Montana Jim said:
Sorry... could not let it go! I think Dewey is the best candidate yet...
Well, to be honest, Jim, neither could I, even though I tried to downplay it earlier— and of course DM said the same after I posted the photo of Dewey. The fact that the badge was made of aluminum and therefore probably not a lot earlier than 1900 was another convincing clue. And you know what?
We were right! I just received the following e-mail from Rex Stark, a specialist in political memorabilia:
This was issued to promote Admiral George Dewey (naval hero of the Spanish-American War) for President in 1900. He was never actually a serious candidate. I have had several of these - while it is not rare, it certainly is quite scarce. In excellent condition it would be worth $100-150. Unfortunately, the condition of this one is terrible. I think it would be Impossible to sell...
I like it anyway! In fact, I think it's a terrific little piece of history, and it gave us a good chase, too. That's what great finds are all about!