The Everyday Kitchen Item John Wayne Gifted His Co-Stars

John Wayne loved to share stories with family while grilling a flavorful steak in the backyard (the cowboy cut was the 'Duke's' go-to steak if you're curious). However, he was also a fan of sharing a cup of java with friends and even appeared in an ad for the Pan-American coffee bureau. Perhaps it was this penchant for coffee that informed his decision to gift his co-stars with an everyday kitchen item: A customized coffee mug with a gold handle.

This incredible tradition started in 1951 during the filming of the movie Flying Leathernecks, in which Wayne played the character Major Daniel Kirby. Each mug honored the work of the cast and crew and featured custom designs on the front along with messages that were specific to the recipient. The designs included the name of each movie, hand-painted sketches that were commissioned by Wayne, and an inscription, making them extremely personal and considered. However, one thing they all had in common was a 24-carat gold-painted handle, which lent them a distinctive but collective feel. Wayne successfully continued this tradition for over 40 movies, ranging from the Flying Leathernecks in 1951 to The Shootist made in 1976. The shared distinguishing feature of the mugs eventually gave rise to the name of The Gold Handle Coffee Co., a coffee bean brand founded by the John Wayne licensing parent company

Some of the cast and crew's reactions to receiving the mugs were recorded in a book called "Campfire Conversations," compiled by Tim Lilley. "Personally, I valued them greatly," said Tom Hennesy, the actor and stuntman who appeared in several of Wayne's films, including The Alamo. "Everyone that I know, who had any John Wayne mugs, felt the same way about them. They were truly 'inimitable', 'regalos especial,' from 'mi compadre', that always brought back memories of 'the good ole days' making films with friends."

Meanwhile, stuntman Dean Smith, who worked on movies including True Grit and El Dorado, said, "These mugs are like awards for me ... You'd probably get them a month, or maybe two or three months, after the picture was finished. They would come in the mail, and it would be a nice thing to remember the movie which you worked on."

As every mug was personalized, they are one-of-a-kind pieces and have since become collector's items that can fetch over a $1000 each. If you want to take a look at some of them, several of the originals are on display in the John Wayne Collection at the Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas, along with other curated collections, including some of Wayne's firearms. Alternatively, if you want to get your hands on a new mug (now made with a 12-carat gold handle), they are available to buy online.