Parties and individual vendors have produced and distributed items supporting the campaigns of presidential contenders since the early 19th century. These items have included ribbons, badges, pins, bandannas, posters, pamphlets, stickers and three dimensional items such as statuettes and dishes. The majority of these items are “national” with no...
Montana Political Campaign History
Territorial Items
Montana became a territory when the geographic obstructions associated with the rugged Rocky Mountains made the larger Idaho Territory unworkable. Its early history is marked by an influx of men to the gold fields of Bannack, Virginia City and ultimately Helena. Northerners with strong ties to the Union and...
Campaign for the State Capital
When delegates to the State Constitutional Convention met in 1889 they elected not to address some of the more polarizing issues, most notably divvying up the spoils of statehood such as the location of the permanent capital, state college, agricultural college, normal school, state penitentiary and mental hospital. Most...
Local and State Campaign Items
Items produced for campaigns for local and statewide elections are referred to by collectors as “Locals”. In general, they tend to be considerably less expensive then presidential items of similar rarity. “Locals” collectors tend to narrow their focus by specializing in certain states, regions, eras or offices. Demand for...
Montana Silver Dollar Club
The “Montana Silver Dollar Club” pin is a classic in the hobby. I obtained my first at an antique show in my childhood. When I brought it to my first APIC show it created quite a stir; unfortunately, I was naive and traded it away far below its...
Battle for Montana; the Copper Kings’ Influence on Montana’s History
Politics in early Montana was shaped a great deal by a personal and professional conflict between two powerful and wealthy individuals, William Clark and Marcus Daly the “Copper Kings.” Both played prominent roles in the development of the copper resources on Butte Hill the largest copper producer in the...
Progressives versus Stalwarts; the 1912 Election in Montana
As the election of 1912 approached, the Republicans faced a significant ideological division within their party. When Teddy Roosevelt left the White House in March of 1909, the progressive wing of the party looked to be in good position. They had achieved legislative success, passing a number of bills...