This Is On Me

Illustration of a safe on a person's head on a white background with black text with author's signature, left of the safe.

Hassan Cigarettes produced by the American Tobacco Company were cork tipped nickel brand cigarettes. To increase advertising, Hassan began offering cowboy cards in 1909 in each pack. By 1912, Hassan introduced baseball cards with the T202 - Hassan triple fold large baseball cards. Later in the same decade, Hassan introduced the pinback buttons in their cigarettes. The designs meant to be collectibles were of various images with each image containing the artist's facsimile signature. The collectible designs allowed Hassan Cigarettes to grow in comparison to other cigarettes who did not offer collectibles.

Noted on the back on this Hassan pinback button is backing paper by W & HC Co - Whitehead and Hoag Company from Newark, N.J.  Whitehead and Hoag, which held the patent for pinback buttons since 1896 was also a union company until 1919 when they broke with the union. Buttons made before 1919 came with a union labeled stamped on the backing paper. The Hassan cigarette button does not have a label and was likely made after 1919.