For your consideration is
this very COLLECTIBLE and RARELY seen, much less offered, 44 year old vintage JACK HEARD for
Houston Texas Mayor November 1981 mayoral election campaign token. This vintage token is a scarce find that any vintage
Texas election campaign, City of Houston and/or Harris County Sheriff’s
Department, collector would appreciate acquiring for their memorabilia collection.
These tokens were given out by then Sheriff JACK HEARD for his election campaign back in 1981 and were designed to solicit and remind voters to cast their vote for the then Sheriff “Jack Heard” in the upcoming November 3, 1981 elections. Inasmuch, these campaign tokens were minted in limited numbers and are now 44 years old making them scarce and hard to find collectible pieces today.
The token is made out of silver colored aluminum has a reeded edge and measures
approximately 1.50" in diameter. Refer
to description photo #15 to confirm the size dimension and for more details
about what I have described.
The FRONT SIDE of the token features an embossed image of an old
steam train engine locomotive in the center with the campaign’s message to “VOTE NOV. 3, 1981” embossed across the
top half and “ALL ABOARD” across the
bottom half. In addition, the token is
also embossed with (8) eight words, date and symbols that became the election’s
slogan. The aforementioned message appears
and reads as follows below. Refer to
description photos #1, #5, #6, #8, #10 and #11 for more details about what I
have described.
“ý JACK HEARD
FOR MAYOR ý HOUSTON, TEXAS”
The BACK SIDE of the token features a more modern diesel train locomotive
embossed in the center with the words “GET
ABOARD” beneath it. In addition, the
outer perimeter of the token is embossed with (14) fourteen words, symbols and date
that presented the election’s message.
The aforementioned message appears and reads as follows below. Refer to description photos #2, #3, #4, #7,
#9 and #12 for more details about what I have described.
“ý JACK HEARD EXPRESS
No. 901 ý ARRIVING ON TIME CITY HALL: 11.03.1981”
As can be confirmed in the description photos; this 44 year old Houston, Texas mayoral election campaign token remains in very good condition for its age. The token was circulated, inasmuch, it shows minor scattered surface scratches and blemishes contributed to honest age and handling. The token has been safely stored inside a clear protective cover since it was acquired over 44 years ago. This election token is a genuine and scarce collectible piece that any collector would appreciate acquiring for their Harris County Sheriff’s Department, Texas law enforcement and/or vintage election campaign memorabilia collection and display.
Jack Heard was a long-time accomplished and innovative Texas law enforcement professional who left an indelible impression in the history of the City of Houston, Harris County and the State of Texas. I copied a brief history about Sheriff Jack Heard and am including it below for your further review and consideration.
John Fluellen “Jack” Heard Sr.
“John F. “Jack” Heard Sr., was born
January 13, 1918 in Houston, Texas where he also grew up and graduated from Sam
Houston High School and played guard on the Rice University Owls football team. During World War II Heard left Rice
University to proudly serve his country in the Army Air Force as a police
investigator. After the war Heard resumed
his education and earned a Bachelors and Master’s Degree in public
administration from the University of Houston.
Soon after, in 1948, Heard joined Houston Police Department (HPD) where as
a Sergeant he was chosen to become the first-ever police polygraph operator in
Texas. Heard served eight years in the
Houston Police Department where he was appointed Chief of Police in 1954. In 1956 Heard left the HPD to become the Assistant
Director of the Texas Department of Corrections. In 1970 Heard campaigned for and won the election
to become the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas.
Jack Heard served three consecutive terms as the County Sheriff and was the
only man to serve as both Houston Police Chief and Harris County Sheriff compiling
a total of 35 years to Texas law enforcement.
In 1981 Heard almost achieved yet another historic rarity when he got
into an election runoff with opposing mayoral candidate Kathy Whitmire for the
Mayor of Houston. Unfortunately, for Heard
he lost that election; but had he won he would have become the only person to
hold the three most significant elected positions of influence in Houston/Harris
County, Texas. Sheriff Heard had many
first throughout his career: he was the first son of a Houston Police Chief to
succeed his father in the same position, the first-ever Sergeant promoted
directly to Police Chief, he implemented the first light-weight cotton uniform
shirts, which were more comfortable than the heavy woolen outfits officers had
to wear in the Houston humidity. He also
was the first Chief to open the police academy to policewomen, the first to
require helmets for motorcycle officers, the first to abolish the shoulder
straps on the traditional Sam Browne duty belts (for officer safety) and the
first Chief to wear a police uniform every day.
Heard signed the purchase order for Houston Police Department’s first
handheld radios. Sheriff Heard died April
17, 2005 at the age of 87”.
Look at the description photos closely as they accurately depict the campaign token I describe and show exactly what you will receive if you purchase this piece. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the token please email me and I will respond ASAP.
The token will be shipped from Texas zip code 77362 via USPS Ground Advantage safely secured between two pieces of protective cardboard in a 9.0" x 7.0" x 1.0" shipping envelope weighing between approximately 4.0 and 5.0 ounces after packing. If you want to estimate the shipping costs to your home zip code you can use the USPS postal calculator and enter the aforementioned size, maximum weight and zip codes (mine and yours) to obtain the estimated shipping cost.
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