CANTON, Ohio – The McKinley Presidential Library and Museum is hurriedly fundraising in hopes of buying a tiara that once belonged to President William McKinley’s wife from the stars of a reality show.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports the owners of Ida McKinley’s diamond-accented headpiece recently sold it to the Las Vegas pawn shop featured in the History Channel show “Pawn Stars.”
Gold & Silver Pawn co-owner Rick Harrison has offered to sell the piece to the Canton museum for $43,000, the amount he paid for it, museum curator Kim Kenney said. Kenney calls that “a good deal” because the tiara was appraised at $75,000.
The catch is that the offer expires June 24. The nonprofit museum doesn’t have a budget for acquisitions, so it is soliciting donations in an effort to purchase the tiara.
Donations can be made on the museum’s website or by mail to:
Ida McKinley Tiara Fund
McKinley Presidential Library & Museum
800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW
Canton, OH 44708.