4th of July & Patriotic Collectibles

Some of the items here that you are about to see are from the Bicentennial.

Much of what I have here is post-bicentennial,  even some items are new - Semiquincentennial  (America 250).

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A button given to me by a friend.

For the past three years of my 4th of July posts - 2022,  2023,  2024 - I concentrated mainly on America's Bicentennial...our 200th anniversary.    And now,  suddenly,  and seemingly without warning,  America's 250th snuck up on us---the Semiquincentennial.

(Funny...I was told a few years back it would be called the sestercentennial.  But I suppose we must go with Semiquincentennial,  for that's its official title,  so we will.  Either way,  I'm just glad that so many are celebrating)  

I was kind of worried there,  for I thought it may have been forgotten about,  mostly due to the political climate of a great many.  But thankfully,  it hasn't been over-looked...though Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum seemed to have somewhat,  ahem,  forgotten a rather important 250th remembrance while museums all across the nation,  including Colonial Williamsburg,  Connor Prairie,  Old Sturbridge Village,  and numerous others,  as well as countless American citizens all across the land,  remembered to shine two lights - some lanterns,  some lights - to commemorate the one if by land,  two if by sea  signal that were shown in the steeple of the Old North Church on April 18,  1775.

For shame.

Seriously.

Sorry...nope---no excuse.

This was a Facebook post I did for New Year's Eve:  2024-2025

So I have been carrying on in my own celebrations,  along with my wife and,  sometimes with our children and grandchildren.

And I'm still collecting collectibles,  though I'm more selective.

So we'll begin,  then,  with some of the Bicentennial acquisitions I've made since my last post on this subject a year ago,  for,  though more selective,  I am still collecting cool Bicentennial stuff,  like these cans from Canada Dry Ginger Ale's tribute.

What a wonderful tribue to the founding generation.

I hope this sort of thing is repeated for the 250th.

I was given multiples of the same button,  on the left,  so I removed one from its original package  (see near the top of this post).

You know,  I'm no youngster any more.  It's my hope that at least one of my soon-to-be six grandchildren might be interested in their grandfather's collection after I'm gone.

A 1976 wall-hanging felt calendar

I was thirteen turning fourteen that Bicentennial year,  and I was thrilled at all of the history everywhere I looked!

Let's get a closer look at the top of the calendar~

Spring of 2025:  I snapped this picture of the gazebo at Kennedy Park in my hometown of Eastpointe.  The gazebo was built for the Bicentennial celebrations in 1976.  In fact,  there's a time capsule buried underneath!

My brother and his wife got married on this gazebo in August of  '76.

After the Bicentennial celebrations simmered,  the founding generation was not forgotten and still commemorated here and there - - - 

It's good to see our nation still celebrated the founders,  even nearly a decade after the Bicentennial,  in 1985:

The 22-cent commemorative stamp honoring Abigail Adams,  wife of 2nd President John Adams,  was issued June 14,  1985,  in Quincy,  Massachusetts.  

Here the are on 1sr Day Covers:

The envelopes,  to me,  are better than the stamps.
From what I understand,  these are only two envelopes of the eight released.

A First Day Cover  (FDC)  is an envelope or postcard featuring a newly issued stamp that has been postmarked on the first day it is available for sale.  They are a popular collectible item among stamp enthusiasts.  The postmark verifies the date and location of the stamp's release. 

This is the back of the 1st Day Issue envelope.

The front of another...

...and the flipside...

A gold-embossed envelope~

And the back side - - all a part of the same honors.

The front and back of yet another!
A fair collection,  wouldn't you say?

I just feel that Abigail Adams does not get the acknowledgement she deserves.

The front of the program bears a beautiful image of Abigail Adams.

And to sort of complete this picture,  here is the original 1985 Abigail Adams Stamp First Day Ceremony Program:

The inside of the program.
I just don't think Abigail Adams gets the accolades she deserves.
This does help.

To be honest,  they could have done a better job on the image of the stamp.

But at least she was acknowledged.

And,  so,  to complete my Abigail Adams stamp collection,  I also have a Commemorative Stamp Panel:

"A commemorative stamp panel is a collectible item produced by the US Postal Service  (USPS)  that features a commemorative stamp issue alongside related text and design elements.  These panels typically include a block of four stamps in a protective mount,  a narrative about the stamp issue,  and are printed on sturdy card stock." 
And here is mine.

Okay!
As for more recent commemorations - the Semiquincentennial:

I'm celebrating - are you?

And only about a week before the 4th of July,  2025,  I was participating in a special Blacksmith,  Soldier's,  and Log Cabin Weekend at Waterloo Farm Museum and,  lo & behold,  what did my wondering eyes see,  but a tent and table set up to  "Help Waterloo Celebrate America's 250th Birthday!"  They are making plans to celebrate on Friday July 3,  2026.   I,  unfortunately,  did not take a photo of the complete set up because I was mesmerized by the large banner in front: 

This was GREAT!
So...if you'd like to help them out,  please click HERE

More info from their hand out - - - 

So for this year's 4th of July post - that's today! - I am showing  mostly my 250th collectibles.  I don't have nearly as many items as I do for the 200th,  but,  well,  I get what I can when I can when I see them,  and as they become available.

And not too expensive.

Let's begin with the Boston Tea Party:

Various 250th Boston Tea Party items from 2023:
a linen towel,  a mat,  and a gift tag  ("do not throw overboard!").
I watched the reenactment of the spilling of the tea on TV back in December of 2023.

The new $2 bill - yes,  it's legal tender and a very cool commemoration of America's 250th birthday - 

My first semiquincentennial acquisition~

A Semiquincentennial sticker I received from the Gettysburg Flag Company.

"America 250th Anniversary Celebration Throw Pillow"

Yup---a throw pillow---something a little different!

Click the picture to see a larger image.

Next up I have my collection of Battlefield Stamps of the American Revolution first day covers.

Since this is for America 250,  I purchased a set.

Get this---they are all post-marked from Concord,  Massachusetts!

Upper left:  Battle of Lexington & Concord
Lower left:  Battle of Yorktown
Upper right:  Battle of Trenton
Lower right:  Battle of Bunker Hill  

Upper left:  Battle of Bunker Hill
Lower left:  Battle of Lexington & Concord
Upper right:  Battle of Trenton
Lower right:  Battle of Saratoga

Upper left:  Battle of Saratoga
Lower left:  Battle of Trenton
Upper right:  Battle of Yorktown
Lower right:  Battle of Bunker Hill

Upper left:  Battle of Lexington & Concord
Upper right:  Battle of Yorktown
Lower:  Battle of Saratoga

Six different battles on fifteen stamps.  And I love that the first day covers are from Concord because we were just there in May!  So,  I suppose,  it all sort of ties in together:

250th anniversary of Lexington & Concord

We vacationed at Lexington & Concord

These First Day Covers are from Concord

It's nice that they all fit together like a completed puzzle.

I also purchased a sheet of the stamps,  where,  on the back - - - 

...we get a bit of historical information~~~

During the year I've purchased a few Patriotic cockades to help celebrate our Nation's Semiquincentennial,  as made by Creative Cockades---Heather Sheen.

I chose to get the cockade-types that can be hung on our Christmas Tree to add a bit of a patriotic touch.

The first one is the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride

Here is one that celebrates the 250th anniversary of
the Battles of Lexington & Concord

  

My wife is descended from a Patriot,  and she has joined the DAR:
Daughters of the American Revolution.

And with that,  our sones  (and grandsons)  are now members of the SAR:
Sons of the American Revolution.

This cockade is  "Descendant of an American Colonist"  (which is what I am!).
At this point I cannot prove to have any Patriot ancestors that fought in the
American Revolution.  However,  I can prove my ancestry going back to
Bucks County,  Pennsylvania in 1710 - I'm a Quaker descendent.

Heather does wonderful work,  as you can see,  and I chose the cockade that mean something to me---that either me or my family have a connection to.  There is quite an assortment to choose from.

If you are interested,  please check out the Creative Cockades website HERE

Since I can remember,  I've wanted to visit the Paul Revere House in Boston and the battlefields of Lexington and Concord.

Well,  guess what happened this past May?

Yes...it actually happened---click HERE and HERE   (with more posts yet to come).

The Green Dragon Tavern in Boston,  where we dined one mid-May afternoon.
This is not the original building,  for that was torn down way back in the 1830s.  But,  as I was told  (and read),  this Green Dragon owns the name and the history behind it,  and was even built on the original land the first one was built upon.  It was the first Green Dragon that Paul Revere,  Sam Adams,  and a host of others who belonged to the secret organization known as The Sons of Liberty would meet to plan resistance against the crown.
Note the statue of Sam Adams as well as the 250th Anniversary sign.

We may not've made it to Massachusetts for the actual 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride on April 18th to see the two lanterns in the Old North Church steeple,  nor the Battle of Lexington & Concord reenactment,  nor did we intend to,  for it may have been a bit too crowded to enjoy,  but we were there less than a month after,  so,  at least for us,  the anniversary excitement was still there.

More collectibles:

"This 6 inch figurine is an exact replica of the statue,  created by sculptor Susie Chisholm,  of  Samuel Adams that stands on the front plaza of the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum."

Think Revere...Paul Revere...

Here is a copy of  the iconic equestrian statue of Paul Revere located in front of the
Old North Church in Boston's North End,  but as a pewter miniature. 

My miniature is in front of another replica:  Revere named his bowl the Liberty Bowl.

The original Liberty Bowl honored ninety-two members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives who refused to rescind a letter sent throughout the colonies protesting the Townshend Acts  (1767),  which taxed tea,  paper,  glass,  and other commodities imported from England.  This act of civil disobedience by the  "Glorious Ninety-Two"  was a major step leading to the American Revolution.  

The bowl was commissioned by fifteen members of the Sons of Liberty,  a secret,  revolutionary organization to which Revere belonged;  their names are engraved on the bowl.

The Liberty Bowl,  the Declaration of Independence,  and the Constitution have been called the nation's three most cherished historical treasures.

 

While in Lexington,  Massachusetts,  I picked up some stickers that I liked very much.

I'm still pinching myself that I was actually there!
For us it was very much a big deal~

This sticker I got from The History List with a shirt that has the same design.

We had our annual Battles of Lexington & Concord - our own version of Massachusetts'  Patriots Day - the last Saturday in April at historic Mill Race Village in Northville,  Michigan.

Paul Revere has been my Revolutionary War hero since I was a kid,  and to this day,  the more I read about him  (and I have read nearly a dozen books on the man),  he is still my revolutionary hero! 

(the following photo was taken by Mark Triplet)~ 

This was a high point in my living history  “career”! 
I was on such a high - - - !!

Thank you to Mr.  Jason Monarch for the use of your horse---and it was even brown like the one Paul Revere rode back in 1775!

Couldn’t’ve planned it any better~~~

And even more on my man in the collectible department:

Here is something related to Paul Revere and somewhat unique:  A piece of a wood beam from the Old North Church in Boston.  The Old North Church has undergone various renovations throughout its history and a beam from the original 1723 construction was obtained during one of the more recent preservation and restoration process.  Authentic pieces of original beams removed during renovations are occasionally available for purchase as historical artifacts.

That's what I have here.

Here is the front of the card:

You can see a chip from the original 1723 wooden beam toward the lower right.

Here is the back of the card:

A bit of why the wood chip is historical.

Paul Hartunian is well-known in this field,  which is why I trusted this as a legitimate piece.

This is a Cold-Cast Bronze 2nd Amendment Minute Man Tribute Sculpture atop a base graced with the words of the 2nd Amendment.  It is inspired by The Minute Man statue in Concord.

This is perhaps one of the most unique items I've seen yet---a mustket ball
embedded in a drinking glass!

When I went to Greenfield Village for their 2025 Salute to America event, 
I saw this display in the gift store.
See the one on the bottom right?
Well...

Here  'tis in my own home... - 
something for our Christmas Tree come December.

Here is something that is great to have...just got to find a spot to hang it,  for it is rather large:

Colonial Charlotte saw it at a local garage sale pretty cheap: 
"It just shouted at me to ask Paul Revere if he’d like this in his home!"
Absolutely!

My 4th of July celebrations begin weeks and months before.  This year,  due to our trip to Massachusetts and our own Lexington & Concord reenactment here in Metro-Detroit,  the excitement has been stronger than usual for me.  And even now,  I have already been planning for the 250th in 2026.  

Until next time,  see you in time.

And Happy Independence Day!!

Links of my musings and histories of the American Revolution,  click HERE
My Bicentennial collection in other postings part 1,  part 2,  and part 3

If you enjoyed this post,  perhaps you might like THIS

Talk about a Whiskey Rebellion - click HERE

American history as seen through the structures and collections at Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum - click HERE

HERE is a collection of links to multiple subjects pertaining to Independence Day and the Revolutionary War

If you are interested in Paul Revere collectibles I have  (and other things),  please click HERE

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