Posts Tagged ‘presidential memorabilia’

John F. Kennedy’s Golden Presidential Campaign

Friday, May 21st, 2010

John Fitzgerald “Jack” Kennedy, in the eyes of many people, was America’s golden boy president. He was certainly the youngest ever elected (but you already knew that). And since:

  • his birthday is on May 29th;
  • ’tis the season for primary elections across the country; and last but not least
  • this year marks the 50th anniversary of his 1960 fight for the US presidency (which, of course, he would eventually win) against Richard M. Nixon;

I thought it’d be nice to shine the spotlight on several of the many JFK campaign collectibles and memorabilia pieces that abound today.

John F. Kennedy Campaign

Before I delve into that, I’d like to point out that the organisation behind the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has been doing a very interesting thing. They have been posting the ins and outs of his day-to-day campaign moments of 1960 via tweets. Relive this history at http://twitter.com/Kennedy1960.

John F. Kennedy Button

So, to get back on point, I linked to that particular URL – and not to the index page – on the library website for two reasons. First and foremost, the page is directly related to the topic of this post. As far as the campaign of 1960 is concerned, that page is a paragon for media and narrative resources.

I linked to the page for another reason. You see the picture of the button pin waaaay at the bottom of the page? An authentic pinback from the campaign, very similar to this one and using the same Kennedy profile mind you, recently went for about $100 on ebay. (And before you even ask, I’m not linking to presidential collectibles on ebay for a reason I previously stated.) You’ll have to trust me on this. ;)

John F. Kennedy Art

There were several Time magazine covers that featured Kennedy’s likeness while he was still alive (I counted about nine), and most of them have been reproduced for public consumption. Thus, anyone can acquire the art print version of the cover of the Kennedy family issue…Or a poster for the issue that was released on the eve of Election Day (which was on Tuesday, November the 8th in 1960).

(Just a fun fact: Someone used to the “British Standard” might get the release dates of the two aforementioned Time publications mixed up. That is, if said dates were written using the notation form: 07/11/60 vs 11/07/60.)

John F. Kennedy Photos

But, just in case cover art is not nostalgic enough for you, the New York Times store has arguably done something even better. Just to make you feel as if you were there – or, depending on how old you are, to remind you what it felt like – it has taken historical news photos from the campaign trail and slapped them on archival paper. Witness (then) Senator John F. Kennedy stumping at a rally , JFK preparing for a speech, and Kennedy in New York…

If you go to the Search page at shopgoodwill.com and type in “Kennedy,” you should get a fair number of results for auctioned items. For the purpose of this blog entry, I’d like to point out the photo print of 1959 taken by Fabian Bachrach (a renowned celebrity photographer who’d also taken photos of a Haitian leader and Martin Luther King’s widow, to name two personalities). This rendering was JFK’s official campaign portrait for his presidential bid.

(Even if you do not grab a Kennedy memorabilia piece, I highly encourage you to buy something at the Goodwill Industries website. The proceeds from whatever you decide to pick up, as you can imagine, will go to a good cause.)

John F. Kennedy Gold

I’ve brought up the subject of ingots before. In my opinion, these casts are some of the most awe-inspiring collectibles you’re ever going to see. And that’s why we had to stock one in our store. The ingot half of this Kennedy ingot-medal duo, as you can read from the product description, is based on the 13-cent stamp issued in Jack’s golden anniversary year (1967). And the picture on that stamp, in turn, was derived from a photo taken by one Jacques Lowes, Kennedy’s Official Presidential Campaign Photographer.

Now before you go singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” in your sultriest Marilyn Monroe voice, I would like to reinforce the point that these joint items are only overlayered in 24-karat gold. However, there is a JFK pure gold ingot sold at nytstore.com…

In conclusion, this is by no means an exhaustive list of John F. Kennedy products commemorating his historical 1960 campaign run. I could have listed a great number of relevant items. But were I to do that, you, my fellow fan of political Americana, would be robbed of the satisfaction of the hunt.

So as a great man might have said, “Ask not what collectibles and memorabilia I can find for you. Ask what collectibles and memorabilia you can find for yourself.” :)

13-cent John F. Kennedy stamp

13-cent John F. Kennedy stamp

JFK at the Democratic National Convention, 1960

JFK at the Democratic National Convention, 1960

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This President’s Day, Go for Gold…and Silver…and Bronze

Monday, February 15th, 2010

This blog is nothing if not timely. Let’s look at some of the best ways the President’s Day honorees, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, have been memorialized in minting. And since the Winter Games are officially underway in Vancouver, let’s do it Olympic-style.

There are two points I’d like to make before starting the item showcase. First of all, I will caution the reader that this is not necessarily a numismatic blog, and that I tend to shy away from talking about current United States legal tender. However, I will mention circulating coinage if it falls within the broader scope of collectibility. That being said, while some of the following coins discussed are definitely not for spending (you can check the item descriptions yourself), some can be used to purchase goods and services. But to reiterate my sentiments on the subject of presidential collectibles, why would you want to expend such valuable items on trivial commerce?

Also, I’d like to direct your attention to the end of this post. There you will find reference photos for many of the Washington and Lincoln designs that adorn their numerous respective collectible pieces. There is only one photograph for Washington, while there are several for Lincoln. As a matter of fact, most (if not all) of the George Washington engravings alluded to below – as well as that on the American Quarter, by the way – are derived from the bust pictured. So to reinforce another (obvious) point that I brought up in my previous article, executive depictions that predate the mid-19th century are hard to come by.

Now on to the treasures…

Gold

George Washington – In this blogger’s opinion, the George Washington Gold-Layered Stamp Ingot is very charming. Note from the product description that both the ingot and the accompanying medal for this product are only layered in gold. (But with the way the price of gold sky-rocketed late last year, the product might still be worth the value on its price-tag.)

Abraham Lincoln - The Abraham Lincoln Gold-Layered Stamp Ingot is also available at the New York Times store. You will be hard-pressed to legitimately find this ingot duo and its Washington counterpart anywhere else on the ‘net (Lord knows I’ve tried), and that includes the United States Post Office website.

Silver

Washington – The Lafayette Dollar is an item you will need to shell out some serious dough to get. And one from the original mint year of 1899 (for the year 1900) is really going to cost you.

Lincoln – We currently carry a pure silver coin – a fine product (pun intended), if we do say so ourselves. But for those of you with deeper pockets, consider an entire set of Presidential Silver Proof Commemoratives, with those of Washington and Lincoln included. Personally, this set is my favorite issue in this entire post, and I wanted to beat the drum about its release since it is so imminent.

Bronze

Washington – The concept for this 3″ Bronze Medal featuring the Father of Our Country probably dates back farther than any item I’ve mentioned so far. The token on which this medal is based was originally commissioned in the late 18th century.

Lincoln – As luck would have it, the US Mint now offers the Lincoln 3″ Bronze Medal and will begin shipping it at the beginning of March 2010. (FYI, since I first came across this medal, its initial day of dispatch has already been pushed back once. Be advised that the March day may change again.)

If you’re really up for it, and really rich, you can try getting your hands on a legendary 1943 Lincoln Penny at auction. Conversely, check the change container in your car and fish between the cushions of your sofa. In the rare event that you possess one of these cent-pieces (and CoinFacts.com tells you how to give your coin a preliminary authentication test), you could probably sell it for tens of thousands of dollars in today’s vintage/collectibles market.

Now if you don’t believe me, remember that this President’s Day post is dedicated to both “the man who could not tell a lie” and “Honest Abe.” Would I make this stuff up? ;)

George Washington's bust

George Washington's bust in profile, a view replicated extensively

Abrahim Lincoln close-up head shot

Abraham Lincoln portrait close-up, as seen on the old $5 bill and various other mints

Lincoln in profile, as seen on the penny and many collectibles

Lincoln in profile, as seen on the penny and many collectibles

Daguerreotype photo of Lincoln, as seen in the new $5 bill

Daguerreotype photo of Lincoln, as seen on the new $5 bill

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Dead (and Living) Presidents: executive portraits, collectibles, and currency

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

As a lot of you know, this past Sunday marked the 46th anniversary of the death of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Being the inspirational leader that he was, JFK has been memorialized in numerous ways, as far as presidential collectibles and presidential currency is concerned.

Liberian 2009 JFK $5 coin

Liberian 2009 JFK $5 coin

The Franklin Mint has already thrown its hat into the ring of Chief Executive memorabilia. The  private mint company (founded, coincidentally, in the year following Kennedy’s death, 1964) has a Presidential Dollar Completion Program, wherein you can acquire a full set of 24-karat-gold-layered coins, each one featuring a past US leader. One of the highlights of this limited edition collectible program is a coin depicting Kennedy (along with, mind you, an exact-type coin featuring Ronald Reagan), and plated with platinum . But you have to pay for the entire collection up-front to garner this prize…

(By the way, I’m not sure if these coins are legal tender, and if you could actually spend any of them in the purchase of goods or purchases. But having put forth all that money to get these coins, why would you want to do that, anyway? :) )

All of the collectible coins in the Franklin Mint series depict official presidential portraits on their respective obverse sides.  As I mentioned in my previous entry, American Mint has limited edition Barack Obama collectible coins which each display a likeness taken from his official photo portrait.  (Fun fact: a president’s portrait painting is usually not taken until he leaves office. ) And to let you in on a little secret, the photo on our Bill Clinton “Dollar Bill” Bumper Sticker was culled from Bubba’s executive portrait, also.

So why use an official portrait on a presidential collectible or presidential memorabilia item? In response to that question, I’ll ask another question: “Why not?”

For starters, all of the aesthetics and skills that culminate in a better-than-decent artistic endeavor are harnessed to put into this one picture (And it had better be because you don’t want to be that commissioned entity known throughout posterity as the one that screwed up a presidential portrait.):

  • a superb artist (hopefully)
  • the president’s “good” side
  • a subject at ease and in his element (usually somewhere in the White House, if not exactly in the Oval Office)
  • good illumination

Literally-speaking, a president might never be seen in a better light than in this picture. There are probably other considerations that go into creating that perfect painting, but my point is already made…

Another reason a presidential portrait might be a good starting point for creating a collectible, is that in many cases (for example, George Washington’s oil on canvas in 1796), a painting has been around for decades and/or centuries. It is a renowned work of art unto itself, it is familiar to lots of people, it has resonated with audiences for a long time, and, most of all, it is widely appreciated and admired. You’d think it would a good idea to capitalize on that popularity, and put some vestige of that art work on a marketable product.

And the last point I’ll bring up about using a portion or the whole of an official executive portrait in a presidential memorabilia item is somewhat obvious: other visual records of a particular Commander-in-chief, especially a pre-Civil War one, might be few and far between.

I’m not saying those records don’t exist (see below pic). Consider the fact that most US currency (and none of the four major presidential coin denominations in circulation), and many of the presidential bios at whitehouse.gov do not feature official presidential poses, so to speak. Those stately visages must have come from alternate sources (e.g. lesser-known historical pics), even if those sources were just artist renderings.

Young Lincoln circa 1846

Young Lincoln circa 1846

My point is that your typical White House painting is more accessible to the average Joe Collectible-maker, especially if he doesn’t have the “exclusive presidential depictions” hook-up.

And you, the reader, could do a lot worse than follow the examples of The Franklin Mint, American Mint, and the day after store. Ergo, take a part or all of a presidential portrait picture from the gallery, slap it on a coin or vinyl sticker, and include a famous US motto like “In God We Trust,” “Liberty,” or “E Pluribus Unum.” Lastly, don’t forget to throw in a national symbol – The Great Seal, an eagle, olive branches and arrows, etc – and/or a significant national edifice or structure – e.g. the Statue of Liberty, the Capitol, Mount Rushmore.

But remember, you can take the production of pseudo- presidential currency and presidential collectibles only so far. So please be responsible: don’t drink and print counterfeit money. The Secret Service and US Treasury tend to frown on that kind of behavior, to say the least…

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