In addition to finding a 1932 coin commemorating the end of the Depression and an 1887 coin commemorating Chicago’s Haymarket Massacre among my mother-in-law‘s possessions, we also came across an intriguing engraved key ring.

As you can see below, the words, “Andrew Russell for State Auditor” were inscribed on it.

But who is Andrew Russell? And when was it made?

Well, ain’t Google grand! Because here are the results from when Russel was elected Illinois State Treasurer in 1908. That’s not the position this bit of campaign memorabilia was created for, but luckily, the Political Graveyard reveals that Russel was the Illinois State Auditor of Public Accounts from 1917 through 1925.

And here he is!

I’m unsure of the length of his term (two years? four?) or how many times he had to run (twice? four times?), but depending on the answers to those question, that would make this from 1916 or 1920 (assuming four-year terms), and possibly 1918 or 1922 as well (assuming two-year terms).

Whatever the case, this make for one old key ring!