General Motors Automobile Ignition Key, circa 1985

01

Artifact Overview

An automobile owner flipping through his set of car keys would know by its square shape that this key would start his car. For decades, automobiles came with two keys -- one for the ignition and one to open the car's trunk.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Ignition key

Date Made

circa 1985

Creator Notes

Made for General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan.

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America

Object ID

2011.116.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Metal

Color

Silver (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 2.0625 in
Width: 0.75 in

Inscriptions

Impressed into sides: GM / MARK OF EXCELLENCE Stamped into one side of key: C