I have been looking for the Herbert Hoover button for this mated pair for over a year. These buttons were from the 1932 Presidential campaign. They were made by the same company, which, unfortunately, did not sign either button. It is not unusual to see buttons from opposite sides with the same design. The practice dates well back into the 19th century. The Roosevelt – Garner piece is the more valuable first because it is an FDR button, and second because of the slogan "For repeal and prosperity." "Repeal" refers to the 18th amendment, which was prohibition. "The great experiment" had became a major failure with criminal activity greatly enhanced by the illegal sale of alcohol. The Roosevelt campaign called for the legalization of "light wines and beer." Hoover continued to support Prohibition. The call for "prosperity" was obvious because of The Great Depression. Hoover's running mate, Charles Curtis had an interesting background. He was 50% American Indian and is to date the only Native American that has become vice president. Kamala Harris is the second mixed blood person to serve as vice president. The Roosevelt - Garner ticket won a smashing victory in 1932. It would be the first of four FDR landslides. It would mark a major change in American politics From 1860 until 1928, the Republicans had won 14 of the 18 presidential elections. If had not been for Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 run as the "Bull Moose" third party candidate, the GOP might have had 16 victories. Roosevelt split the Republican vote in 1912 which allowed Woodrow Wilson to win. Even with the advantage of incumbency in 1916, Wilson barely won. Republican Charles Evans Hughes went to bed thinking he had won the presidency only to be defeated by a surprise result in California. Here is a fancy 1912 Theodore Roosevelt "My hat in the ring" button and trinket combination. The hat refers to Roosevelt Rough Rider military hero image which he used to great success in 1900 and 1904.
The attached hat is kind of cute and comical. It was an emblematic symbol for Roosevelt. (I think in reality though, Roosevelt was kind of using it as a political prop to whitewash over the fact he was big city NY elite. He was trying to appeal to the common people and those in rural areas, and make himself appear like an adventurous outdoorsman, a peer among rugged men)
You might like the symbolism on these two pieces more. Roosevelt was always using the "Captain of ship" for his administration. This is from the 1936 campaign. This mid-Depression era medalet has lots of New Deal symbolism. Roosevelt included sailing ships on two of the four inaugural medals. 1933 1945
