Red ring around outer edge of button with whitish yellow text. Inner circle has an illustration of a yellow bicycle on a gradient green to greenish white background.

Cycle Trades of America (CTA) was founded in 1918 as a trade organization comprised of motorcycle and bicycle parts and accessory makers. Bicycle use in the United States had declined since its “Golden Age” in the 1890s and the CTA’s objective was to promote and publicize cycling. Headquartered in New York City, the CTA oversaw advertising, meetings, and trade shows. The organization was largely responsible for the successful marketing of cycling to boys through ad campaigns that emphasized independence, citizenship, and mobility. The CTA also promoted bicycle safety to address parents’ concerns that their children would be injured or killed by motorists. One of the programs it developed, the Cycle Trades Safety League, was heavily promoted in magazines such as Boys Life. In the ad pictured here from 1938, readers are offered a “beautiful bicycle pin and Safety League membership card FREE” for pledging to obey safety laws while cycling.

Black text on white background. 

This button was sold as part of a fundraiser/promotion for an event hosted by the Coal Cracker Booster Club (CCC). The Coal Cracker Booster Club was designed to be a group of civic-minded individuals who were devoted to continuing the annual observance of the role anthracite coal played in the development of the Shamokin area. Students/alumni of Shamokin high school are called 'Coal Crackers' and the name is a common colloquial for residents. Shamokin, PA (founded 1864) and its sister community, Coal Township, PA were founded and functioned as coal mining towns fo rmuch of their existence. Shamokin was made famous for the huge rush of Anthracite coal mining it felt early on,  the novel "Muder at Hickory Ridge" and, having the 'world's largest man-man mountain' - the Glen Burn Colliery Cameron Culm Bank.

The CCC involved event on June, 28th, 29th, and 30th (as seen on the button) was the annual 'Anthracite Days' which started as a one day event in 1964. The 1968 'Anthracite Days' featured street dancing, the Anthratones Barbershop Chorus, a huge celebratory parade, a fireworks display, a performance by the Holy Cross High School Band, and much more!

Illustration of a person with a sun dial shaped face, with red text above and below on a white background.

The 1965 series of LEAF "Fink Buttons" were illustrated by popular Mid-Century artist Basil Wolverton. Perhaps best known for his work at MAD Magazine, Basil Wolverton (July 9, 1909 – December 31, 1978) was an American cartoonist and illustrator famous for his humorously grotesque drawings. Wolverton worked in the "Golden Age" of comic books doing features like "Powerhouse Pepper" and "Spacehawk" in the 1940s. A 2009 New York Times article states that Wolverton’s drawings embodied the “sick-and-proud humor” of MAD magazine and were considered a “virtuoso exercise in bad taste, made all the weirder for being so meticulously executed."

Blue background with a white shield with red outline and a white silhouette of a dog above it. There is blue text inside the white shield.

In the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, Cleveland-based radio station WTAM hosted a program called Uncle Henry’s Dog Club.  This button suggests that the program supported the Cleveland Animal Protective League and encouraged young listeners to do the same.  Incorporated in 1913, the Cleveland Animal Protective League is an independent, nonprofit humane society.  Even today, the organization continues to partner with a local radio station (Q104) in order to promote its cause.  

Three illustrations of holly leaves across the top of the button with a white semi circle underneath with green text and white text on an overall red background under the semi circle. There is a white oval at the bottom with green text in it.

This button would have been given to a Second National Bank Christmas Club member. The Christmas Club is a savings program that allows bank members to deposit a set amount of money every week into a special savings account, and receive the money back at the end of the year for Christmas shopping. There have been a variety of Second National Banks and the name continues to be used today. The first Christmas Clubs were established in the early 20th century. 

An illustration of a frowning older man with round glasses and a furrowed brow. He is balding. His ears and nose are pink and his face is a peach color. The traces of hair are grey and the glasses are black.

This button was designed by Chris Ware. He is a comic book artist and cartoonist. His most popular works include graphic novels Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth and Building Stories, and the comic book series Acme Novelty Library. The characters in his work are often depressed, melancholy, in despair, or facing some type of adversity.

Ware is one of the prominent artists who partners with Busy Beaver to create a special line of buttons. This button is part of the Button-O-Matic artist series in 2003 produced by Busy Beaver Button Company.

An illustration of a woman with a concerned looking face and arched eyebrows. Her face is peach in color, and her nose and mouth are pink. Her eyes and hair are black.

This button was designed by Chris Ware. He is a comic book artist and cartoonist. His most popular works include graphic novels Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth and Building Stories, and the comic book series Acme Novelty Library. The characters in his work are often depressed, melancholy, in despair, or facing some type of adversity.

Ware is one of the prominent artists who partners with Busy Beaver to create a special line of buttons. The image on the button is exemplary of his artistic style. This button is part of the Button-O-Matic artist series in 2003 produced by Busy Beaver Button Company.

There are pink waves in the white background of the button. The words are blue, and the word "DONZI" is surrounded by a blue border. There are two small symbols on the left surrounded by a blue border. The top symbol is of a shield with a crest, and the symbol below is of a lion above a dolphin. The letters "OMC" are above both of the symbols.

The Chris-Craft Company began in 1910 when Christopher Columbus Smith, along with his brother Hank, began building standardized runabout boats in the Point de Chene area of Michigan. In 1927, Chris’s son, Jay Smith, became the President and General Manager of the company, which is now recognized as the world’s largest builder of Mahogany recreational powerboats. Although the depression effected the company’s boat production, by the time World War II began, Chris-Craft was building vessels for the United States Navy and Army. After the end of the war, Chris-Craft began making powerboats again with the first fiberglass boat being manufactured in 1955. In the 1980s, Chris-Craft came into the market of speedboats and their boats made appearances on television programs including Miami Vice. The company continues to create high quality boats that customers appreciate. Donzi was acquired by Jack Staples and then Chris-Craft President, Dick Genth, in 1985 to increase the production of the low-profile extremely fast fiberglass boat. In 2014, the company had its 140-year anniversary.

Brown text on an ivory background.

Popular in 1948, Swift’s ice cream was featured in many newspapers across the country. These newspapers featured home economist Martha Logan who wrote up delicious sounding recipes featuring different flavors of Swift’s ice cream. Ms. Logan was the head of the Home Economics Department for Swift and Company in Chicago, and she worked for the company by developing, testing, and promoting new products. 

Some of the other Swift’s ice cream flavors include: caramel nut fudge, candy cane, maple chocolate almond, and party peach. Swift’s Mar-bel flavors combined two different flavors together, and are what is commonly known as “marbled” ice cream. The term “marbled” ice cream refers to marble stone. The thin streaks of color in marble interwoven with one main color of stone is reflected in the ice cream with one main flavor and thin streaks of a second flavor interwoven throughout. Swift’s chocolate mar-bel ice cream combined vanilla and chocolate flavors.

Illustration of a person's head with a nose that looks like a vacuum cleaner head, with dark purple text above and below on a lighter purple background.

The 1965 series of LEAF "Fink Buttons" were illustrated by popular Mid-Century artist Basil Wolverton. Perhaps best known for his work at MAD Magazine, Basil Wolverton (July 9, 1909 – December 31, 1978) was an American cartoonist and illustrator famous for his humorously grotesque drawings. Wolverton worked in the "Golden Age" of comic books doing features like "Powerhouse Pepper" and "Spacehawk" in the 1940s. A 2009 New York Times article states that Wolverton’s drawings embodied the “sick-and-proud humor” of MAD magazine and were considered a “virtuoso exercise in bad taste, made all the weirder for being so meticulously executed."