Chinese Mao Zedong Lapel Pin

Small gold figure salutes the crowd from his tiny red stage.

This Mao Zedong lapel pin is from China, and dates to the 20th century. It is metal. Badges and lapel pins bearing Mao's face were produced by the billions, and Mao himself called a halt to production in 1969 because the metal used was seen as wasteful. Short, narrow red rectangle with faint rays. A gold full-length figure in a long coat lifts one arm, standing on a stepped base above a cream plaque of tiny characters. It is 0.75 inches wide and 1.5 high.

One gesture, perfectly cast and held for decades.