My experience this evening at The Natural History Museum had me mingling with a bunch of people, each with an interesting and unique piece of American History, including myself.
If the story never gets aired on the NatGeo channel like it is supposed to, I shall reveal here and now that I am the owner of a pure silver 1913 Barber dime. The Barber dimes are a limited edition of coins that were minted in various years at the first part of the century and designed by James Barber. It was a gift to me from a neighbor around the time that I became a US citizen at the age of 6. I don't remember much, but I do remember that it was in the late fall, my citizenship granting was in November. I also remember him telling me that it wasn't worth much then because it had a hole engraved in it to create a pendant out of it, but if I held onto it that one day it might be. I don't know if it is truly worth anything monetarily now, but to me it is nice to know that I have a piece of American history without it being something handed down from someone. It remarkably is the one thing that has stayed with me all these years without my really paying much attention to, and for that I cherish it.
The most remarkable possession that I witnessed tonight however, was not necessarily an item of true Americana, but rather a wonderlust reminder that we really do have a system of planets around us, it was a piece of meteorite that actually came from Mars. The owner allowed me to pick it up and hold it between my hands for a few moments in which I felt nothing, it was like lead. It also gave a whole new meaning to the Mars Bar for me, that's for sure. The heavy piece was beautifully molten and unlike any sort of earth rock formation. The owner proudly explained to me that the specimen indeed had been tested and verified through JPL and Nasa as authentically having come from Mars.
I challenge you to find your one piece of American History that is truly yours and that you can cherish.
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