Chinese Mao Zedong Lapel Pin

Shiny head on a big red disc, with a sliver of wall at its foot.

This Mao Zedong lapel pin is from China, and dates to the 20th century. Propaganda posters of the era generally pictured a utopian society, with smiling farmers, brave soldiers and happy people gathered around Mao, who was cast as a benevolent father and wise teacher. Cut with a flat outline, the red disc carries a large left-facing head and shoulders in glossy silver tones with rainbow sheen. At the bottom, a narrow strip of crenellated wall extends past the edge of the disc. It is 1.5 inches in diameter.

The wall is barely there, but it has shown up.