UPDATE 3/19/26

A kind contributor has shared photos of a Federal Bag which was custom stamped to commemorate Nixon's visit to China in February 1972! It is still unclear how many of these were produced and who exactly received them, but it does support the rumor discussed below. It's possible there was a mix-up in communication regarding the recipients, as no senators were present, and these bags were perhaps instead presented to the wives of the other delegates who went on the trip. More research yet to be done, but very exciting to see this rumor has merit. 

Thank you to Luis Roldan and Family for sharing this find!

There's a story that continues to go around the internet that the Federal Bag was gifted by President Nixon to the wives of the senators who went with him on his famous trip to China in February of 1972. This story seems to have come from a seller on eBay, and has been shared through the Purse Forum. After some fact checking with the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, I can confirm that no senators were among Nixon's entourage to China, and only three other women aside from the First Lady were included in the travelling party (one US Rep, Nixon's secretary, and assistant to the First Lady). It does not appear this story lines up, at least as retold.

Along with this rumor is the claim that the government was responsible for imprinting the Great Seal on these bags. That is also not true; Coach produced these bags in their entirety and sold them through retail outlets, making them available to the general public. The NYT article I have here recounts how the Federal Bag was born, as shared by Miles Cahn (founder of Coach Leatherware). 

Separate from the above, there is one ad from October 1972 that mentions the Federal Bag as "designed for President Nixon gift giving". We already know this bag wasn't designed "for" the President based on the above information. Did he gift any of these bags? Possibly! This story probably has a nugget of truth to it somewhere, though no hard evidence has yet been found.

If you have any details relating to this rumor, please reach out! vintagecoachie@gmail.com