Elias BOUDINOT

The recent series of Presidential dollars, struck from 2007 to 2020, began with George Washington as he was the first chief executive under the Constitution of 1787. This choice effectively ignored the earlier presidents of the Confederation Government.

Although all of the earlier leaders should also be honored, one in particular is of interest to numismatists due to his key role of shaping not only the American government during his term of office but his many efforts to preserve and improve the Mint in troubled times. The tenure of Elias Boudinot as president was 1782-1783, and it was his privilege to be in charge when the treaty of peace with Great Britain was signed, ending the long and costly Revolutionary War.

In October 1795, President Washington appointed Boudinot as the third director of the United States Mint, a position which he filled with distinction until his resignation in June 1805.

The future president and mint director was born on May 2, 1740, the son of Elias and Mary Catherine Boudinot. His father was the third in the family to bear the name of Elias and today the son would be called Elias Boudinot IV, though such terms were used rarely in the 18th century. The family was French in origin, having fled their homeland because of religious persecution.

Elias Boudinot’s father was a Philadelphia silversmith who not only lived near Benjamin Franklin but was also