Historic Eisenhower Cards Add Star Power to 2012 Americana Heroes & Legends

Long before Dwight D. Eisenhower was a five-star general in the U.S. Army or the 34th President of the United States, he was a four-star general. And all four of those stars — quite literally — are at the heart of four unique trading cards Panini America created for the upcoming 2012 Americana Heroes & Legends set.

The stars incorporated into the cards — which also include cut signatures from Eisenhower — were taken from Eisenhower’s Army uniform and were donated by Mamie Doud Eisenhower, the former First Lady, almost 40 years ago to a dinner in her late husband’s honor. Panini America acquired the precious metal mementos at auction as part of a framed display that also included a black-and-white photograph of the former president in his uniform and a letter written by Ethel M. Wetzel, Doud Eisenhower’s personal secretary, dated September 9, 1974.

Since the special cards are too thick to fit into packs of 2012 Americana Heroes & Legends, they were inserted via special redemption cards — the only redemptions in the product — that are ready to be fulfilled immediately.

Eisenhower, who died in 1969, served as President from 1953 to 1961, was a five-star general in the Army during World War II and the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. Eisenhower is still widely considered one of the greatest U.S. presidents of all time.

We’ve provided a complete gallery of the four spectacular cards below, as well as the photograph and letter that accompanied the original framed piece purchased at auction.

Tomorrow on The Knight’s Lance, we’ll have a closer look at the legendary Tuskegee Airmen cards and autographs included in 2012 Americana Heroes & Legends.