This umbrella is one example of the variety of memorabilia produced for William McKinley’s 1896 presidential campaign. It features illustrations of presidential nominee McKinley alongside his running mate, former New Jersey senator, Garret Hobart. The umbrella also features the phrase “Protection, Sound Money” – an allusion to McKinley’s belief in the gold standard.

Another popular item carried by McKinley supporters in 1896 was walking sticks or canes that featured images of the Republican nominee and/or his campaign slogans. This walking stick sports a bust of McKinley at its handle and is inscribed with the words "Patriotism, Protection, Prosperity," one of McKinley's 1896 campaign slogans.  

This glass whiskey flask features portraits of William McKinley on one side and vice-presidential nominee Garret Hobart on the other. Around each portrait are the words “Genuine Distilled Protection, For Sound Money Only,” a reference to distilled whiskey and McKinley’s “Sound Money” platform.  Flasks and bottles promoting presidential candidates first appeared in the 1820s and later re-emerged as popular campaign materials at the end of the 19th century. 

Voters in favor of the gold standard came to be known as “gold bugs.” To show their support for the McKinley/Hobart ticket, they often wore gold-colored, insect-shaped pins like this one.  This mechanical pin features a button that when pressed opens the bug's wings to reveal small images of the two candidates.  Supporters of William Jennings Bryan, McKinley’s Democratic opponent, wore similar “silver bug” pins in support of the Free Silver Movement.    

The 1896 presidential campaign also witnessed the production of  hundreds of "gag" or "novelty" items.  Typically, these objects poked fun at the other party's candidate or their political platform.  This novelty coin encourages Americans to vote for McKinley and "a 100 cent dollar," while the reverse of the coin claims that under William Jennings Bryan's silver standard, a dollar would only be worth one dime.

One of the most unusual campaign materials from this election were items referred to as “soap babies.”  These miniature infant-shaped soaps were mailed to voters inside a cardboard box bearing the phrase “My Papa Will Vote for McKinley. Gold Standard, Protection, Reciprocity, and Good Times.”  The practice of message-based soap baby distribution was short-lived, as many voters complained that the objects resembled babies in coffins.