Pin, William Jennings Bryan, 1896

Pin, William Jennings Bryan, 1896

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Description
William Jennings Bryan’s 1896 presidential campaign used many different pins in the shape of a “silver bug” to reflect the Democratic Party’s endorsement of the silver standard. Republican pins featured a “gold bug,” the nickname given to supporters of the gold standard which was the preferred Republican policy. Both campaigns produced versions of this mechanical “bug” pin. The wearer pressed a button causing the wings to open revealing images of the appropriate candidates. This pin shows Bryan and his running mate Arthur Sewall, a businessman from Maine. Bryan and Sewall were defeated by the Republican ticket of William McKinley and Garret Hobart.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
Pin
date made
1896
ID Number
1986.1040.014
catalog number
1986.1040.014
accession number
1986.1040
Credit Line
Robert N. Ferrell
See more items in
Political and Military History: Political History, General History Collection
American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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