Caricatured Haitian, 50 Centimes, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 2) for Duke brand cigarettes

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, American tobacco companies like W. Duke Sons & Co. revolutionized by inserting colorful trading cards into cigarette packs, sparking a collecting craze among consumers. This vibrant *Caricatured Haitian,50 Centimes* (1889) is a gem from their "Coins of All Nations series (N72, 2), depicting a personified Haitian coin as a caricatured figure. Measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, these pocket-sized prints were designed for easy trading and hoarding, blending education with entertainment to promote Duke's brand. Printed as a commercial color lithograph—a cutting-edge technique using multiple stone plates for vivid hues—this ephemera showcases the era's mastery of mass-produced chromolithography. The exaggerated features reflect the period's often stereotypical portrayals of global cultures, turning currency into whimsical, anthropomorphic characters to evoke exotic allure amid America's growing fascination with world affairs. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this card highlights the cultural role of advertising art and the birth of modern collectibles. It invites us to reflect on how everyday commerce captured imperial-era curiosities, preserved now as a snapshot of Gilded Age ingenuity.

About the Artist

W. Duke, Sons & Co. · 1870–1920

**W. Duke, Sons & Co.: Pioneers of Chromolithographic Trade Card Art** W. Duke, Sons & Co., an American tobacco manufacturer, emerged from the entrepreneurial vision of Washington Duke (1820–1905) and his sons in Durham, North Carolina. After the Civil War, Washington abandoned farming in 1874 to join his eldest son, Brodie L. Duke, in the burgeoning tobacco trade, establishing a factory that for...