1.75” with W&H backpaper used 1900-1912 shows famous horse in process of selecting lettered cards from a rack and moving them to a stand. He has just finished spelling out most of his name and still holds the letter “Y” in his mouth. For 9 years between 1897 and 1906, Dr. William Key, a self-trained veterinarian, born a slave in 1833, toured the US giving performances which captivated the nation. The horse was credited with the abilities to read, write, spell, do math, tell time, sort mail, use a cash register and a telephone, recite bible passages and engage in political debate. He was accordingly known as “The Marvel Of The20th Century” and “The Greatest Crowd Drawer In America.” This is the most frequently seen button and it was sold as a souvenir of his performances, this one likely coming from 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair although no specific Fair text is on the item. There are a larger number than usual fairly long but extremely light hairline scratches which catch reflected light. Still, with normal viewing straight-on the piece displays Mint as made with no stain and still with high gloss. See next related item.