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Pickering Wharf, located in Salem, Massachusetts, is a popular tourist destination full of restaurants, retail stores, and a marina. The wharf was constructed between 1977-1979 as a recreation of an 18th-century shopping village and pays homage to Salem’s maritime history. So-called “ship rats” historically stowed away on cargo ships and boats around the world. English-born Puritan Roger Conant founded and colonized Salem. He arrived by boat in 1625 and undoubtedly brought rats on his ship.

Thus, the slogan on this pin: “Pickering Wharf Rat.” The visitors to the wharf, then, were honorary rats, a humorous way to remember the rats that stowed away on cargo ships and made homes at the seaports to which they arrived. The slogan "Pickering Wharf Rat" likely comes from a now-closed restaurant called Victoria's Station; on the menu were appetizers such as "Wharf Rat Ale Battered Artichoke Hearts." The restaurant sold much merchandise including pins, t-shirts, mugs, and ale glasses.

Black and white photograph of a mountain with winding roads leading to a sharp peak with red lettering around the rim  on an off-white background

Dodge’s Scenic Trips, Inc. was a sightseeing company that Operated in California. In 1915, the company offered “Dodge’s Trip De Luxe,” a multi-day sightseeing tour through many California landmarks. Among the advertised stops was the summit of Grossmont: “The World’s View Point.” 

Blue text above and below an illustration of an egg on a curved-arm pedestal sitting emerging from a bed of clouds 

The “Era of the Egg" refers to a period in the 1980s where eggs were widely considered a healthy and versatile breakfast option. The American Egg Board (AEB), built to promote egg consumption, had myriad slogans throughout the 1970s-1990s such as this one, as well as “The Incredible Edible Egg,” its first Chicago advertising campaign in 1973. The 1980s saw a growing wave of health conciousness and an awareness of the nutritional value of eggs, leading to increased consumption and incorporation of eggs into breakfast, lunch, and dinner routines.

The American Egg Board continues campaigning efforts to this day. In Chicago of 2024, a new campaign titled “Meant to Be Broken” aims to “shift perceptions of eggs as boring to a powerhouse food with relevance in the changing lives of consumers” (“Meant to be Broken” Campaign). The AEB has made small, “bite-sized” videos showing how to use eggs to fix breakfast, lunch, and dinner and will host national programs across TV, TikTok, and Youtube media.

According to the campaign: “After all, to make a great omelet, you have to first break a few eggs.”

Purple litho photo image of Patti Smith holding a dove in each hand with black text around the rim and purple text below the image

The Dr. Pepper Central Park Music Festival was first known as the Schaefer Music Festival, sponsored by the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company. Festival tickets sold for $1 to $2.50 in 1968. In 1977, Dr. Pepper took over the music festival sponsorship, changing the festival name. After noise complaints, the festival moved from Central Park to Pier 84 in 1981. Reebok sponsored the festival starting in 1989, with the last event held the following year in 1990. 

The Patti Smith Group performed at the Dr. Pepper Central Park Music Festival in August, 1979. Other acts in the 1979 lineup included Joan Baez, Blondie, Journey, the Ramones, Talking Heads, and The Cars. Prior to the festival—in May, 1979—the Patti Smith Group released their third and final album, Wave. The album was described as “radio-friendly mainstream pop rock” and received mixed reviews after being less successful than their previous album, Easter. The rock radio station WPLJ 95.5 used the Wave album cover, an image of Patti Smith holding two doves photographed by Robert Mapplethorpe, to promote the band’s show at the Central Park festival. 

Blue and red text on a cream background; a blue stylized letter "A" is above the blue text and the word "first" is underlined in red

On July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, becoming the first man to achieve the feat. He is credited as saying, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” as he stepped out of the Apollo 11 NASA lunar module and onto the moon’s crust.

Much promotional merchandise was manufactured and sold for the momentous event, including commemorative t-shirts, stamps, coins, and buttons. People gathered together to watch the landing, which was televised and celebrated. But for some Americans, simply watching and listening to the televised event was not enough; for these Americans, “Moon Parties” satisfied this itch, as did recording their thoughts and memories in letters and photographs.

Armstrong and his fellow astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, returned to Earth as heroes.

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The phrase "I am not a spook" is most widely attributed to Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel Invisible Man. In the prologue, the narrator declares, "I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind." 

This line underscores the narrator's assertion of his humanity and individuality, rejecting the dehumanizing stereotypes imposed upon Black individuals.

The button itself likely emerged in the 1970s during a period when Halloween-themed buttons gained popularity. Its playful design and message suggest a humorous take on the term "spook," which colloquially refers to a ghost or phantom. However, the term "spook" also carries a derogatory connotation when used to refer to Black individuals, dating back to the 1940s. In this context, the button may serve as a tongue-in-cheek response to such racial slurs, reclaiming the term with a sense of irony and empowerment.

Large black zig-zag with a white outline and red and white watch hands in the center; left and right sides are gray with short, thick horizontal black lines (three on the left and two on the right) and black text on the right-hand side 

Swatch is a Swiss watch and jewelry manufacturing company founded in 1983. Swatch owns 12 luxury brands and is considered the largest watch company in the world. This button’s design matches the Tonga GL100 Swatch Watch face. The Tonga GL100 was part of Swatch’s 1986 Spring Summer collection. Swatch no longer sells the Tonga GL100 model, leaving interested buyers to purchase this particular watch from second-hand retail sites. The watch is considered vintage and is sought after by people with extensive watch collections. 

Illustration of a gray mouse with a white beard and Santa hat in the center with bold, black text above and red, italicized text below

Santa Mouse is a children’s book character created by Michael Brown and illustrated by Elfrieda De Witt. Originally published in 1966, Santa Mouse embarks on holiday-themed adventures as “Santa’s littlest helper” with a big heart as he shares his cheese after realizing no one gives Santa gifts on Christmas. The books are written for an audience of primarily four to eight-year-olds with parents and grandparents passing down the beloved story. Brown wrote his final Santa Mouse book in 2011 before his death in 2014. New Santa Mouse adventures were published in 2021, 2022, and 2024 in memory of Michael Brown and his little holiday helper. 

Blue-toned photograph portrait of Sargent Shriver with white text along the bottom right rim

Robert Sargent Shriver was known for his work in American politics, diplomacy, and activism. Shriver was related to the Kennedy family through his marriage to Eunice Kennedy, sister to former president John F. Kennedy. During the 1950s, Shriver was the director of the Catholic Interracial Council, an organization that worked to desegregate schools. In the 1960s, Shriver worked for the Kennedy presidential administration and sought out candidates for top administrative and ambassadorial positions. From 1961 to 1966, Shriver was the director of the Peace Corps. He was also the first director of the Office of Economic Opportunity after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the act in 1964. Shriver became the United States ambassador to France in 1968. During the 1972 United States presidential election, Shriver replaced Thomas Eagleton as George McGovern’s vice presidential running mate after it was revealed that Eagleton received electroshock therapy for depression. McGovern and Shriver lost the election to Republican incumbents President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew. Shriver failed to obtain the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976 and returned to private life as a partner at a D.C. law firm specializing in international law and foreign affairs. Shriver passed away in 2011 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

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