Marilyn Van Derbur's Original Miss America Crown and Matching Bracelet. ...

On the cusp of the Miss America Pageant celebrating its 100th anniversary on December 16, 2021, and for the first time ever, a Miss America crown is reaching the auction block. This crown, belonging to Colorado's own Miss America Marilyn Van Derbur, is being sold to raise money for teachers. Marilyn, crowned in 1958, writes, "Because of the unexpected expenses needed for COVID protections, too many teachers are buying supplies with their own money. The funds raised will go directly to teachers in Colorado." The iconic crown was made by Schoppy's (Linwood, NJ), the company responsible for making all of the Miss America crowns since the beginning of the legendary pageant. Plated in silver, the crown measures 6" diameter x 2.25" tall and is adorned with elegant Swarovski crystals. Accompanying the crown is the matching "crown motif" bracelet (also made by Schoppy's) presented to Marilyn by the pageant. The elegant matching bracelet is crafted of the same materials as the crown, measuring 2.8" wide x 1.8" tall. According to Miss America documentarian Jay Pitts and David Talarico, the grandson of the original owner of Schoppy's, this is the only known Miss America bracelet in existence. The crown exhibits a beautiful patina and is missing (4) small crystals. The bracelet remains in fine condition. Marilyn Van Derbur was the first celebrity to disclose incest. It was a front page story that continued on the cover of  magazine. Tens of thousands of lives were touched, and the Van Derbur family donated $250,000 to start an adult survivor program, Survivors United Network ("SUN"). Up to 500 people a week sought counseling at SUN. All services were provided free of charge. Seeking a more meaningful career, Marilyn became a motivational speaker for decades, speaking to business executives as well as teachers and students. Marilyn has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people in over 500 cities. In 1980 Marilyn was named The Outstanding Woman Speaker in America. Her award-winning book,  won a Writer's Digest first place award after 1900 books were submitted. Last year, her book was inducted into the Colorado Author's Hall of Fame, and the documentary on her life won first place as "Most Inspiring" at both the Los Angeles Film Festival and the regional Emmy Awards... HID07601242017© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved poster

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