  It was constructed by William Willis in 1756 and stood in the "Centre Square" of two 80' thoroughfares.  The 45’ x 45’ Georgian Brick Colonial Court House stood in the Center of West Market Street until 1841.  In this Court House the Delegates received notice of Washington’s losses at Brandywine, Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga, Franklin’s success in achieving an alliance with France and the Continental Army’s sufferings at Valley Forge. A replica of the Court House was built in 1976 by the York County Bicentennial Commission that stands in a small colonial park at the intersection of West Market Street and the Codorus Creek. 

The medallion's reverse also celebrates the passage of the Articles of Confederation on November 15, 1777 at the York-Town Courthouse (see chapter one for more information).  The Continental Congress had fled to York in 1777 due to British troops occupying Philadelphia.  Originally Congress settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania but the Delegates, led by John Hancock, thought it best to move to neighboring York-Town placing the mighty Susquehanna River between them and the advancing British troops.

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