United States Treasury Savings Bond Cert. circa 1949 (Al Capp - Shmoo)

Highly collectible Shmoo savings bond presentation certificate with Al Capp characters.  Unissued certificate, circa 1949. Certificate to show ownership of a savings bond.

The shmoo is a fictional cartoon creature created by Al Capp (1909–79); it first appeared in his classic comic strip Li'l Abner on August 31, 1948. A shmoo is shaped like a plump bowling pin with stubby legs. It has smooth skin, eyebrows and sparse whiskers—but no arms, nose or ears. Its feet are short and round but dextrous, as the shmoo's comic book adventures make clear. It has a rich gamut of facial expressions and often expresses love by exuding hearts over its head. Cartoonist Al Capp ascribed to the shmoo the following curious characteristics.

This unique Al Capp (Li’l Abner) designed Shmoo certificate was issued in conjunction with the United States Treasury Savings Bond Division. It was used as a reward for any youngster that purchased a savings bond, therefore becoming a shareholder in the United States of America. This brightly colored item is fully illustrated with countless Shmoos named after various attributes like thrift, loyalty, trust, duty, truth, and common cents. Back when patriotism was at a fever pitch, this certificate was sure to thrill any youngster.

An unexpected—and virtually unprecedented—postwar merchandising phenomenon followed Capp's introduction of the Shmoo in Li'l Abner. As in the strip, shmoos suddenly appeared to be everywhere in 1949 and 1950—including a Time cover story. They also garnered nearly a full page of coverage (under "Economics") in Time's International section. Major articles also ran in Newsweek, Life, The New Republic and countless other publications and newspapers. Virtually overnight, as a Life headline put it, "The U.S. Becomes Shmoo-Struck!" Having discovered their value ("Wif these around, nobody won't nevah havta work no more!!"), Abner leads the shmoos out of the valley—where they become a sensation in Dogpatch and, quickly, the rest of the world.

The Shmoo was so popular it even replaced Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse as the face of the Children's Savings Bond, issued by the U.S. Treasury Department in 1949. The valid document was colorfully illustrated with Capp's character, and promoted by the Federal Government of the United States with a $16 million advertising campaign budget. According to one article at the time, the Shmoo showed "Thrift, loyalty, trust, duty, truth and common cents [that] add up to aid to his nation." Al Capp accompanied President Harry S. Truman at the bond's unveiling ceremony.