From The Associated Press:
Custom chopper signed by Obama to be auctioned

It’s the United States Chopper built by Hardcore Choppers. It has a six-speed transmission and a powerful 150-horsepower engine. AND it will be autographed by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. The motorcycle goes under the gavel September 23 to 25 with proceeds to help military families. Rev up your bidding engines.

From The Berkshire Eagle:
Auction of Nazi items called off

If auction house owner Dolores Meissner had checked her calendar, she might have seen that last Saturday was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement for Jews. It was, perhaps, not the best day to be auctioning Nazi memorabilia. Meissner discovered that after being inundated with e-mails and calls demanding she pull the items. Not sure if she legally could, she did find a loophole and removed the items from the sale.

From The New York Times:
In a Toy Shop, a Sanctuary for Nostalgia

If you have a thing for toy collectibles, you might want to check out Burlington Toys the next time you’re in New York City. It’s brimming with such treasures as “a 100-year-old platoon of French Napoleonic soldiers crafted by Lucotte (one just sold for $1,800), a set of Confederate infantry fashioned in France by Mignot (for which a buyer paid $280) or Briton-made Victorian-era lifeguards in crested hats (rarely available, and $200 each).” Among proprietor Steve Balkin’s customers are Bruce Springsteen, Robin Williams and George Herbert Walker Bush.

From BBC News:
Portsmouth’s ‘haunted’ manor house fails to sell

Calling the Ghostbusters. Written about in the 1086 Domesday Book and featured on TV’s “Most Haunted,” bidders may have been scared away by Wymering Manor’s reputation of being inhabited by specters. No one came up with the $585,000 reserve.

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Common or scarce? Political buttons were created for campaigns, for issues, even for special events—or sometimes just because. With so many different kinds of political campaign buttons available since they were first created in 1896, and more than 3,000 for the Obama campaign alone, how can you know which ones to collect? I spoke with Mark Evans of Collectors Archive of Avon, New York, a long time political collectibles dealer, about the tried and true method of determining what is collectible.

“An awful lot of it is supply and demand and the graphic appeal of the item,” Evans says. “There is a wonderful button of Teddy Roosevelt with draped flags in his Rough Rider hat when he ran for Governor in 1898, but it’s very common. There were thousands and thousands of them made.” But, because of Teddy’s outsized personality, collector’s demand for this particular button has pushed the value for this relatively common button higher.

A more recent example of this phenomenon is the “In Your Heart, You Know He’s Right” campaign button of the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign of 1964. The satirical buttons of this campaign, such as “In Your Guts, You Know He’s Nuts” or “In Your Heart, You Know He’s Right – Far Right” also have values much higher than the supply.

With 3,000 buttons for the Obama campaign alone, how do we determine what is valuable as a collectible? Look for buttons that were used for a one day event, Evans says. Buttons of this sort were made in much more limited quantities, usually by local clubs or commercial companies and so their value remains high. Also, look to a candidate’s initial runs for political office. A Joe Biden campaign button for president in 1988, for example, now sells for $20 to $50 when just recently it was only about $2.

Matched pairs are also collectible. This is a commercially produced button series where both the president and vice president candidates are each produced on a separate button. Collectors go out of their way to find the mates, producing an instant collectible.

“Another factor,” Evans says, “is how well a button is made.” Evans shows a 1980 campaign button for Ronald Reagan where the graphic, while interesting and unusual, was poorly made. Spots, or foxing, started appearing on the paper reducing its value considerably. On the other hand, an interesting or unusual illustration, where the colors are bright and the quality is good, will only increase in value as a collectible over time.

So, to find value in political buttons, it is more than supply and demand. An unusual or catchy campaign slogan, buttons used for one-day events, early campaign buttons of elected presidents and vice presidents, matched pairs of candidates produced commercially, and unusual buttons that are well made. These are all factors in finding continued value in political button collectibles.

Still, there is one last thing to remember when collecting political buttons that tends to make all the difference. “As a collector, you should collect what you like,” Evans counsels. Hard to do in politics, but this is really the last word in collectible political buttons.

Watch a video with Tom Carrier talking to Mark Evans about political buttons here.

Tom Carrier is a general Worthologist, with an expertise in a wide variety of subjects.

WorthPoint: Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles.

Before we get started let’s talk housekeeping. I’ve received a few e-mails detailing some problems with finding older “This Week” blogs, problems with posting comments and even some problems with getting in contact with me. I assure you I’ve read all your emails and forwarded them to the proper geeks and have been reassured by those same geeks that problems are in the process of being solved. There’s a lot of changes coming down the WorthPoint-pipe real soon here (no I’m not being replaced, as far as I know anyway) and they are all for the benefit of you guys. Stick around and you’ll see.

With that out of the way let’s talk comics. The yearly comic sales numbers have been released and it seems, once again, Marvel stomped DC in comic sales while DC whupped Marvel in Trade-Paper-Back sales. All in all not very surprising as Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” seems to have been a rollicking sales and critical success. The fans spoke with their wallets and bought a lot more Marvel Comics than DC. The numbers don’t lie. However, does sales success translate to collectivity? The short answer is maybe. For more on this question check out my other blog, “The Comic Speculator” where I’ll be taking a look at Marvel’s last big crossover event, “Civil War,” to try and predict where prices on the “Secret Invasion” comics will sit after the dust settles. Look for that blog later this week.

For now let’s take a look at this week’s new comics. Here’s my pile if comics for the week of Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. As always, I welcome your criticism, praise or threats of bodily harm based on what I am or am not reading/collecting. You may have noticed a new section below where you can respond to this article, it’s the perfect place to agree with or lash out at me for all to see! (No rhyme intended) For a complete list of this week’s new comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #873
B.P.R.D.: The Black Goddess #1 of 5
Captain Britain and MI: 13 #9
DMZ #38
Faces of Evil: Prometheus
Final Crisis #6 of 7
Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #2 of 2
Green Lantern Corps #32
Nightwing #152
Punisher: War Zone #5 of 6
X-Infernus #2 of 4

Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this blog is to arm the comic nerd with the information he or she needs to make an informed and quality new comic purchase every week. While they might not be worth piles of money, these issues may be pretty hard to find in the near future.

Amazing Spiderman #583, Obama Variant

Amazing Spiderman #583, Obama Variant; Marvel Comics; Written by Mark Waid; Art by Barry Kitson, Back up story Written by Zeb Wells; Art by Todd Nauck; 32 pages $3.99.

Solicitation: YOU ASKED FOR IT, YOU GOT IT! PETER PARKER ON A DATE! After the revelations of “Mind on Fire,” love is in the air for more than one member of the cast, and Pete finally gets some time out with the ladies (and who better to bring it to you than two men who both had dates as recently as 1987!?!). Amidst the romance, though, forces are gathering that will spell trouble for Peter in the months to come. And, to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama, Marvel is proud to present an all-new story teaming up one of the world’s most recognizable political figures with the world’s greatest super hero, as President-Elect Obama joins Spider-Man in “Spidey Meets the President!”

Why it’ll go fast: As you may recall, a few months ago Batman may or may not have died in the pages of Batman as part of the “RIP” storyline. This issue prompted me to predict a huge sellout on the basis that DC would drop a press release to media sources everywhere, hoping the news papers and networks would pick up on the story and send people everywhere to their nearest comic shop to see how Batman dies. Well it didn’t happen. Whether DC dropped the ball on this one or no one cared, we may never know. Marvel on the other hand seems to have their PR dept in marching order and already this week CNN, NPR, and USA TODAY have run stories about Spidey meeting Obama in the pages of Amazing Spidey #583. Already pre-sales for the issue on eBay are going for $30-$50 and with the announcement of a second printing of the Variant cover it would seem the entire first print-run is spoken for before hitting the stands. Retailers had to order more of the regular cover of #583 than they did of Amazing Spidey #575 to be eligible to order the Obama variant. If they surpassed their order of #575, then the sky’s the limit; order as many Obama Variant as you want, although there’s no guarantee you’ll receive them all. The distribution of the variants seems to be a mystery, and the rumor of a10,000- to 20,000-print-run will make this comic extremely hot and hard to find. I wonder how a Sarah Palin variant would sell?

Faces of Evil: Prometheus

Faces of Evil: Prometheus; DC; Written by Sterling Gates; Art by Federico Dallocchio; Cover by Mauro Cascioli; 32 pages; $2.99.

Solicitation: It’s an all-new prelude to the upcoming, all-new JUSTICE LEAGUE #1! Prometheus once defeated the Justice League single-handedly, and with his latest lethal crime spree, he’s moved to the top of the heroes’ Most Wanted list. But what grave crimes has he committed, and what will he do to prevent capture? Learn the real face of evil that is Prometheus!

Why it’ll go fast: I love the current Faces of Evil event, but sadly, am still awaiting last week’s FOE: Grundy issue due to a shipping error at Diamond Comics. I’m still trying to get a solid answer on who was affected by this shipping error and will let you know as soon as I do. That aside, FOE takes a look at the villains that will be making problems fot the DC heroes in the coming year and Prometheus is one of my favorites. Writer Sterling Gates has been doing great work on the current Supergirl run and I’m excited to see how he brings Prometheus back to the DC villains “A-list.” While the numbers for orders on the first FOE issue aren’t available yet, I’m guessing this issue will be ordered much lower than the Geoff Johns Grundy issue based on the fact that, though he’s great, Sterling Gates isn’t a huge name yet.

X-Infernus #2 of 4

X-Infernus #2 of 4; Marvel Comics; Written by C.B. Cebulski; Art by Giuseppe Camuncol; Cover by David Finch; 32 pages; $3.99.

Solicitation: Darkchilde comes calling to the X-Men’s doorstep—and she’s not leaving without her Soulsword. The next pulse-pounding issue by C.B. Cebulski (LONERS, Drain) and Giuseppe Cammuncoli (MS. MARVEL, Intimates) is here and it’s shaking up the X-Men in a big way.

Why it’ll go fast: X-Men mini-series haven’t had the best reputation for sales or quality for quite a while now, however, X-Infernus seems to be the exception to the rule. Issue one was GREAT! I love the character of Magik, Illyana Rasputin (Colossus’ little sister), and can’t wait for her to return to the Marvel U (sans goat legs). I’m not the only nerd that loved this story, fans bought issue #1 by the fistful causing an instant sell-out at the printer and a second and third printing. If you can find issue X-Infernus #1 pick it up along with issue #2. It’s good fun for fans of both the now classic New Mutants, and the more recent New X Men Academy X.

The Indy book of the Week pick will return next week. For this week, I’m introducing yet another new section to stir up some discussion. It’s called the The Nerdy Question of the Week, where I’ll pose a question to you the reader and hopefully you’ll respond. Responses can come via email or using the “comments” section at below. This weeks question comes from a discussion a friend of mine and I had this past weekend.

If you had to reduce your pile to one comic a month (just one title) what comic would it be?

Post you answers below or feel free to e-mail them to me.

Until next week, keep the questions coming. Also, check out my other blog The Comic Speculator, where I discuss new and classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

Matt Baum is a Worthologist who specializes in comic books.

WorthPoint: Get the Most from Your Antiques and Collectibles

The results are based on his historically accurate, but unscientific, USA Button Poll. Since 1988, his poll has correctly predicted the winner for every presidential election except for 2000. The poll was based on thousands of button sales at political events, nonpolitical shows, sales at Washington, D.C., locations and political conventions since late June.

Warlick is a member of WorthPoint’s expert Worthologist team. WorthPoint is an Internet-based data-and-media company that offers a vast database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles. WorthPoint helps collectors understand the worth of their items and provides expert advice on how to preserve, buy and sell them.

“Campaigns may have gone high-tech, but old-fashioned political-campaign buttons are as popular as ever, not only increasing in value, but helping to predict presidential elections,” said Warlick. “In over 40 years of collecting and selling campaign buttons, I have never seen such interest. The possibility of electing the first woman president or the first African American drove many to people to purchase those candidates’ buttons that otherwise may not have been the case.”

Warlick notes that while Obama merchandise is highly popular, John F. Kennedy memorabilia is still the most prized. Other popular presidents include Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower.

What makes a button valuable? According to Warlick, the popularity of a president, the quantity of buttons produced and the design content are key factors. Buttons with photographs are always more sought after by collectors. Buttons that include both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates are called jugates and are highly prized, especially if they include photographs of the candidates.

As for the most valuable button, that distinction goes to Ohio Gov. James Cox and former Assistant Navy Secretary Franklin Roosevelt. They ran against Warren Harding in the 1920 presidential campaign—before Roosevelt was stricken with polio. Although there were six different Cox and Roosevelt designs, it is now believed that all were just manufacturers’ samples and were never ordered in large quantities. Of all six designs, only 50 buttons are known to exist. In a private sale a few years ago, a 1-1/4-inch Cox and Roosevelt jugate went for a reported $135,000.

For would-be button collectors, Warlick offers the following advice: “Casual collectors should choose a candidate they like or admire and enjoy studying. Investors should choose based on past sales history, quality of button and historical significance of that particular election or candidate.”

“In addition to getting campaign-button information from sites like WorthPoint,” Warlick recommends contacting the American Political Items Collectors (APIC), an organization devoted to the collecting of political memorabilia.

About WorthPoint
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Atlanta, WorthPoint is an Internet-based data-and-media company that offers a vast database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles from more than 400 auction houses. Members can share their insights, knowledge and passion and build collecting communities. WorthPoint helps collectors understand the history and value of their items and provides expert advice on how to preserve or sell them. While it does not facilitate the bidding of any items, WorthPoint provides information about upcoming auctions at its partner auction houses.

Contact:
Dan Greenfield
WorthPoint
Dan [dot] greenfield [at] worthpoint [dot] com
(404) 549-6979 x9029
(404) 310-0023 cell

Barack Obama’s election is being hailed as a historic moment. Does that make buying a $100 copy of November 5th’s Chicago Tribune on eBay, with an original cost of 75 cents, a good investment?

Memorabilia from the 2008 presidential election is popping up for sale everywhere, with merchants on eBay offering items ranging from a patch of grass from Grant Park (at one point showing a bid of one cent) to a $20,000 (“Buy it Now” price) signed first-edition copy of Obama’s book, “Dreams From My Father.” But collectible experts say only certain types of items are likely to hold or increase their value. Here’s a guide to sizing up Obamabilia:

AUTOGRAPHS
For collectors, it is important that autographs be authenticated. Tom Carrier, an expert in presidential memorabilia who advises WorthPoint, an antiques and collectibles web site, says that anything with a date and place on it, such as a ticket or program from a campaign event, will normally be accepted as legitimate. But if prices on these items spike, so does the chance for fakes. The value of an autograph varies with what it is written on, and connoisseurs particularly covet clear, vibrant signatures on an easily readable background. A signed, limited edition Obama campaign poster recently sold for $2,800 on eBay, although Carrier thinks this price may subside along with the euphoria surrounding election night. A regular copy of an Obama book carrying his autograph will probably hover at around $200 to $400, says Carrier.

Be careful, though. Historically, purveyors of faked memorabilia have flourished online, where it’s easier to maintain anonymity and keep buyers at arm’s length from the actual product before they plunk down their cash. The best way to ensure you are buying the real deal is to purchase from a reputable dealer with deep authentication experience; experts say that you should approach every piece—and, indeed, every certificate of authenticity—with skepticism. Carrier says he has this golden rule: “If it was not signed in front of you, the autograph was not signed by that person.” A trustworthy starting point for collectors seeking advice is the American Political Items Collectors .

BUTTONS
Partisan buttons are turned out by the millions. But some can also turn into rare gems. The smaller the number produced of a given button, the more valuable they become. Also, buttons tied to key events can be more valuable. Jim Warlick, creator of the USA Button Poll, which predicts the outcome of presidential elections (accurately but not scientifically) based on the number of people buying certain buttons, and a presidential collector for 30 years, says that any button that was produced for Obama’s Denver acceptance speech is worth holding onto, particularly since the event took place on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King telling the world, “I have a dream.” The value of a special button could double in a year, according to Warlick, who currently sells certain JFK pins for $75 a pop.

T-SHIRTS AND NEWSPAPERS
Clothing doesn’t keep well—and the McCain brand, in particular, may never bounce back. And newspapers, despite their iconic nature, are often too common. The New York Times printed an extra 50,000 copies of its Wednesday paper, and the Chicago Tribune an additional 200,000. A newspaper announcing victory for Dewey over Truman in 1948 recently sold for $7,000, but this year there was no surprise. “They don’t have great value,” says Carrier. If you want to keep them for posterity, “store in an acid-free environment.”

INAUGURAL ITEMS
Experts expect inaugural gear will be hot this year. Inauguration day programs and other items, like tickets from inside the barriers, that can be tied to the Capitol on Jan. 20 will likely be most sought after. Police signs from the day of the JFK inauguration, picked up from the street for free, can sell today for $200, says Warlick. Meanwhile, Warlick, a third of whose collection once featured the Clinton cat, Socks, says he found a clue in Obama’s election night speech as to “the next rave”:

“[Obama] said he was buying a new puppy. When the pictures and the name of that puppy appear, that puppy will be on everything.”

Contact:
Dan Greenfield
WorthPoint
Dan [dot] greenfield [at] worthpoint [dot] com
(404) 549-6979 x9029
(404) 310-0023 cell

The Chicago Tribune, Obama’s hometown paper, went into overdrive. “To keep up with the incredible demand,” said Michael Dizon, the Tribunes’ communications manager, “an additional 410,000 copies—almost double our normal circulation for a Wednesday—were printed.”

“Additionally, we will print an eight-page supplement and a Sunday special edition featuring Chicago Tribune covers of President-elect Obama’s career in Chicago,” Dizon added. The Tribune will also produce about 5,000 posters and 2,000 commemorative metal plates of the front page of the newspaper, all of which are available in its online store for purchase.

Other papers printed additional copies

This was not out of the ordinary. The venerable Washington Post also published an additional 350,000 copies, Detroit’s two daily newspapers reprinted a combined 110,000 copies, The New York Times sold an additional 75,000 copies, and USA Today will continue to sell reprints of its Nov. 5 edition. All the newspapers can be bought individually online or at their newspaper offices for the regular newsstand prices.

Washington Post records the moment (left), New York Times: one word said it all (right)

What has proved out of the ordinary is the extended life Obama newspaper collectibles have taken to the point that news stories are appearing about this phenomenon.

A recent check eBay showed 5,417 different auctions of the Nov. 5 Obama election newspapers from around the country in blocks of 10 to 100, individually, or in series of several different newspapers.

I’ve been monitoring the Buy It Now prices at the top level starting at $9,900 for 100 Chicago Tribunes to one seller who is touting a “how they sold a $400 Obama newspaper on eBay and how you can, too” telephone seminar for a Buy It Now price of $500 (that includes a copy of New York Times Nov. 5 edition).

I’ve even talked to a fellow collector/dealer who is aware of someone who bought that edition of the Times, he thinks, for $2,500. Several times over the past few days, a Nov 5 edition has sold for several hundred dollars or more.

There is an excitement now surrounding these collectibles. Will paying these stratospheric prices translate into a sound long-term investment? History doesn’t suggest so.

More reasonable folks are buying a Nov 5 newspaper for $5 to $20 each. That should be the norm. Every dealer I talked to agreed. As the number of commemorative or special editions increases, the collector value down the road will not ever reach beyond the $2-to-(possibly)$10 range. None of the JFK assassination newspapers or magazines (except for a very limited few), for example, have ever attained any values higher than that.

As the inauguration of a new president approaches, there will be additional special editions and commemorative printings of national and local newspapers. The biddings will again be unrealistically high. All experts agree, including me, that you should buy the newspaper as a family keepsake, but pay only the newsstand price, if possible, or no more than $5, if necessary. The long-term-collectibles value will not ever be much higher if history is correct.

I urge everyone to be cognizant of collector value during special events such as this one. As time goes on and the initial euphoria fades, all manner of campaign collectibles will become available at much lower cost.

Does that mean the newspaper shouldn’t be collected? Absolutely not. Collectibility doesn’t have to be for monetary value only. Passing down historical newspapers through generations is a great way to learn American history firsthand. We are all fascinated by the ads alone showing the cost of items generations ago, for example.

But, preserve it correctly. Keep a complete newspaper in a clean, dry, acid-free environment away from fluctuations of heat and cold. That means wrapping the newspaper in acid-free paper, placing it in an acid-free box and placing the box in a closet or storage unit that faces toward the inside of the house, not against a wall that faces the outside. When taking it out, try to limit its exposure to all direct sunlight or any light for a long period of time.

Frame correctly

If you want to frame the front page, be sure to place the newspaper on an acid-free backing and behind an acid-free mat. It should never touch the glass directly. If you use UV glass, it will also help to keep damaging light from fading the newspaper over time. Place the frame away from direct sunlight or near a window and always on a wall facing inside, not one that faces outside.

To relive important events in your lifetime through a newspaper is a great way for future generations to learn what was important to you and to the country. After all, sentimental value is collectible, too.

By Tom Carrier, WorthPoint Worthologist, specializes in flags and political memorabilia

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

That is certainly true now that the United States has concluded its most recent election. The fact that it is historic, in that the first African-American has ascended to the office, also means that the political items associated with the campaign may, indeed, have a more lasting value than usual. Or maybe not.

You see the collectibles industry has certain criterion when evaluating what is significantly valuable and what is not. First, what is it? If it is an unusual political item beyond the normal bumper sticker, button, T-shirt, newspaper or poster, then the item is automatically desirable, and its value is higher.

This collectible, still showing its vibrant colors, is listed on GoAntiques.

Then, how many are there? With newspapers, for example, the printing of special editions means that there are so many more of them, and so individually, they may only retain a sentimental value through the years. A political button created only for the convention has a higher value than one commercially produced, for example. Severely limited and signed posters work, too. A signed football, T-shirt or baseball cap will always be limited to just a relative few.

The baseball sold at auction in September for $414. Check out Worthopedia for more details.

Nelson Whitman of Capitol Coins and Stamps, a venerable political and presidential items collector with his own shop in the heart of Washington, D.C., for more than 30 years, has said that an innumerable number of Barack Obama items were produced. “I have over 400 different buttons, many posters, bumper stickers, programs, tickets and other commemoratives, and all are selling like crazy to everyone in all walks of life,” Whitman said. You can visit Nelson’s online store to get an idea as to the quantity of available Obama collectibles.

Condition of the item matters, too. To take the newspaper example above, if there is a significant issue with a high value, but sections are missing or the cover is not pristine, the value drops significantly. If it has been cut or framed, the value is diminishes as well.

Autographs hard to authenticate

And lastly, can the item be authenticated? For autographs, this is sometimes problematic. I always counsel that an autograph should be on an event program or ticket. It immediately places that individual at a known location and is therefore easily authenticated. A signed photo or any item that was not signed in front of the collector is automatically suspect. It is possible for a staff member, an autopen that signs the signature by machine or a stamp to be affixed to an item that appears to be authentic, but is not.

So, to find a political collectible that will have lasting value:
• Find something completely out of the ordinary.
• Find something where there are relatively few in existence.
• Be sure the condition of the item is as close to pristine as possible.
• Trace and document its provenance so that the item can be easily authenticated.

If you can achieve all that, then you will have a collectible that can be handed down through generations both as an item of family history and as a high-value heirloom.

If you’re interested in this piece of history, more details can be found on GoAntiques.

It should be noted that collectibles aren’t just to look at. Sometimes they can also foretell the future. Worthologist Jim Warlick predicted quietly last spring that Obama would win, as the sale of his political buttons far outstripped the sales numbers of Hilary Clinton and John McCain combined. He has even gone so far as to post poll numbers, based on the sales results of buttons. His USA Button Poll has been correct for every election since 1992 (except for the very close one in 2000). This year, his button poll was pretty close, predicting a 56-44 win for Obama. The actual numbers were 52% for Obama and 46% for McCain.

By Tom Carrier, WorthPoint Worthologist, specializes in Flags and Political Memorabilia

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

Jim Warlick.
(http://www.worthpoint.com/worthpoint-worthologists/jim-warlick).
The results are based on his historically accurate, but unscientific,
USA Button Poll. Since 1988, his poll has correctly predicted the winner
for every presidential election except for 2000. The poll was based on
thousands of button sales at political events, nonpolitical shows, sales at
Washington, D.C., locations and political conventions since late June.

Warlick is a member of WorthPoint’s expert Worthologist team. WorthPoint
(http://www.worthpoint.com) is an Internet-based data-and-media company that
offers a vast database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles.
WorthPoint helps collectors understand the worth of their items and provides expert advice on how to preserve, buy and sell them.

“Campaigns may have gone high-tech, but old-fashioned political-campaign
buttons are as popular as ever, not only increasing in value, but helping to
predict presidential elections,” said Warlick. “In over 40 years of
collecting and selling campaign buttons, I have never seen such interest.
The possibility of electing the first woman president or the first African
American drove many to people to purchase those candidates’ buttons that
otherwise may not have been the case.”

Warlick notes that while Obama merchandise is highly popular, John F.
Kennedy memorabilia is still the most prized. Other popular presidents
include Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight
Eisenhower.

What makes a button valuable? According to Warlick, the popularity of
a president, the quantity of buttons produced and the design content are key
factors. Buttons with photographs are always more sought after by
collectors. Buttons that include both the presidential and vice-presidential
candidates are called jugates and are highly prized, especially if they
include photographs of the candidates.

As for the most valuable button, that distinction goes to Ohio Gov.
James Cox and former Assistant Navy Secretary Franklin Roosevelt. They ran
against Warren Harding in the 1920 presidential campaign — before Roosevelt
was stricken with polio. Although six different Cox and Roosevelt designs
were created, it is now believed that all were just manufacturers’ samples
and were never ordered in large quantities. Of all six designs, only 50
buttons are known to exist. In a private sale a few years ago, a 1-1/4-inch
Cox and Roosevelt jugate went for a reported $135,000.

For would-be button collectors, Warlick offers the following advice:
“Casual collectors should choose a candidate they like or admire and enjoy
studying. Investors should choose based on past sales history, quality of
button and historical significance of that particular election or
candidate.”

In addition to getting campaign-button information from sites like
WorthPoint, Warlick recommends contacting the American Political Items
Collectors (APIC), an organization devoted to the collecting of political
memorabilia.

About WorthPoint
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Atlanta, WorthPoint
(www.worthpoint.com) is an Internet-based data-and-media company that offers
a vast database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles from more
than 400 auction houses. Members can share their insights, knowledge and
passion and build collecting communities. WorthPoint helps collectors
understand the history and value of their items and provides expert advice
on how to preserve or sell them. While it does not facilitate the bidding of
any items, WorthPoint provides information about upcoming auctions at its
partner auction houses.

Well, yes. As the Sandifer family was headed to the American Presidential Experience in Denver, they passed by INVESCO Field the day after the acceptance speech of Senator Barack Obama. Samuel, age 14, noticed a large blue dumpster overflowing with the official Obama campaign signs, the ones not used by the 80,000 delegates and guests the previous night. There must have been thousands of them, all in rather perfect condition. All shouting “Change.”

Being the enterprising young guy he is, Samuel urged his dad to stop and pick up as many as they could carry, back to friends, family and for sale on the Internet. At $2 each, plus shipping, anyone and everyone can now support Barack Obama’s quest for change in Washington, D.C., and even help Samuel pay for his eventual business degree at Harvard.

Samuel Sandifer behind the Resolute Desk while little brother Peter has fun below it

Oh, and Peter, age 9, will eventually have his name on one of his own campaign signs. He is the family presidential historian, the one with the most interest and the one most eager for his family to visit the American Presidential Experience. You see, Peter has his room decorated in George Washington blue by choice and has an avid interest in all things presidential.

The future president of the United States, Peter Sandifer, already hard at work

Dad, Samuel, and mom, Suzanne, also have a strong interest in the history of America, which is why both sons share the same passion. These parents don’t have to struggle to tour historic sites with their two young sons. The sons usually lead the way.

See a video of the family’s forays into the dumpster at Sandifer Family Video.

Editor’s note: For their help in this unique “recycling” effort, the Sandifer family was treated to VIP access to the Air Force One and the Oval Office exhibits at the American Presidential Experience and a special tour by Worthologist Tom Carrier, who is a White House expert. It was the perfect reward for two future presidents.

At left, the Sandifers on Air Force One, on right, in the Oval Office.

WorthPoint — the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles

An “I Like Ike” button on your lapel told everyone where you stood on the issues of the day and for whom you intended to vote. It is an individual statement on an individual election. But can campaign buttons—or more specifically, campaign-button sales—be used as an accurate predictor of election results?

Jim Warlick, WorthPoint’s political Worthologist, has been conducting this unscientific poll since 1988, and his results have accurately predicted the president every year except for 2000.

Warlick, who is an expert in U.S. political and campaign memorabilia, had always thought that the sales of campaign buttons, placards and signs would be a better indicator of how an area was going to vote, as opposed to telephone polling, because in phone polls, there is no accounting for fibs and white lies told to pollsters to avoid embarrassment.

“People take it very seriously,” said Warlick, who tracks the sales of buttons at his store, Political Americana, and shows and political events around the country in compiling his statistics. “We tell them upfront that we are measuring this, and when you purchase the button, we are going to put that into a poll and release it to the press.

“Here’s the reason we think it works. If people are called in a telephone poll, they may say they intend to vote, but they may not. A lot of people are ashamed to say they aren’t going to vote. If somebody comes up and they intentionally give you $3 for a button, and they know that that button is being tallied and released to the national press, then it’s pretty reliable. Literally, they are putting their money where their mouth is.”

Warlick started his button poll on a lark in 1988 when he was in Iowa for the Democratic and Republican caucuses. “I had been selling political buttons for years at rallies, and I thought, ‘Why not start measuring this and see if there is any correlation between what people buy and the way the results turn out.’”

So based on his button polling that January, Warlick’s successfully predicted that Pat Robertson would finished second behind George H.W. Bush, a shocker to everyone else. The button poll “knocked it out of the park,” Warlick said. “I beat the Des Moines Register. I was the only one to pick up the Pat Robertson vote.”

Warlick has been out every four years since, tracking button sales to predict the next president. His poll has been spot on in every election since 1988, except for razor-thin 2000 election where George W. Bush lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College vote over Al Gore. For that mistake, Warlick said, “We say we can’t account for buttons that don’t get counted.”

This year Warlick said that there are some anomalies in the button sales, a direct result of John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

“We did see a bump up in McCain-Palin in the first week of September, the second week of September. That’s faded off now,” Warlick said, adding that while Barack Obama is still holding a lead, it’s not as wide as it was this summer. “In the summer, it was 8-to-2 Obama, but now it’s about 6-to-4 Obama.

“We’ve never seen before where a VP candidate has pushed the ticket up or down in any way. We were getting a lot more requests for Obama material as opposed to McCain. But when he added Palin to the ticket, people not only wanted more McCain-Palin, they actually wanted just Palin campaign buttons,” Warlick said. “The lower part of the McCain-Palin ticket is more popular than the top of the ticket. We’d never seen that before.”

Warlick releases the results of his poll on the day before the national election, so on Nov. 3, we’ll get a look at which candidate’s buttons sold best, and, therefore, will be—according to the poll—the next president.

If you’re interested in collecting campaign buttons, be sure to see visit GoAntiques, WorthPoint’s partner site.

And be sure to view the Campaign Buttons: An Election Poll video.

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

Well, yes. As the Sandifer family was headed to the American Presidential Experience in Denver, they passed by INVESCO Field the day after the acceptance speech of Senator Barack Obama. Samuel, age 14, noticed a large blue dumpster overflowing with the official Obama campaign signs, the ones not used by the 80,000 delegates and guests the previous night. There must have been thousands of them, all in rather perfect condition. All shouting “Change.”

Being the enterprising young guy he is, Samuel urged his dad to stop and pick up as many as they can carry, back to friends, family and for sale on the Internet. At $2 each, plus shipping, anyone and everyone can now support Barack Obama’s quest for change in Washington, D.C., and even help Samuel pay for his eventual business degree at Harvard.

Oh, and Peter, age 9, will eventually have his name on one of his own campaign signs. He is the family presidential historian, the one with the most interest and the one most eager for his family to visit the American Presidential Experience. You see, Peter has his room decorated in George Washington blue by choice and has an avid interest in all things presidential.

Dad, Samuel, and mom, Suzanne, also have a strong interest in the history of America, which is why both sons share the same passion. These parents don’t have to struggle to tour historic sites with their two young sons. The sons usually lead the way.

Editor’s note: For their help in this unique “recycling” effort, the Sandifer family was treated to VIP access to the Air Force One and the Oval Office exhibits at the American Presidential Experience and a special tour by Worthologist Tom Carrier, who is a White House expert. It was the perfect reward for two future presidents.

Is everyone really into collectibles as WorthPoint’s CEO Will Seippel so often says? Well, I’m beginning to believe it, and here’s why . . .

Tens of thousands of volunteers from across the country are in Denver this week helping keep things running smoothly during the Democratic National Convention. These volunteers are assigned randomly to venues such as the Pepsi Center, convention hotels, shuttle buses, concerts AND the American Presidential Experience at INVESCO Field, where WorthPoint has a display.

Two of these volunteers, Ida Taylor of Carson, Calif., and Vanessa Finley of Kansas City, Mo., were assigned to staff the WorthPoint display. As you might expect, both Ida and Vanessa are lifelong Democrats. But you might be surprised to learn—as I was—that both Ida and Vanessa are lifelong collectors, as well.

Volunteers Ida on the left and Vanessa on the right

Ida says that she collects “everything but the kitchen sink” but that her most-prized collectibles are Kewpie dolls. Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on comic-striplike illustrations by Rose O’Neill that appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal in 1909. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early 1900s.

Vanessa began collecting baseball cards as a child, and she’s kept at it. A St. Louis Cardinal fan, she has complete sets of cards (no pun intended) from Manager Whitey Herzog’s pennant-winning Cardinals teams of the 1980s. Vanessa’s favorite, though, is a 1950 card of New York Yankee great and Hall of Famer Yogi Berra. Vanessa caught the collecting bug from her mother, and she’s passed it along to her two young daughters. Nine-year-old Piper has a Pokeman collection, and five-year-old Marlowe has a collection of toy animals for her Little Pet Shop.

Vanessa were pleasantly surprised that they had been assigned to our WorthPoint display. “I don’t think there was anything random at all about it,” says Ida. “Everything happens for a reason.”

WorthPoint — The premier Web site for art, antiques & collectibles.

DNC collectibles, serious to silly

You don’t need to hit downtown Denver post offices to pick up a collectible DNC commemorative envelope issued by the United States Postal Service.

The city’s 9News tells us that envelopes, which “feature cachet images of the downtown Denver skyline shown either during the day or night,” may be purchased through the mail (how else?). Send a check or money order (payable to Postmaster) to DNC collectible envelope, Denver Main Post Office, 951 20th Street,Denver, CO 80202-9998.

The price is $10 for each envelope. Indicate whether you want the night or day shot. And, of course, include your return address.

Of a sillier nature, a store in Denver, Fancy Tiger Crafts, is selling kits for making a felted-wool bust of Barack Obama. In about three or four generations, this could be an important collectible. Or not.

The Denver Post also reports that there are 40 vendors selling every manner of DNC memorabilia and merchandise on the city’s downtown 16th Street Mall—bumper stickers, buttons, T-shirts, Abe Lincoln hats, one of which Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper sported at the opening ceremony of the American Presidential Experience.

Captain Cook, explorer and collector

Captain James Cook, the intrepid 18th-century explorer, landed in New Holland—that’s Australia to us—in 1770. He took away with him an aboriginal boomerang. He never figured out what it was for and couldn’t ask the aborigines since, being no fools, they fled whenever they spotted Cook and his crew.

Cook’s widow—he died in a battle with Hawaiians in 1779—kept the strange object. It was passed from one inheritor to another through the centuries out of public view until now.

Reuters UK reports that today’s possessor of the boomerang is putting it up for auction at Christie’s, London, September 25, where it is estimated to sell for more than $100,000.

Wondered if it remained unused through all those the years.

Bling, bling, bling goes the auction

Are you a hip-hop wannabe who wants to dress the part? If so, do we have the auction for you.

Sassybella.com , which bills itself as the chronicler of “fashion news and gossip with a sprinkling of lighthearted beauty tidbits and flashbacks to fashion’s illustrious past,” has the lowdown on the Phillips de Pury sale of such goodies as jewelry owned by 50 Cent Daddy, Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G. and a lot of other biggies in the hip-hop constellation.

Speaking of constellation, you probably can spot from outer space Lil’ Jon’s diamond pendant necklace that weighs 12 pounds and tells us “Crunk Ain’t Dead.” In case you’re not familiar with crunk, it’s a hip-hop genre. Beyond that, you’ll have to Google it yourself.

What Happens in Vegas . . .

Democrats will gather in Denver, and Republicans will convene in St. Paul to select their presidential nominees. But 300 fans of political-campaign collectibles have already completed their pilgrimage to the Strip. The annual meeting of the association known as the American Political Items Collectors wrapped up August 7 at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. Clearly, these collectors know how to have more fun than convention delegates . . . or at least they know how to combine their interests with free buffet coupons.

Not surprisingly, items related to Barack Obama’s campaign were in demand at the auction tables. The New York Times reports that a button issued at the Illinois senator’s campaign kickoff in February 2007 sold for $150 on the first day of the gathering. Check the American Political Items Collectors Web site for regional fall auctions beginning in September.

Double Eagle or 529 College Fund?

Hot coin debates typically are the exclusive domain of numismatists. But questions surrounding the modern version of the 1907 Double Eagle gold coin to be offered next year by the U.S. Mint already are piquing the mainstream media. Kimberly Palmer, a consumer affairs editor at U.S. News & World Report, recommends against buying the coin as an investment.

There’s No Place Like Home

German advertising mogul and art collector Christian Boros has renovated a World War II bomb shelter in Berlin to protect both his family and his contemporary paintings. Bloomberg News reports the structure has concrete walls more than 6.5 feet thick and metal doors. Nazi architect Albert Speer supervised the construction in 1942. It was large enough to hold 2,000 people during Allied air attacks. Boros combined 120 chambers into a more manageable 70 rooms, while adding some above-ground features in a glass box. Sounds cozy.

All in the Family

Several members of a notorious British crime family have been sentenced to decade-long prison terms for stealing an estimated $145 million in art, antiques and collectibles from manor homes southwest of London. The Daily Mirror reports police uncovered a $25 million cache of china buried in a pasture. Most of the remaining loot was never recovered, and investigators say it probably was sold in Russia, India and China.

In the biggest robbery of the 2005-2006 spree, members of the Johnson gang rammed SUVs through two sets of security fences and a window to grab antiques, jewelry and china at the Wiltshire estate of property tycoon Harry Hymans. Court records on the cases were unsealed on August 7.

The campaign biography has been with us in some form or fashion since the beginning of American politics.

Early in our political process, those running for president engaged writers who would provide their back story to the masses appealing to heart, to wisdom, and to their sense of fair play even if they had to make it up like they did for William Henry Harrison. He was rich and well born, but in his biography grew up poor in a log cabin. It was an exercise in what we would call spin or an early form of deceptive campaign ad. But it worked. These books were hugely popular and are highly collectible now.

“The Story of Harry S. Truman” emphasizes the “Farm boy, soldier, statesman, [and] president” in his bid for reelection in 1948. The fact that this biography is featured in an easy to read and entertaining comic book is no accident since its author is the Democratic National Committee.

Today, while the personal biography doesn’t have the flowery language or the heroic back story that the earlier biographies emphasized, they can still appeal to your sense of fair play.

In “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream”, by Democratic candidate and U.S. Senator Barack Obama he easily weaves his early upbringing around the central issues of his campaign for president in 2008.

Yet, there are those expose or investigative type of candidate biographies that tells the story of a candidate “warts and all.” Columnist Michael Tomasky does that in “Hillary’s Turn: Inside Her Improbable, Victorious Senate Campaign” as he follows First Lady Hillary Clinton through an unprecedented race for the U.S. Senate in New York. Everything is told, everything is explained. She is steely, but flawed. It provides a credible background for her race to become the first woman to be nominated for president at the 2008 Democratic Convention.

Wayne Barrett does the same kind of story on former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani in “Rudy: An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani” as he tries for the Republican nomination for president in 2008. All his political triumphs and personal failings are emphasized here making him just as determined and flawed.

But what to do with the nonpartisan material that allows voters to choose candidates based on substance rather than style. “Know Your Candidate, 1960″ by Vassar professor of political science Nelson E. Taylor provides a booklet that tells “…what the 2 candidates actually said…about 47 major issues confronting us today!” No spin here.

The League of Women Voters have taken up the mantle of nonpartisanship in their sponsorship of televised candidate debates and the publication of material that emphasizes the process over biography in “Vote: Choosing the President 2008: A Citizen’s Guide to the Electoral Process.” And who doesn’t need that.

So, we’ve gone from deceptive biographies to nonpartisan education. But, in this day of internet and worldwide web where information is plentiful and always available, will individual campaign biographies continue to matter in the scheme of things? They just might have to, at least as a collectible.

The 2008 election cycle is upon us and the caucuses and primaries will help choose the next president of the United States. This is an historic event and there will be many opportunities for collecting political memorabilia. But to have the best chance of collecting worthwhile long term collectibles with real value, here are a few hints to observe:

Campaign Buttons:

- collect a campaign button for every candidate and try to get the candidate to sign it for you in magic marker, including the third party candidates,

- find the campaign button that is specific to region, state, or local, i.e., “New Hampshire Supports Hillary Clinton” is a local button made in limited numbers and more scarce,

- get the button with the candidates photo

- find the “fantasy” button that lists the front runner with a possible VP candidate,

- collect the candidates that also list a local or state candidate, known as “coattail” buttons

- always pick up third party candidates, particularly with their name and photo

What to Sign:

- Get a candidate to sign items that provide immediate provenance such as an event ticket, program, a bumper sticker, postcard of the area they are appearing, small campaign signs, newspapers of the day of their appearance, press release, etc.

- If they have published a book, a signature in the book is helpful.

- Stay away from outsized items that won’t display well such as very large convention signs, huge event props, very large posters. If you can’t carry it, it shouldn’t be signed.

- If you are collecting for resale, have them sign without an inscription, only their signature.

When having something signed for you, do this:

- Prepare. Attach a yellow ‘stickie’ to your item that says: To Tom’ and have a pen ready.

- When the candidate approaches, give them the item and a pen and say “Good to see you. Hope everything is going well.” They will know what to do and will hand it back when they are finished.

- Keep focused, though. With a crush of people, you could lose your item if you are not concentrating.

Winners and losers:

Real value comes from items signed by the eventual winners, not the runners-up. That is why it is important to get as much signed by as many candidates as possible. Even the candidate that goes on to be vice president has a higher value than those candidates who have failed to make the cut.
Still, a complete collection of all the candidate signed buttons makes for a great collectible later on, because at least one of the candidate has won.

Inaugural items:

Unless it is really unusual, a glass bowl, a sterling silver something, inaugural items have little collectible value. There are too many made. However, only the official Inaugural Seal items become more collectible than the commemorative items produced and sold by gift companies. The official Congressional Inaugural packets and programs are the most desirable inaugural collectible, except for photos of the new president-elect from on top of the West Front of the Capitol.

Good hunting. Getting good political memorabilia is hard work, but the payoffs can last for years.