For Auction Commemorative bullet display from Jack Ruby pistol, used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald after the John F Kennedy (JFK) assassination in Dealy Plaza, Dallas, Texas November 22, 1963. The original Jack Ruby pistol was purchased and owned by Anthony V Pugliese III, from South Orange, New Jersey at the time of purchase. Mr. Pugliese had 5000 bullets fired from the pistol, along with approximately another 50 – 100 bullets, in addition. The initial 5000 bullets were numbered 1-5000 and displayed in a commemorative frame, along with a picture collage of the Ruby –Oswald shooting, and provenance information, these were then sold by Mr. Pugliese. In addition to the numbered sets, a very small amount, approximately fifty to one hundred, were produced and offered to family and friends of Mr. Pugliese, as “Owner’s Proof” sets, along with the above provenance paperwork included with the numbered sets. The Owner’s Proof sets were not sold in a framed display, but were only offered in a small glass box display. These Owner’s Proof sets were never sold individually by Mr. Pugliese, nor intended for general sale to the public. This a very rare offering of the Jack Ruby pistol bullet, very rarely, if ever seen for sale. I obtained this directly from Mr. Pugliese not long after it was created by him around the Summer of 1993, as my father was a very close friend of the Pugliese family, and I spent a great amount of time at their house in South Orange, as well as spending time at and working for the Pugliese’s pool company when they were located in Newark and Orange, NJ. I personally held the Ruby Colt Cobra while visiting Mr. Pugliese and his family in Boca Raton, Florida in 1997. This is very rare opportunity for the JFK collector to own a very important piece of the history of the assignation of President Kennedy and the subsequent execution of his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, by Jack Ruby.

Jack Ruby Bullet & Spent Cartridge Fired from .38 Caliber Colt Cobra, with Presentation Display Case. A bullet shot by the original .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver, Serial #2744 LW, used by Jack Ruby to shoot Lee Harvey Oswald on November 24, 1963 in the basement of Dallas Police Headquarters. The bullet and cartridge case (shell) are displayed next to a 3.5" x 1.5" brass plaque engraved: "Historical Collectable / Owners Proof Edition / An Original Bullet / Shot from / ‘The Most Famous Gun in the World' / The ‘Jack Ruby' Colt Cobra .38 Special." Together with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the gun's then-owner, Anthony V. Pugliese III, verifying that "this bullet and cartridge case is an authentic .38 special caliber bullet shot from ‘The Most Famous Gun in the World'". Near fine condition, with bullet exhibiting a light patina. Double matted and framed to an overall size of 17.5" x 24".

The vertical markings of this bullet correspond with the scoring found on the fatal Oswald bullet. Oswald was being escorted through the basement of Dallas Police Department headquarters on Sunday morning, November 24, 1963, when Ruby approached him at 11:21 AM and fired a single round at point blank range into Oswald's torso. The bullet entered Oswald's left side, instantly inflicting catastrophic damage to at least five major internal organs. Oswald was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead less than 90 minutes later at 1:07 PM.

Jack Ruby had purchased his .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver at a Dallas sporting goods store in January 1960. Ruby was nicknamed "Sparky" because he regularly carried a revolver, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation reports. Ruby claimed he went armed to protect himself against theft while transporting large amounts of cash. After Ruby's death in 1967, the revolver was kept in a safe deposit box until it was awarded to Ruby's family in 1991. The gun was then sold at auction to a real estate developer named Anthony Pugliese III, who discharged the weapon to sell the spent bullets and cartridges for charity, for upwards of $1,000 apiece in 1993.

Sold as shown, sold as is.