Statue of Liberty
Best Selling Post Card of All Time
by Jeff Figler
With
the majority of Americans thinking about politics these days, political
memorabilia is drawing quite a bit of attention. Throughout the years
the most popular patriotic object to collectors has been items depicting
the Statue of Liberty. That is true. Political candidates may come and
go, but not the Statue of Liberty. Even political parties come and go
(just ask history buffs about the Federalist and Whig parties, just to
name a couple). But not the Statue.
Needless to say, of all the national emblems, Lady
Liberty symbolizes the spirit and body of the United States. Sure, there
are flags seen everywhere, but there is only one Lady Liberty. It was
the first beacon of the United States for immigrants. Hope eternal. A
new life. Freedom. And to collectors, a plethora of possibilities.
The Statue has become a symbol of America’s
dedication to democracy during the World Wars, and to the present
conflicts. She has appeared on patriotic objects such as posters.
Since its surfacing in 1876 (thanks to the French),
and since the inscription was added by Emma Lazarus in 1883 ("Give
me your tired, your poor….."), there have been millions and
millions of statues manufactured and imaged. But the demand is endless.
The most cherished of all Statue collectibles are those from 1876, as
well as from 1886, the year of the formal dedication, and 1986, the
centennial year of the dedication.
One of the most highly desirable collectibles is a
copy of the original, 1886, four-page souvenir program of the dedication
ceremony. Magazines and newspapers of that time describing the ceremony
are also valued.
Through
the years a sampling of the types of Statue of Liberty objects include:
pins, buttons, medals, candy containers, glassware, music boxes, models,
banks, paperweights, cookie cutters, playing cards, sheet music, jars,
bowls, men’s ties, books, and of course mini-statuettes.
But the popularity has spread. In the late 1800’s
trade cards showed images of Lady Liberty, especially of passing ocean
liners.
Postcards replaced trade cards, and yes, the Statue
of Liberty is considered by most to be the best selling postcard topic
of all time. New York City visitors seem to be the biggest buyers of
Statue postcards. Incredibly, more than 340 publishers have produced
more than 1500 different postcards of Lady Liberty. There are photos
taken from various angles, different distances, various times of the
day, and photos with different objects in the picture.
If you are looking for an object on which you can
build a collection, you might consider the Statue of Liberty. It is a
collectible that is timeless, educational, and patriotic. There is a
Statue of Liberty Collector’s Club that you can find on the internet.
This is one collectible that the whole family can
thoroughly enjoy, and you can pass it down to future generations.
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