Digital DeconstructionYour chance to own vial of Ronald Reagan’s blood has arrived
A British auction website has put up for sale a vial which it says was used to hold a sample of President Ronald Reagan’s blood, drawn after Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981.
Offered by PFC Auctions in Britain, the seller has issued a letter concerning how they came into possession of the vial:
“Her laboratory was the laboratory contracted by Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well as the George Washington University Hospital to handle blood testing as well as other types of testing,” the letter states. “Her lab did the blood work and testing for President Reagan. The test tube and the lab slip that I have are for his blood work to be tested for lead on [Monday] 03/30/1981. The testing was completed and the test tube was sitting on my mother’s desk. At the end of the week, she asked the director of her laboratory if she could keep the paper work and the test tube. The director of the lab told her no problem and really never gave it a second thought. It has been in my family ever since.”
The 5-inch glass vial has a green stopper, and “dried blood residue” is visible inside, according to the listing on pfcauctions.com. From the listing:
A 3½” x 1” white label has been affixed to the vial. It is printed, in purple ink, “REAGAN RONALD 940029 THOR / 610892572 AARON PRESIDENTIAL / SUITE 3/30/81 M 2/02/11 JAP.” 940029 was Reagan’s patient ID. AARON refers to Benjamin L. Aaron who was Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at George Washington University Hospital where Reagan was in the Presidential Suite. THOR refers to thoracic. Reagan was admitted on March 30 1981 and M refers to male. The President’s date of birth is incorrectly stated as “2/02/11” when his actual date of birth is February 6 1911.
Bidding for the macabre item has already topped $30,000.
Not surprisingly, Reagan’s foundation has threatened legal action.
Update: Reuters is reporting the auction for Reagan’s blood has been halted:
“The British company that had been auctioning what it said was a vial of the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s blood canceled the sale on Thursday and the owner will donate the material to the Reagan foundation, the company said.”
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