Sixteen Kitty Cats

In 1916, fourteen-year-old Antonio Gentile submitted a drawing for a design contest to create a mascot for Planter’s Nut and Chocolate Company. His sketch of a peanut with arms and legs was selected, and Antonio won five dollars. Andrew S. Wallach – a commercial artist – added white gloves, a monocle, top hat, spats and a cane to create the Mr. Peanut that is still on every package. But the founder of Planter’s, Amedeo Obici, (Right now, are you asking yourself why his name wasn’t Planter, or why the company isn’t called Obici’s?) didn’t just hand the teen a five-dollar bill and move on. He became close with the Gentile family. He paid for Antonio’s education. He even footed the bill for schooling four of Antonio’s siblings. Antonio eventually became a doctor. His original crayon drawings of Mr. Peanut sat in a drawer for nearly a century until someone rediscovered them and donated them to the Smithsonian in 2014.