Description:

JFK Owned St. Christopher Medallion Received Just Months Before Assassination

John F. Kennedy's personally owned Saint Christopher Medallion, 1" diameter, engraved "TO JK FROM BISHOP CHOI". Accompanied by a photocopy of the letter from Bishop John A. Choi Jae-Seaon, stamped with the received date of February 27, 1963. From 1956-1975, Bishop Choi Jae-Seaon was known for giving Saint Christopher medals and Rosaries to American G.I.s as well as dignitaries, often together with a thoughtful letter. The accompanying letter from the bishop notes that he sent the gift to President Kennedy to inspire donations for his people in Korea who were poor, starving, and without medicine. The original letter was later sent to the JFK Presidential Library. The spiritual significance of this piece and the accompanying letter cannot be overstated. Kennedy was the first Catholic President, and as such, Catholic artifacts owned by Kennedy have a unique meaning. 

St. Christopher is the Saint of Protection who is called upon to offer protection against harm and any evil lurking about. Small images of him are often worn around the neck, on a bracelet, carried in a pocket, or even placed in vehicles. This particular medallion made its way into becoming a part of Sister Fabiola Parent's display alongside President Kennedy's rosary. Sister "Fab" was an avid rosary collector who also fashioned her own rosaries and was the curator and founder of her rosary museum, Sinsinawa Rosary Museum, in Wisconsin. "Sister Fab" actively collected rosaries from around the world, both "mundane" and historical. After Kennedy's death, during her visit to Kennedy's grave, Sister "Fab" collected rose petals from the rose bushes around Kennedy's grave site and created a rosary which she sent to his mother, Rose. In return, Rose sent her son's rosary in 1974. This lovely Saint Christopher medal was placed alongside the same display in her museum as Kennedy's rosaries, showcased on a red velvet display board. Numerous newspapers of the period, including the "Telegraph Herald", "The Observer", the "Catholic Herald", the "Des Moines Register", and "The Courier", all made note of her famous collection and often included images of her Kennedy display. Copies of the various newspaper articles and the letter from Bishop John A. Choi Jae-Seaon will accompany this lot for provenance, in addition to a photograph of the original display from which the Medallion was recently removed.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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February 1, 2023 11:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000