JFK Assassinator’s Toe Tag May Sell for USD 50,000

The tag measures 3 x 4.75 inches and is filled out in type with the date of assassination, 11/24/63.

In this 22 November 1963 file photo, President John F Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade in Dallas, right before his assassination. 

(Photo: AP)

The original toe tag used to identify the body of Lee Harvey Oswald - John F Kennedy's assassinator - is expected to fetch more than USD 50,000 at an auction in the US.

The tag, measures 3 x 4.75 inches and is filled out in type with the date, “11/24/63,” the address “1026 N Beckley,” and the name “Oswald, Lee Harvey,” according to RR auctions in the US.

The remainder of the tag has been filled in by Tom Shires, Chief of Surgery at Parkland Memorial Hospital along with a lock of Oswald's hair which has been tied with a white thread.

Also Read: Trump to Release JFK Files, Subject to ‘Further Information’

The tag was removed by Jay Phillips, a 22-year-old Emergency Ambulance driver. It is accompanied by a letter from Phillips to his parents detailing his trip to the hospital and how he acquired the tag, the auction house said.

We rolled our cot down to the morgue and we were followed by dozens of cameramen. We went into the morgue and got Oswald out of the cooler and on to the cot.

Jay Philips

Also included is Phillips's 1963 ambulance driver permit and a clipped newspaper article mentioning Phillips retrieving Oswald's body from Dallas.

The tag, which is in very good to fine condition, with some creasing and staining, is expected to fetch over USD 50,000.

The bidding for the auction ends on November 8.

(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])