25487

Unique Anti-McKinley Brass Shell Pin.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Historical Memorabilia Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 300.00 USD
Unique Anti-McKinley Brass Shell Pin.
<B>Unique Anti-McKinley Brass Shell Pin.</B></I> We have never seen another example of this variety, which shows McKinley, wearing a distinctly distressed expression, standing behind a figure in a miserly crouch, marked "Hanna" on his forehead. Raised letters on the Hanna figure read "Beef", "Sugar", "Gas", and "Oil" (all trusts villified by the Bryan campaign) and "Money". The Hanna is of course Mark Hanna, McKinley's political mentor. Among other things, Hanna's detractors accused him of being the puppet-master of a candidate who was the tool of "Big Business" Republicans. <BR><BR>Clearly something is missing from this piece, which fit into the slots across the chest. Probably these were McKinley's arms, although we can only speculate as to how they may have moved. Original pin on reverse. <I>From the Norman Loewenstern Collection.</B></I>