Coin Bank, Lindbergh, King Collection

Lindbergh bust that has been painted gold. Lindbergh is wearing a flight jacket, tie, flight goggles and cap. The paint on the tip of his nose has worn away to reveal the metal surface. The bottom of the bank has a metal plate with a slit in the center that has been held in place with two small pins

On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.