Our first update of 2022 features items from the campaigns of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, the last 19th century president and his successor, the first president we would recognize as "modern." They had been running mates in 1900, Roosevelt filling a vacancy on the ticket resulting from the death of Vice President Hobart. Roosevelt was not McKinley's first choice, and was chosen largely by party operatives who thought he would bring youth and energy to the ticket, and at the same time sideline a bothersome progressive. No one foresaw what was to happen in September 1901 at the Pan-American Expo in Buffalo, when an anarchist infiltrated President McKinley's security and fired a shot as the president extended a hand in a receiving line. McKinley lingered about ten days, and Roosevelt was sworn in. He remains the youngest person to take the oath of office.
Word to the wise... Be aware of the greater seasonal risk of cracks developing in celluloid pinbacks due to temperature change. While largely out of our control, we are advising customers to avoid taking their packages directly from cold mailboxes to warm indoor locations. As an intermediate step, place your package in the refrigerator for an hour, then a cooler location in your home or office, such as near a window, for another hour. At that point, you can safely have it at room temp.
Thanks and hope the new year is off to a great start!