If you are interested in collecting political memorabilia it is easy to get started. Every year someone is campaigning for some office in the country and items are available at no cost.
You will find everything ranging from paper propaganda, buttons, stickers and ribbons. Campaign buttons are the most popular items collected in this category due to their availability. Rare buttons, those made between 1896-1920, are the most sought after and most valuable.
One featuring Harding and Coolidge can go for as high as $2,000. A Roosevelt/Johnson pin is worth around $1,000.
In comparison more recent pins like John F. Kennedy is valued around $50.
The graphics and sayings on buttons also play a role in value, so if you see one with something unusual, grab it. If you find a pin connecting a political figure with an organization value also rises. It is collectible as both a political pin as well as an organization pin. Pins with faces of political figures also are higher in value.
Condition is important. Scratches, dents, rust or tears detract from value, but it is the scarcity that is most important.
Campaign ribbons and badges are also very collectible. Silk ribbons are the most rare ones. The ribbons featuring Confederate candidates secure the most money, but if it is pre-1950 and in good condition, it is a great item to own.
Cartoons and drawings are sought after by many and these do not have to be campaign related. They could be from newspapers, postcards, sheet music or trade cards. Often they are caricatures.
Don’t miss out on other paper items, such as photographs, ball events, letters, posters, brochures and paper ballots. Ballots can range from $20-$400 depending on the year and condition.
One item you may not think of as common in this category is snuff boxes. Early ones were made of pewter or tin and sometimes even paper mache. Most are pre-1900 and difficult to find. Lighters and cigarette packages from the 1930s-1960s are more common, but still quite valuable. If you are lucky you may even find a meerschaum pie featuring political figures.
In most every election you will find hats promoting one candidate or another. Convention hats are very fragile, but very collectible. Also seek out odd items such as toys and banks. Battery operated toys command the highest value and mechanical banks are very popular.
Do not overlook clocks or watches. Even watch fobs have political themes. A Cox/Roosevelt Pocket watch from 1920 is valued over $25,000.
Original clocks from the 18th or early 19th century can be worth over $500.
There are many political items to be found and there is no time like the present to begin a collection. Start off with any item you find and let it grow from there. Items found in the next election could one day be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Look for older items in drawers, attics, basements at tag sales and flea markets. Political items are always popular.
In 2008 everyone grabbed Barack Obama items. There were so many produced, it may take a while before they are worth a pretty penny. So, be aware of how many items are produced. Look for more rare items and candidates with less broad appeal.
Who knows, one day you may even own one of the most valued pieces of political memorablia available.