The Original Signed Inaugural Oath of Office Used by Ronald Reagan For His First Inauguration, January 20, 1981

Among the most important Presidential inaugural documents ever offered for sale; this was the momentous inauguration that changed the United States, moving it in a conservative direction

Ronald Reagan was a transformational president, and that transformation began on January 20, 1981, the day he was inaugurated as President of the United States

In foreign affairs, his leadership led to the successful resolution of the decades-old Cold War. As the Soviet Union disappeared into the mists of history, Reagan noted that democracy had prevailed in its long “battle of values” with collectivism. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher wrote that Reagan had “achieved the most difficult of all political tasks: changing attitudes and perceptions about what is possible. From the strong fortress of his convictions, he set out to enlarge freedom the world over at a time when freedom was in retreat—and he succeeded.”

In domestic affairs, his presidency brought an end to the New Deal policies of government programs to fix social ills. His “small government” philosophy triumphed, reducing the role of government in all spheres. He reduced taxes, making the top income tax rate, which was 70% when he took office, 28% when he left. He got skyrocketing interest rates in check and kept them there, which led to a record period of peacetime economic growth.

Reagan also left a monumental political legacy. After he was reelected in a 49-state landslide in 1984, it became clear that Democrats would be unlikely to return to the White House under a traditional liberal banner. This paved the way for “centrist” capture of the Democratic Party, which remains in place today. He had an even greater impact within his own party. He made the Republican Party a conservative one, and set its course for half a century and more. The United States would be a different place had Ronald Reagan not been President.

Nancy Clark served as assistant press secretary to Reagan during his governorship of California (1967-1975), then for two years was his special assistant. When Reagan was elected president in 1980 he recruited her to join his White House transition team (as she explained in a Washingtonian profile in 2007, “I was the only one in Washington who knew the Reagans and everybody in the Reagan camp”), and she remained a valued friend and advisor throughout his two presidential terms and beyond. Reagan appointed her US representative to the Commission on the Status of Women of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in September of 1981.

The United States Constitution provides that, at every inauguration, the incoming president take the following oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

This is the original printed oath of office address given to Reagan for his use on inauguration day, and containing the oath of office as administered by Chief Justice Warren Burger to Reagan on January 20, 1981. On the morning of the inauguration, Nancy – who was living with the Reagans at Blair House while they waited to take occupancy of the White House – was tasked with retrieving from a safe the cards for Reagan’s inaugural oath and inaugural address, that had been placed there when Reagan was done with his preparation for the inauguration. Once he was done reviewing them, Reagan removed the oath of office card from the top of the stack, and, realizing the importance of this document, inscribed and gave it to her, among his longest and closest friends, who had helped him reach that point. He wrote, “To Nancy – Who ‘brightens up the corner where we are’, Ronald Reagan.” Out of previous year’s habit he dated it “80” instead of “81” for the year. On the verso, he wrote “I already have this memorized.” Also included is a pair of tickets used by her for the inauguration ceremony, granting access to the President’s box.

A note on rarity

We have found no record of another original inauguration day oath of office signed by a President ever having reached the market. The only other Presidential inaugural document used the day of the actual inauguration is Benjamin Harrison’s handheld inaugural address sold a few years ago in these offices for $100,000.   The oath administered to Andrew Johnson on accepting the office of President sold in 2002 from the Forbes collection but this was signed by Chief Justice Chase and not by the President.  This sold for approximately $50,000 fifteen years ago.