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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Nation, World Briefs: Clinton, Richardson vie for secretary of state 11/15/08 • Catholic priest: No communion for Obama supporters 11/13/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 Your Obama and Palin buttons may be valuable someday By Sarah Jackson Herald Writer We live in an increasingly digital age, and yet, there's nothing like something tangible to tell the story of history. When Barack Obama won the presidential election, independent entrepreneurs across the country snatched up Nov. 5 newspapers to resell them at a possible profit, including a Whatcom County man who special-ordered 10,000 copies of The Bellingham Herald. Owners of campaign buttons, stickers, posters and art are starting to see the tokens as prized memorabilia with potential for value. Though it's too early now to say how much worth 2008 election materials could gain, one thing is certain: Preservation is key. "'Condition, condition, condition' is the axiom of any collector," said Allan Stypeck, a personal property appraiser and senior member of the American Society of Appraisers. "If something is in perfect shape, it would be a radical change in value. Treat the item like you treat yourself. Pamper it." It's a good idea to protect memorabilia from moisture, temperature extremes and sunlight. "Keep it away from children. Keep it away from animals," Stypeck said. "Get preservation boxes and acid-free paper whenever possible." Fortunately, supplies for preserving historic materials have become increasingly available in recent years, thanks to the rise of scrapbooking as a major pastime. Crafting headquarters such as the Ben Franklin Crafts and Frame Shop in Monroe have a variety of products for preservation projects. Tracey Gepner, who works in the scrapbooking department, recommends acid-free and lignin-free products because acid as well as lignin, a compound found in wood, can cause items to break down and yellow over time. Special storage boxes, photo albums, scrapbooks, papers, glues, markers and stickers, which may be described as archival quality or acid free, have been modified to remove such destructive elements. Preservation sprays such as Preserve It also work well on photos and paper, Gepner said, adding that people with campaign buttons or other items that won't fit easily into a scrapbook can slip the items into free-floating acid-free plastic sleeves or wrap them in acid-free paper. It's important, Gepner said, to keep items, which may also contain acidic elements, from touching each other: "Over the years, they would deteriorate." No matter what you're preserving, keep in mind that it may not end up being valuable, even if it is part of history, Stypeck said. Newspapers announcing the assassination of John F. Kennedy still aren't that valuable today, Stypeck said. Items that exist in large quantities are the least likely to fetch a pretty penny, and even rare items may not be that impressive, especially with the searching power of online auction sites such as eBay. "It's more of a buyers market." Stypeck said. "Remember: What you think is valuable has to be supported by the marketplace." Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com Resources Ben Franklin Crafts and Frame Shop -- 19505 Highway 2, Monroe; 360-794-6745; www.bfranklincrafts.com -- sells a variety of preservation supplies. You can also check with your local craft shop or storage retailer for preservation products. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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