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Firsts in Presidential SECURITY Transportation Collection
PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY COMMEMORATIVE COIN
MARINE HELICOPTER SQUADRON ONE—HMX-1
The design of this coin is distinguished but impenenetrable battlecraft hardened and polished steel alloys to set the piece in the precise era it belongs in American history. The distinguished yet battle-hardned look and feel communicated by Giannini through his choice of materials is shared across all three coins of the Presidential Transportation History Series: Marine One, Air Force One, and the Presidential Limousine. The Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) commemorative coin is a perfect way to start your collection.
Presidential UH-34 White Top HMX-1 Helicopter Coin
Dwight David Eisenhower
Presidential Aircraft: HMX-1
Piloted By: Colonel Virgil D. Olson
Marine Helicopter Squadron One
September 7th 1957
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From Eisenhower to the 46th President of the United States
The Fascinating History of the 'White Top' Helicopter
©2025 By A. F. Giannini
The use of helicopters for presidential transport began with the establishment of Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) on December 1, 1947. However, it wasn’t until July 12, 1957, that President Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first sitting U.S. president to use a helicopter for official transport. The helicopter, commonly referred to as the "White Top" due to its distinctive white upper fuselage, was a Sikorsky UH-34 Seahorse, selected for its safety and efficiency. Eisenhower used the helicopter to travel from the White House to his summer retreat in Pennsylvania, marking the beginning of presidential helicopter transport as a regular feature of modern presidencies.
Since Eisenhower, every subsequent U.S. president has used the "White Top" as part of the HMX-1 squadron’s fleet, with updated models over the years. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden have all flown aboard newer versions of the presidential helicopter, including the Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N "WhiteHawk." Each of these aircraft bore the same white and green livery that symbolized the high-security and prestige associated with presidential air transport.
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Only Available at The White House Gift Shop, Est.1946
THE WHITE HOUSE GIFT SHOP, EST. 1946®The White House Gift Shop, established in 1946, is a historic and iconic institution. As the official and exclusive holder of United States Patent and Trademark Office rights to its name and variations, the shop provides unique gifts and collectibles designed for presidents, American embassies, government agencies, film and television studios, and patriotic citizens worldwide.
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