Election Year: Collecting Political Buttons and Jugates

With all the news focusing on the upcoming major elections, including our president and vice president, I thought I would take a look back at some of the early ways of supporting your candidates. I see a lot of bumper stickers with names of the favorites, even an oldie for Ralph Nader the other day, pretty sure it was original! But I have not seen a lot of buttons lately. Do you recall when these were very popular?

I went to our ‘extensive library’ of books on collectibles and came across an “Encyclopedia of Political Buttons-United States 1865-1972.” This was a discarded library book and is quite interesting! Of course, prices have changed dramatically in 35 years!

I learned that celluloid political buttons were first successfully made in 1896. Although celluloid was invented 20 years prior to that time, it turns out that attempts to make campaign ‘medalets’ failed. The image was embedded in the celluloid by striking it with a die. But at that time, celluloid was too brittle and the efforts were abandoned. These buttons, as made today, were first patented by Whitehead & Hoag Co. of Newark, New Jersey.

They used the celluloid as a thin, transparent covering to protect the paper the image was printed on. They followed up and received patents on the process. W&H produced an amazing variety and number of buttons that first year, 1896.

Production was stimulated by the intensity of the McKinley and Bryan presidential campaign battle over the issue of the gold and silver coinage ratio. When viewing the sampling of buttons, you’ll note the large ‘bugs.’

The Republicans came to be known as “Goldbugs”, while the Democrats were the “Silverbugs.” Democratic Candidate,William Jennings Bryan, tried a ‘middle-of-the-road’ tactic with a pin showing “True Bi-Metallism, No Straddle Bug.”

As history tells us, McKinley and Hobart won the 1896 election. McKinley won a second term, partially because of the improving economy and the pledge of “four more years of the full dinner pail.”

Theodore Roosevelt’s campaign in 1904 brought some extremely interesting buttons! His Rough Riders gave manufacturers some super graphics to work with from Hats to Rifles to Indians on the run! And we cannot forget ‘The Teddy Bear.” Poor Alton Parker, who ran his campaign as a “safe and sane” candidate, did not stand a chance!

The next presidential race was in 1908 and William Howard Taft, a Republican, was the winner. One of my favorite ‘buttons’ was the one that read “It’s Up to the man on the other side to put this tried & safe man at the head of the government.” I presume it had a mirror on the reverse side.

The next two terms belonged to Woodrow Wilson, “the man who kept us out of war” and then in 1917, had to commit the US to WWI.

The 1920 election was the first that women could vote in and Harding was the first President to ride an automobile in his inauguration parade. Pretty progressive! Harding had two buttons referring to the 19^th Amendment and Women’s votes.

Harding’s death in August of 1923 made Calvin Coolidge the new president and he was later elected to that office in 1924. It was noted that very few buttons were made for this campaign, and they are quite valuable. His opponent was John W. Davis and his buttons are extremely rare and desirable.

The election in 1928 was won by a landslide! Herbert Hoover against Alfred E. Smith, the first Catholic nominated to be president.

FDR, Franklin Delano Roosevelt spent 12 years and 40 days in the Presidency. His political career started in 1910 when he ran and won the race for the New York State Senate. He then supported Woodrow Wilson at the 1912 Convention which led to his appointment as Assist. Secretary of the Navy, then was chose as running mate to Presidential candidate, James Cox, an election that was lost. FDR joined a law firm and was suddenly struck by infantile paralysis. He had a tough battle ahead and once said “If you have spent two years in bed trying to wiggle your big toe, everything else seems easy.” He went on to be elected our President for four terms; 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944. Some pretty unique jugates, and they command big prices. We’ve heard of ‘mud-slinging’ in campaigns and this one is pretty unusual. It shows a pair of lady’s bloomers with “Dewey’s All Wet” on them. Definitely mild by today’s standards.

I’ll add to the collection in my next blog. If you have a rare or unique political button you’d like to describe, Collector’s Quest would love to hear about it!