A historian lost an engraved card filled with signatures of past presidents and first ladies in July.
Historian Carl Sferrazza Anthony dedicated three decades to collecting signatures from eight U.S. presidents and their spouses, with the exception of the Trumps since he couldn’t track them down, according to the New York Times (NYT). Anthony had reportedly recently obtained the card from the White House Historical Association with the new Biden signatures. When he got to his hotel after lunch that day, he wanted to admire the newly engraved card, but only the plastic sleeve and folder remained, The NYT noted.
“I almost thought, ‘Did I play some kind of trick on myself, or did fate?’” Anthony told The NYT. “How in the world could this possibly happen? My brain exploded.” (RELATED: FBI Recovers Stolen, Historic Rifle From 1800s)
@csajune #presidents #firstladies #potus #flotus #autograph #autographcollection #whitehouse #ford #carter #reagan #bush #clinton #obama #biden #lostitem #pleasefind #reward #persinal #sentimental ♬ original sound – C. Anthony
After retracing his steps and reaching out to the places he had visited, Anthony turned to social media, posting about the lost collection on TikTok. He also reportedly offered a reward for its safe return, though the exact amount remained undisclosed.
The historian’s journey to gather these signatures began in the mid-1990s when he acquired the card with President Ronald Reagan’s signature, according to The NYT. Over the years, he managed to secure autographs from other prominent figures such as Nancy Reagan, the Clintons, the Fords, George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, and George W. Bush and Laura Bush. The Obamas‘ signatures were reportedly obtained during a White House visit.
“I think I feel better having lost this myself than I would had it been stolen,” he told the New York Times. “And I remind myself that people lose all sorts of valuable things, including loved ones in floods and fires. I suppose, ultimately, on a certain level, this was just a piece of paper with signatures on it of people who were, and are, no more intrinsically valuable than any of us.”