Chinese Mao Zedong Circular Lapel Pin

Small, dark-red, and slightly smudged, like a badge with a past.

This Mao Zedong circular lapel pin is from China, and dates to the 20th century. It is metal. After Mao's death in 1976, the Communist Party began a process of de-Mao-ization, and much memorabilia was destroyed, statues were taken down, and many badges were collected and melted into functional objects. Deep, brownish red fills the small round field, holding a dull gold head in profile facing left. The rim is thin, and the red looks mottled and a little cloudy, with light rubbing across the high parts of the relief. It is 0.6 inches in diameter.

It carries its smudges with a certain dignity.