Photograph of the Beatles posed with naked, dismantled baby dolls. White background. 

The Beatles' album Yesterday and Today was released June 15th, 1966.  Robert Whitaker designed the controversial album cover, later to be referred to as the "butcher" cover. Some believe the cover was used for the Beatles to voice their opinions on how Capitol Records "butchered" and altered their albums for the American market. Other sources state the true meaning of the cover was to protest the Vietnam War. Due to public demand, the cover was replaced.  This incident was the first time the Beatles were negatively criticized by the media.

Lenticular button switches between two images: 1) Black text on white background and grey scale photographs of Ringo, Paul, John, and George. 2) The same, with each band member's name in black text replacing their face. 

Made in 1964, this lenticular button is one of the earliest American-made Beatles memorabilia items. The misspelling of Beatle as "Beattle" is a mystery. 

Cartoon image of a beagle, gorilla, lion, and elephant holding musical instruments on a bright yellow background. Black printed handwriting style text curved along bottom portion of button. 

The Banana Splits were a fictional rock group featured in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, a children’s variety program that ran from 1968 to 1970 on NBC Saturday mornings. The Banana Splits were composed of Fleegle on guitar, Bingo on drums, Drooper on bass, and Snorky on keyboards. Each episode featured a meeting of the “Banana Splits Club”, with the Banana Splits being members of the club. In 1972 ABC aired a feature film, The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park. The Banana Splits theme song has been covered by acts such The Dickies and Liz Phair, while other songs performed by The Banana Splits have been covered by Mr. T Experience and Girl Trouble. 

Image of black high heeled boots with spurs on a yellow background. Red text aligned bottom center and slightly curved along bottom edge. 

Adam and the Ants were a punk/New Wave band active from 1977-1982. The band released three albums, and hit songs included "Dog Eat Dog," "Stand and Deliver," and "Ant Music." In 1982, they received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist but lost to Sheena Easton.  Although the lineup changed, the band was always led by singer/songwriter Adam Ant. Ant has maintained a highly successful solo career since the band split in March 1982. 

Red, black, and yellow image of firefighter's head and shoulders. White background with black text curved along upper portion of button. A cloth-backed piece of paper in the shape of the rotund firefighter holding a bugle-like musical instrument hangs from the bottom of the button, completing the figure. 

This is a conference badge for the Virginia State Association, now known as the Virginia State Firefighters Association. The association was founded in 1886. The dates listed on the button indicate the days of the conference, which was held in Covington. The conference still occurs in late August of each year. 

Color photograph of a troll doll, with image cut off at the hair on upper edge of button. White background with blue speckles. Pink synthetic hair extends about three inches off the top of the button. 

Troll dolls were originally created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila and carved the doll from his imagination. They became one of the United States' biggest toy fads in the early 1960s. They became fads again in brief periods from the 1970s through the 1990s and were copied by several manufacturers under different names. During the 1990s, several video games and a video show based on troll dolls were created. In 2003, the Dam company restored their United States copyrights, stopping unlicensed production. In 2005, the brand was modernized under the name Trollz, but it failed in the marketplace. The brand was revived with a Trolls movie in 2016 and continues in popularity today with sequels and spin offs.

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Face: Red background with white text and logo. Back: Illustration of metal tracks with ball bearings in the middle with die-cut holes for the balls to rest in.

Founded in 1907 in Gothenburg, Sweden, SKF manufacturers bearings and seals, with additional specialties in mechatronics, lubrication systems, and consulting. The dexterity game challenges players to fill each of the ten slots with a bearing ball, while advertising SKF's work in the bearing industry. SKF has had a presence in and around Philadelphia, PA since its purchase of the Hess-Bright Manufacturing Company in 1916.

Rich dark blue background with gold lettering and red rose with green leaves.

The crystoglas button gives an interesting 3D effect through embossing the metal and printing directly on the celluloid.

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Portland's mayor, Harry Lane, decided to start the Rose Festival in 1907 because the city's climate is suitable for growing roses.  The first rose festival was held at the celebration of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition.

This button was made using the crystoglas process, which was developed by Whitehead and Hoag and used around 1915. Crystoglas buttons are produced by placing clear celluloid on certain areas of the front of the button with colored foil underneath over a stamped metal background. The process was not used often due to the high cost. 

Black background with red, yellow, and blue slices

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Illustration of a eighteenth-century American man on a black background. Cloth-backed paper in the shape of a hat extends from top of button. Blue and yellow ribbon with black text and black image of the Liberty Bell extends from bottom of button. 

This button was made for Philadelphia's Sesquicentennial International Exposition in 1926, which celebrated 150 years of independence since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Exposition lasted from June to December and featured an array of conventions and entertainment. Several buildings were erected in the south section of the city to house the events.