CCG Celebrates Thanksgiving with a Feast of Collectibles

Certified Collectibles Group® (CCG®) has plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. In celebration of Thanksgiving, we’d like to share some interesting collectibles that tie into the holiday of giving. All of these collectibles have been certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®), Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®), Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC), CGC Trading Cards®, Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) or Collectibles Authentication Guaranty® (CAG®). Please enjoy!

NGC

Coin: 1920 Commemorative Pilgrim Half Dollar graded NGC MS 67

This Commemorative Half Dollar features the Pilgrims and their landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620. The obverse of the coin depicts William Bradford, the second governor of Plymouth Colony, while the reverse shows a three-quarter view of the Mayflower sailing through rough seas.

These commemorative coins were struck in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival, and to fund several events honoring the Pilgrims’ legacy. Around 300,000 were commissioned for 1920, but only 200,000 were struck in total. To make things worse, the coins weren’t ready until after many of the events they were supposed to be funding had already passed. The Tercentenary Commission tried again in 1921 but were only able to sell around one quarter of the coins struck.

For more information about the Pilgrim Half Dollar, click here. If you’re interested in learning about other US coins, visit NGC Coin Explorer by clicking here.

PMG

Note: 1914 $5 Federal Reserve Note graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ

The front of this vintage $5 Federal Reserve Note has the familiar face of Abraham Lincoln, who during the Civil War proclaimed a Thanksgiving remembrance in late November. On the right side of the note, the Pilgrims are shown landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620 with the Mayflower in the background.

The Pilgrims would eventually celebrate their first harvest feast in 1621 after a successful growing season despite a harsh winter and a great plague, one that eradicated the entire Patuxet Indian tribe. It was the last surviving Patuxet, Tisquantum, who taught the Pilgrims how to grow corn. The Pilgrims gave thanks for a successful harvest and the health of their children while sitting down to a harvest feast — an event that would give rise to the Thanksgiving holiday as we know it today.

If you’d like to see more early US banknotes, world notes, or other interesting paper money, check out the PMG Population Report by clicking here.

CGC Comics

Comic: More Fun Comics #26, D.C. Comics, 11/37 graded CGC 6.5

Usually, the hunter gets the turkey. However, More Fun Comics #26’s cover, illustrated by Vince Sullivan, paints a different picture. This young hunter gets more than he bargained for while turkey hunting — the turkey is larger than he is, and it’s not happy! Hopefully this tiny huntsman is able to get back to the Thanksgiving dinner table relatively unscathed.

More Fun Comics, originally titled New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine, was the first American comic book series to feature original content instead of reprints of newspaper comic strips. It was published from 1935 to 1947 and introduced several prominent characters along the way, including familiar faces like Green Arrow and Aquaman.

The company that produced More Fun Comics would eventually expand and rebrand. Today, they’re known as DC Comics — the same company that produces fan-favorite series such as Superman, Batman, Stargirl, Green Lantern and more. Collectors all over the world give thanks to this comic powerhouse for introducing and fostering their favorite superheroes.

Collectors will find hundreds of More Fun Comics and DC Comics titles in the CGC Census, which can be found by clicking here.

CGC Trading Cards

Card: Feast of the Unicorn (Apple), Magic: The Gathering (1995) Homelands graded CGC 6.5

There’s no Thanksgiving turkey here: The Feast of the Unicorn instead depicts a darker scene with human-like creatures standing around a table adorned with a roasted unicorn head, complete with an apple in its mouth. Black Magic: The Gathering cards are typically associated with the undead, so it’s possible that this “feast” is a celebratory occasion practiced by the darker forces in Magic. The flavor text on this card alludes to how gruesome and unethical this act apparently is: “Could there be a fouler act? No doubt the Baron knows of one.”

Magic: The Gathering was released by Wizards of the Coast in 1993. It was the first trading card game released among the “big three” — Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! — and remains a strong TCG leader among today’s community. The game has set the bar for future collectible card games in terms of artistry, mechanics and gameplay, and remains a mainstay staple in collectors’ hearts.

Collectors can find nearly 100,000 Magic: The Gathering cards in the CGC Trading Cards Population Report, including this example and several famous MTG cards such as a Pristine 10 Black Lotus. Check out the CGC Trading Cards Population Report by clicking here.

CSG

Card: 2017 Panini Elite, Fired Up #8 Dez Bryant graded CSG 9

Turkey, stuffing and family gatherings are all part of the typical American Thanksgiving tradition. However, Dallas Cowboys fans add one more annual tradition: football!

Ever since its inception in 1920, the National Football League (NFL) has played games on Thanksgiving Day. These games were originally hosted by the Detroit Lions, who were then joined by the Dallas Cowboys starting in 1966 and a third prime time game in 2006. The Cowboys were guaranteed a permanent game spot on Thanksgiving after their 1978 season, and it’s become a tradition for Dallas Cowboys fans and football fans alike to watch their games every Thanksgiving ever since.

One of the top Dallas Cowboys players was Dez Bryant, a free-agent wide receiver who played for the team from 2010 to 2018. During his career with the Cowboys, Bryant had the most receiving touchdowns in a single career at 73 total, completed four games with at least two receiving touchdowns, and achieved seven consecutive games with a receiving touchdown.

CSG has graded more than 280,000 football cards, including many Dallas Cowboys rookie cards. Check out the CSG Population Report by clicking here.

CAG

Collectible: Associated Press Wirephoto, July 15, 1969 “Pre-Flight Dinner” certified by CAG

While everyone loves the turkey and stuffing, the real meaning of the Thanksgiving feast is the time you share with your family, friends and loved ones. This historical photo perfectly embodies what Thanksgiving is meant to be.

This photo of the Apollo 11 crew sitting down to a pre-flight feast was taken on July 15, 1969, the evening before the historic flight began. Here, the crew members, backup crew and members of the support crew are all sitting around a table having an evening meal before their mission. We can see several crew members talking, laughing and smiling in the photo. It looks like they were having a great time!

The Apollo 11 mission was the first spaceflight that successfully landed humankind on the moon. It effectively declared the US as the winner in the Space Race to determine spaceflight superiority against the Soviet Union.

CAG has certified hundreds of artifacts from the Apollo 11 flight, including ones flown on the lunar module, as well as Armstrong family correspondence and more. To learn more, visit the Armstrong Family Collection gallery by clicking here.

From everyone at CCG, have a happy Thanksgiving!