January 1, Colonel Sanders’ Secret 1964 Planner Ignites BIDDING WAR — What Was Scrawled on the Back Changes Everything

Wyatt’s Take

• Kentucky auction reveals Colonel Sanders’ personal items including the planner that launched KFC’s global empire — American entrepreneurial genius on full display
• Mystery note with ’11 herbs and spices’ handwritten on 1964 planner back sends collectors into frenzy, sells for jaw-dropping price
• While woke corporations abandon American tradition, working families still celebrate the Colonel’s bootstraps success story that built a fried chicken empire from scratch

More than 70 personal items once owned by Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders went under the hammer Tuesday in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Collectors from across the country and online bidders competed to own a genuine piece of American fast-food history.

The collection included everything from handwritten notes and recipe cards to Sanders’ signature clip-on bow tie. But it was his 1964 planner that sparked the night’s biggest bidding war.

Bill Menish, owner and lead auctioneer with The Menish Group, explained the family’s decision to finally part with the treasures.

“They had all of this in basements and closets and everything, and decided it was time to let the world, who loves the man, have an opportunity to buy the memorabilia.”

Sanders’ 1964 planner commanded a staggering $30,000 at auction. A 1955 Kentucky Colonel certificate pulled in about $23,000, while his iconic black clip-on bow tie sold for $8,000.

One collector and former employee of the Colonel said the planner stood out as the most fascinating item of the night.

“Probably that planner, I would imagine.”

Menish revealed what made the planner generate additional buzz beyond its historical significance.

“But then on the back, for some unknown reason, there’s 11 herbs and spices.”

That handwritten note — potentially documenting the legendary secret recipe — turned a vintage planner into a five-figure treasure. While collectors came for the memorabilia, many items also documented how Sanders built Kentucky Fried Chicken into one of the world’s most recognizable restaurant brands.

Menish highlighted Sanders’ revolutionary business innovation that changed fast food forever.

“When he introduced the pressure cooker, which was never intended for fried chicken, he turned it from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. And that’s what really revolutionized his ability to service the fast food growing industry.”

That kind of American ingenuity — taking an existing tool and making it work better — is exactly what built this country. No government handouts, no diversity consultants, just hard work and smart thinking.

Elizabeth Pitchford, Colonel Sanders’ granddaughter, attended the auction to watch pieces of her grandfather’s legacy find new owners.

“I really wanted to see the people who were going to be purchasing my grandpa’s stuff. The items that have been around for so many years, and it’s just been overwhelming.”

The memorabilia auction may be over, but another part of Sanders’ legacy is still up for grabs. His former home, Blackwood Hall, and his wife’s restaurant, the Claudia Sanders Dinner House, are being offered through a sealed bid process, with offers due Friday at midnight.

The restaurant opened after Sanders sold Kentucky Fried Chicken and remains one of the landmarks tied to the family’s history. The properties have been owned by the Settle family since 1974.

Wyatt Matters

While Hollywood elites lecture Americans about their carbon footprints and eating habits, everyday folks are celebrating the legacy of a man who built a global empire selling fried chicken from a roadside service station. Colonel Sanders represents everything great about this country — hard work, innovation, and refusing to quit even when times got tough. He didn’t wait for a government grant or cry about systemic barriers. He perfected a recipe, figured out how to cook it faster, and sold it to hungry Americans who wanted quality food at a fair price. That’s the American Dream, and no amount of woke corporate virtue signaling can erase it. The bidding war over his personal effects proves working Americans still honor real achievement over empty credentials.