To set the tone, get dressed for the part. What would be more appropriate than a suit made specifically for Barack Obama during the campaign? To show that you never know where you’ll come across a significant collectible, this great find was discovered by a shopper at a bargain store in New York. A tag bearing Obama’s name was stitched in the inside coat pocket attesting to its authenticity. Its value has not been determined because no similar suit has been auctioned to date. However, it is estimated to be worth from $5,000 to the low five figures.

Naturally, you will want to complement your new suit with a set of cobalt-blue-and-gold presidential-style cuff links in its own leather presentation box. On the reverse is a bas-relief signature of Barack Obama, just perfect for your inaugural party at $250 a set or a lapel pin for $150.

Obama cuff links

Plates with a smiling Santa Claus obviously won’t fit your theme. Instead, consider setting your table with official inaugural plates. They cost $82 each and have a startling navy-blue-and-gold pattern with the official inaugural seal in gold.

2009 inaugural plate

When it’s time, bring out a wonderfully colorful, etched bottle of Mumm Champagne. Limited to only 200 individually numbered bottles, bearing the red-white-and-blue campaign logo with the inauguration date of Jan. 20, 2009, is an unusual collectible starting at $300. Add the gold-etched set of four Champagne flutes for $60 or a set of etched rocks glasses, too, featuring the presidential seal and the etched signature of the 44th president of the United States. A matched decanter with the gold-embossed presidential seal rounds out a perfect set for $75.

Obama Champagne

Decanter and flute

Caution alert: Lest you get carried away in the headiness of the festivities, be sure to buy a back-up bottle or two of bubbly for toasting purposes, otherwise you’ll drink your collectible’s value.

Decorate your inaugural table with the cross-cut crystal vase adorned with the presidential seal and signature of Barack Obama in gold for $75. I don’t know if President Obama has a favorite flower is, but it will look just as presidential filled with your favorite. Or you might go with some patriotic red, white and blue carnations.

Obama vase

Once the party’s over, store your cuff links and lapel pin in a hardwood replica of the Oval Office desk, similar in design to the original given to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria of England and used by most presidents ever since. The original desk, the one that John-John Kennedy famously played under, is priceless, but your wooden replica box is much more affordable at $125.

Oval Office desk replica

Of course, there are other collectibles to be had. Every inauguration brings out the best in artists and artisans. Issuing an official inaugural medal has been tradition since 1901 when William McKinley took office. This year, Mark Mellon, a Connecticut artist, was asked to create the bas-relief image of Barack Obama for the 2009 official inaugural medal.

“There were times when I was sculpting when I literally had tears in my eyes,” Mellon said, “just knowing the magnitude of the moment. As an artist, to have just a little bit of input in how we celebrate this president is a huge honor—a huge honor and a big responsibility.”

To truly commemorate the occasion, purchase the complete set of gold, silver and bronze medals in its own presentation box for $3,000. Or you can purchase an individual bronze for $70 and a sterling silver version for $400.

Inaugural medals

To see other great and wonderful gifts (and future heirlooms) that honor our 44th president on the day of his inauguration, visit Worthologist Jim Warlick’s Official Souvenirs site.

P.S. And don’t forget to buy food and beverages for the party.

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

On Jan. 20, Warlick’s forecast—as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream of racial unity and reconciliation—will come to fruition as the inauguration of America’s first president of African-American descent is held on the Capitol steps before the eyes of the world. Obama’s unprecedented presidency will resonate throughout history, and undoubtedly, the material evidence of his victory, swearing-in and presidency will be treasured for generations to come.

As the owner, producer and curator of the American Presidential Experience’s InauguralFest and with his store, Political Americana, located literally just down the street from the White House, rest assured that Warlick will be at the center of Tuesday’s events (and the inevitable flood of “Obamabilia”) as an estimated crowd of two to five million will be in Washington, D.C., as Obama takes the oath of office.

Crystal paperweight with 2009 inaugural seal

Presidential memorabilia, like many collectibles, can serve as social barometers and indicators of an ongoing narrative describing the times we lived in, are living in and will live in as the future approaches. It is little wonder, then, that “Obamabilia” speaks to messages of hope and change in a dark economic and geopolitical climate.

Jim Warlick’s work in the political-collectibles field as a retailer and an acknowledged authority has helped to preserve this ongoing narrative. From saving campaign literature in childhood to selling buttons at the 1980 Democratic National Convention and on through the opening of his Political Americana store, Warlick’s involvement with political collecting has been lifelong. He has parlayed his keen understanding of the presidency’s significance into a success measured more in the preservation of America’s political heritage and the extension of the presidential experience to everyday Americans than in sales or personal gratification.

Autographed Obama picture

“I’ve always been a student of American political history,” says Warlick. “Being a part of political campaigns and collecting early American political memorabilia, I’ve learned more about American history than I ever did in school. Collecting and documenting political memorabilia is a great way to preserve American history for future generations to share and learn from.”

Those visiting D.C. next week will have an opportunity to share in Warlick’s passion as part of the larger festivities that will be occurring throughout the nation’s capital not only at his Political Americana and five official souvenir store locations selling inauguration memorabilia, but also at the American Presidential Experience’s InauguralFest. As did visitors to the American Presidential Experience in Denver last August during the Democratic National Convention, those attending InauguralFest will get a hands-on look at three centuries worth of presidential memorabilia and collectibles including scale-model replicas of Air Force One and the Oval Office.

A John-John pose in the Oval Office replica

From an exhibit of First Ladies’ gowns to one of the infamous Florida voting machines that introduced the phrase “hanging chads” to the world, the range of exhibits that Warlick has curated tells not only the story of the American presidency but also of the nation itself—a story that will reach one of its defining climaxes as the son of a white Kansas woman and a black Kenyan man accedes to the most powerful office in the world.

First Ladies' gowns

It is a historic moment in American history, and Jim Warlick will be there as it happens to collect, identify and share the significant artifacts that will capture the spirit of this turning point in our national, cultural and social narrative.

The American Presidential Experience’s InauguralFest is located at the old Washington Convention Site at 1001 H. St. NW Washington, DC (Metro Center subway stop). It is open every day from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Jan. 16 through Jan. 23 and from 9 a.m.-5.p.m. Jan. 24. For tickets and further information, visit the InauguralFest Web site.

The Political Americana store is located at 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004. Four other locations selling official inauguration memorabilia are in Washington, Virginia and Maryland. Visit www.officialsouvenirs.com, www.politicalamericana.com , email info [at] officialsouvenirs [dot] com, or call 202-737-7730 for more information.

Other articles about Jim Warlick and political collectibles:

Jim’s WorthPoint Worthologist profile

Jim’s WorthPoint blogs

Warlick profile by Mark Jaffe

Top Obama collectibles

The American Presidential Experience

WorthPoint at the American Presidential Experience (video)

Jim Warlick’s Political Americana (video)

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

Ellen Malcolm, founder of Emily’s List called it “a proud moment in our nation’s history.”

Great Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown deemed it “inspirational.”

There were reports of millions of joyful people dancing in the streets from Bogotá to Naples to Shanghai to Chicago.

Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert slaughtered cows in honor of the occasion.

The Sun (UK) found one weeping German celebrant who said, “In my lifetime, the world’s people have never felt closer.”

Former South African President Nelson Mandela called the event “monumental.”

It “Unleashes a Flood of Hope Worldwide,” proclaimed a New York Times headline.

Obama’s historic inauguration

This is just a tip of the reaction to Barack Obama’s election as 44th president of the United States. On January 20, this man whose mother was a white woman from Kansas and father a black Kenyan will be sworn into office on the steps of the United States Capitol.

It estimated that anywhere from two to five million people will jam Washington, D.C., to witness history being made as the first African-American takes the presidential oath of office.

And without question, the inauguration will produce a raft of collectibles. The question for collectors is how to tell the difference between items that will only have sentimental or commemorative value and those that will be true historical keepsakes.

Luckily, there is a way to tell the difference.

New York Post day after election

The first rule of collectibles is if there are many of them, their value is reduced. When Barack Obama defeated John McCain, scores of newspapers trumpeted historic headlines, some are still being reprinted and sold as commemoratives. Because there are so many of them, their value will be limited. This will be also true for the scores of inaugural newspaper editions.

Conversely, if there are few items, their collectible value will be higher. Lead-crystal vases featuring an engraved inaugural seal from the best glassmakers in the world, for example, will continue as a long-term investment as a historical and highly prized collectible. The sticker price will reflect that, as well.

If you want a head start on long-term collectibles, buy things with the official seal of the 56th Presidential Inauguration Committee. (Some presidents have served more than one term and therefore, have had more than one inauguration.) These are items officially recognized by the only committee chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to oversee and pay for official inaugural events, such as the inaugural balls. Over time, these items, from specially designed pins by renowned artist Ann Hand to glassware, jewelry, posters and all manner of memorabilia, will be the items most collected, and they all will carry the official seal of the committee in their design.

Glass paperweight

Then there is the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies comprised of members from the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who are responsible for the swearing-in ceremonies and the congressional luncheon. The official programs for these events, particularly the swearing-in, will have a clear long-term collectible value. In fact, it is safe to say that the programs for this transformational inaugural will be especially valuable over time.

Inaugural mug

There are other official inaugural items that will be highly sought after by collectors, such as the official inaugural badge. Since 1933, the two dozen or so official police units operating within the District of Columbia have issued specially created police badges for use during the inaugural period. The early ones are very rare, while the more recent ones continue to be highly valued. Press credentials, military items, signage, anything out of the ordinary such as the cardboard No Parking signs attached throughout the city are highly collectible long after the event, too.

“In my store, Political Americana, we are fortunate to have all kinds of inaugural souvenirs from a simple button, badge, lapel pin, tote bag, T-shirt and coffee mug to the official inaugural medal and glassware,” says Jim Warlick, owner of Political Americana and WorthPoint Worthologist for political items. “Our full-scale Oval Office will also provide you with the opportunity to have your picture taken behind a replica of the Oval Office desk the new president will use.”

Obama inaugural T-shirt

Mary Brenneman, WorthPoint content director, sees significance in collectibles beyond their collecting value. “I find it fascinating that collectibles can serve as harbingers.”

She points out that Warlick predicted back in the spring of 2008 that Obama would win the election because his collectibles were outselling Hillary Clinton’s and John McCain’s combined.

So be you Democrat or Republican, Libertarian or Independent, now’s the time to look to the future and search out Obama inauguration collectibles.

WorthPoint-Get the Most from Your Antiques & 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

Jim Warlick is a Political Worthologist for WorthPoint. He knows political buttons. He is the President and CEO of the USA Button Poll, which has accurately predicted the presidential elections with the exception of 2000 since 1988. He also owns a political memorabilia store in the heart of Washington D.C., where you can find your candidates mug on everything from hats to cuff links and buttons. In this video he concentrates on historical political buttons.

WorthPoint – Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Jim Warlick, Worthologist and curator of the American Presidential Experience, describes the White House Oval Office replica.

WorthPoint – Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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

It was the election of 1936, the beginning of the end of the Great Depression. Incumbent president Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-nominated by the Democrats. Gov. Alf Landon of Kansas would be nominated by the Republican Party. He would be soundly defeated, but the sunflower, the state flower of Kansas and a continuing motif of his campaign, would prove to be a popular collectible.

This Young Republican 1-inch pinback button is just one of many different, but distinctive designs that incorporate the sunflower. When it was auctioned by by Proxibid in 2007, what was the final hammer price?

A. $26
B. $5
C. $12

Political collectors will usually not come across only one item, but an entire box or collection of them all at once. It is up to Worthologists to determine the value of them as a collection right on the spot. This large collection of buttons includes a “1904 Yates Campaign Committee gilt button on ribbon with metal thread, a 1904 Republican National Convention pin, various buttons, some from the 1890s, plastic elephant pins and compass, and assorted other ribbons, pins and labels” as outlined by the original lot by Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers in 2006. If you had to guess the final bid of this lot, what would it be?

A. $565
B. $725
C. $1,100

John C. Fremont, known as the Great Pathfinder, was the very first candidate for president nominated by the new Republican Party in 1856. He lost to James Buchanan. This lot of three items are from his 1856 presidential campaign—a printed silk ribbon in black on white, a Carte de Visite (CDV) of a uniformed engraving of Fremont with printed signature and an 8-foot brass campaign token of Fremont with the legend “Fremont Born Jan. 21, 1813” on the obverse and a winged eagle atop a globe with “Our Country” surrounded by 13 stars on the reverse. It probably isn’t fair to include all three items, except this is how it was sold as a lot. What is the value of these three items by Cowan’s Auctions in 2005?

A. $1,010
B. $345
C. $565

Issue campaign buttons, like this Votes For Women, are very collectible. While various countries and colonies gave women the vote very early, the United States gave suffrage to women only after the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. This plain green-and-black celluloid pinback button dates from 1918 and is in rather good condition overall. What was the final hammer on this button sold by Proxibid in 2006?

A. $36
B. $12
C. $15

Theodore Roosevelt is a highly collectible political figure. This pinback button shows a hand holding five cards. One has a picture of Teddy Roosevelt, and the other four cards have slogans that say “Sound Money,” “Expansion,” “Protection” and “Prosperity.” At the bottom is “Stand Pat!” The reverse shows that the button is “Compliments of ‘The Hub’ Ogden, Utah.” What was the final auction price by Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles in 2008 for this Theodore Roosevelt pinback?

A. $327
B. $200
C. $76

William Jennings Bryan was a pivotal presidential candidate in 1896, spotlighting the difficulties of the everyman in everyday life. He advocated changing the country to a silver standard where there would be 16 ounces of silver coinage for every ounce of gold. Although he did not succeed, his slogan, “16 to 1,” still resonates as a powerful populist message.

This large 1.75-foot William Jennings Bryan clock-faced button has the clock hands pointed to the time of 16 to 1 to illustrate the main issue of this campaign. What was Cowan’s final auction price in 2004?

A. $751
B. $479
C. $1,380

JFK was the first president to wear cufflinks that showed the presidential seal on the obverse and an engraved presidential signature on the reverse. Presidents Nixon and Johnson gave them away as gifts. This tie clip was issued as an official presidential gift by Richard Nixon in the 1970s. What is its value?

A. $50
B. $125
C. $225

In the 19th century, presidential campaigns relied on decorative and elaborate banners to ballyhoo their candidates. They were carried through the streets in large parades, hung on buildings or across broad avenues in big cities. This particular campaign banner is from the 1845 presidential campaign of James K. Polk and George M. Dallas. What is the most recent auction value for this historic memorabilia?

A. $225
B. $522
C. $378

Vari-Vu was a political button maker that used a unique twist. Turn its button one way, and you saw an image. Turn it another way for another image or slogan. This is called a flasher button in the trade. This particular flasher button was used in the 1956 Eisenhower campaign. It shows a grinning Eisenhower and the slogan “Win with Ike.” What is the value of this button?

A. $35 to $45
B. $75 to $95
C. $20 to $30

One of the easiest ways to commemorate a political event is with a postcard such as this one from the 1908 Democratic National Convention in Denver. The DNC was again held in Denver exactly 100 years later. The 1908 Democratic nominee was William Jennings Bryan, who is shown on this card riding a donkey into Denver with the slogan “Our Turn Next.” What is the value of this colorized postcard?

A. $20 to $30
B. $15 to $20
C. $7 to $12

And the answers are:
Alf Landon pinback B. $5
1908 Yates Republican collection C. $1,100
Fremont campaign B. $345
Women’s suffrage button C. $15
Teddy Roosevelt button Answer: B. $200
William Jennings Bryan C. $1,380
Nixon Tie Clip C. $225
Polk/Dallas B. $522
Win with Ike Because it is not particularly scarce, it’s C. $20 to $30, when in good condition
1908 William Jennings Bryan Not particularly scarce, but still unusual, the value is: C. $7 to $12

How did you do?

None right. Don’t despair. Visiting WorthPoint will take you to the top of the political-collectibles class in no time.

One right. One’s better than none. Try, try again.

Two right. Good job, but keep learning. WorthPoint is a great resource.

Three right. You’re practically at the top of the class. Aim for a perfect score next time.

Four right. A wow.

Five right. A double wow.

Six right. That’s an impressive score.

Seven right. Excellent.

Eight right. You may be a grandmaster of political-collectibles knowledge.

Nine right. Only one word describes this—UNBELIEVABLE

Ten right. You, my friend, you’re off the charts.

Watch for more What’s It Worth quizzes on WorthPoint—the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles.

WorthPoint’s political-collectibles specialists—Jim Warlick, Tom Carrier and John Olsen—are set to test your knowledge. Answer the questions below, and win a round of applause if you do well.

This large 1.75-foot William Jennings Bryan clock-faced button has the clock hands pointed to the time of 16 to 1 to illustrate the main issue of this campaign. What was Cowan’s final auction price in 2004?

A. $751
B. $479
C. $1,380

A. $50
B. $125
C. $225

A. $225
B. $522
C. $378

A. $35 to $45
B. $75 to $95
C. $20 to $30

A. $20 to $30
B. $15 to $20
C. $7 to $12

And the answers are:

William Jennings Bryan C. $1,380

Nixon Tie Clip C. $225

Polk/Dallas B. $522

Win with Ike Because it is not particularly scarce, it’s C. $20 to $30, when in good condition

1908 William Jennings Bryan Not particularly scarce, but still unusual, the value is: C. $7 to $12

How did you do?

None right. Don’t despair. Visiting WorthPoint will take you to the top of the political-collectibles class in no time.

One right. One’s better than none. Try, try again.

Two right. Good job, but keep learning. WorthPoint is a great resource.

Three right. You’re practically at the top of the class. Aim for a perfect score next time.

Four right. A wow.

Five right. Congratulations political-collectibles whiz.

Watch for more What’s It Worth quizzes on WorthPoint—the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles.

The unique touring exhibition, curated by Jim Warlick, owner of the Political Americana store just a block from the White House, has thrilled millions of visitors to Democracy Plaza in New York City’s Rockefeller Center; the North Carolina State Fair; the American Presidential Museum in Branson, Mo.; and Presidents Park in Colonial Williamsburg, Va.

Warlick, who also serves as an expert “Worthologist” on American presidential memorabilia for WorthPoint, said that the American Presidential Experience “will provide families with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience American presidential history with more than 30 exciting and interactive exhibits.”

In August, visitors to the American Presidential Experience at Denver’s INVESCO Field will be able to sit behind the desk in the Oval Office; walk through the cabin of Air Force One; see collections of historical flags, presidential documents and First Lady inaugural ball gowns; hear some of the great presidential speeches in history; meet the authors of presidential biographies and books about the presidency; and vote for the 2008 Presidential candidate of their choice in the USA Button Poll.

As part of the American Presidential Experience, experts from WorthPoint will be on hand to evaluate items brought in by the public. Additionally, those at the exhibit will have the opportunity to auction off their items. “We want to give the public a chance to dust off those antiques from generations past to see if there is any monetary worth to them,” said WorthPoint founder and CEO Will Seippel. “You never know when you might find a treasure in your attic, the closet, the basement or the garage.”

Mayor Hickenlooper said, “Denver is very excited to be welcoming the American Presidential Experience, which is a celebration of America’s history and its political process. This exhibit is one of the best examples of what I’ve seen on how you make democracy alive and real. It’s part political museum, part political education center and part political playground.” Elbra Wedgeworth, chair of the host committee, called the exhibit “an amazing private collection of presidential memorabilia.”

Randy Herbstreit, a seventh-grade teacher in the Boulder Valley School District, said that as a classroom teacher, he thinks that the American Presidential Experience “is an incredibly valuable presentation. Students will be able to see many things that they have only read about and never seen. Being in the Oval Office will leave students with a lasting impression that I can’t provide by just opening a book and lecturing to them.”

“WorthPoint is proud to be a sponsor of the 2008 American Presidential Experience, an event that brings people of all political persuasions together to celebrate democracy and the history of the American presidency,” said Seippel. “The exhibit is incredible: It covers 232 years of American history, going all the way back to 1776 and the founding of our nation.”

“We are co-sponsoring this exhibit because we believe in giving back,” Seippel told the news conference. “WorthPoint is a community of people around the world who collect art, antiques and collectibles. Most of us started in the collectibles world because we had a fascination with history, and history will be made in Denver with the Democratic convention.

“As the father of five children, I’m especially excited about the interactive exhibits that will give young people a deeper understanding of the rights and responsibilities of democracy,” said Seippel. “Years from now, people will show their children and grandchildren their photos from when they were kids riding on Air Force One or sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office. Memorabilia from this event will be bought and sold, and collectors will be doing what they always do, helping preserve the tangible aspects of our heritage. And WorthPoint will be there to help them.”

See the video of the press conference.

The announcement was made at a news conference at INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver hosted by Mayor John W. Hickenlooper and members of the Denver Convention Host Committee.

“WorthPoint is proud to be a sponsor of the 2008 American Presidential Experience, an event that brings people of all political persuasions together to celebrate democracy and the history of the American Presidency,” said Will Seippel, Chairman and CEO of WorthPoint.

The touring exhibition, organized by Jim Warlick, owns the Political Americana store on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, has thrilled millions of visitors to Democracy Plaza in Rockefeller Center; the North Carolina State Fair; the American Presidential Museum in Branson, Missouri; and Presidents Park in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Warlick is an expert “Worthologist” on American Presidential memorabilia for WorthPoint.

In August in Denver, visitors to the American Presidential Experience at INVESCO Field will be able to sit behind the desk in the Oval Office, walk through the cabin of Air Force One, see collections of historical flags, Presidential documents and First Lady Inaugural Ball gowns, hear some of the great Presidential speeches in history, meet the authors of Presidential biographies and books about the Presidency, and vote for the 2008 Presidential candidate of their choice in the USA Button Poll.

“WorthPoint is sponsoring the American Presidential Experience because we believe in giving back,” Seippel told the news conference. “WorthPoint is a community of people of people around the world who collect art, antiques and collectibles. Most of us started in the collectible world because we had a fascination with history and history will be made in Denver with the Democratic convention.

“As the father of five children, I’m especially excited about the interactive exhibits that will give young people a deeper understanding of the rights and responsibilities of democracy,” said Seippel. “Years from now, people will show their children and grandchildren their photos from when they were kids on Air Force One or sitting behind the desk in the Oval office. Memorabilia from this event will be bought and sold and collectors will be doing what they always do, helping preserve the tangible aspects of our history. And WorthPoint will be there to help them.”

About WorthPoint

WorthPoint is a Web 2.0-based data and media company serving collectors around the world. WorthPoint’s Web site (www.worthpoint.com) offers a vast database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles and enables members to contact other collectors interested in buying, selling or swapping stories. It helps collectors share their insights, knowledge and build collecting communities. WorthPoint fills an information void for these collectors by helping them understand the history and worth of their items and provides expert advice on how to preserve these items. WorthPoint also serves as a front end, to monetize them, on the WorthPoint Web site, at its partner auction houses or eBay or other online sites.

Contacts

News Contact:
WorthPoint Corporation
Steve Johnson, 703-547-6754 (O)
703-798-5236 (C)
steve [dot] johnson [at] worthpoint [dot] com

Our Worthopedia continues to grow. There are now somewhere close to 2 million individual items from auction companies, worthologists and subscribers on just about every collectible imaginable. It is a tremendous resource.

I occasionally browse the Worthopedia for a few notable political items at random and feature them in a blog to draw attention to this rich resource. Feel free to add a political item in your collection here. It’ll show up in the Worthopedia, too. All of the links for each item highlighted here will appear at the end of the blog.

Let’s begin today with an unusual set of William McKinley buttons, circa 1900, marked Trans Mississippi Expedition and produced by the Cudahy Packing Company of Omaha, Nebraska. Sold by Proxibid, Inc. for $50.

Next is a very rare Abraham Lincoln plaque created by V.D. Brenner in 1907. It is all original, stamped no. 2 which is believed to be the second one made, the whole being etched in green onyx. Sold by Proxibid, Inc. for $2,300.

A Susan B. Anthony complete handwritten letter is next with a full signature on letterhead from the National Women Suffrage Association dated Feb. 5, 1885. To an unnamed male correspondent, `My Dear Sir, That you may work for the establishment of perfect equality of rights for women – civil and political – is the hope of, Yours Sincerely, Susan B. Anthony.` Sold by Freeman’s for $1,400.

We always like to see the early flasher buttons, the ones that change the image when you move it back and forth. This set of buttons and tabs from the 1960 campaign features just such a JFK flasher button and several more from the same campaign. Auctioned by Proxibid, Inc. for $85 the lot of 7.

Well, we’ve done buttons for Democratic JFK, now we can show Republican convention buttons, pins, watches, jewelry and other give-a-aways for Richard Nixon and Eisenhower, probably for the 1956 and 1960 campaigns. Sold by Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers for $100 the lot.

Lastly, a very nice color version of a 1904 campaign button for Theodore Roosevelt. It shows TR on the horse depicting his service in the Spanish-American War, presumably about to storm up San Juan Hill, as the legend tells us. Sold by Proxibid, Inc. for $250.00

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-2-mckinley-political-button-marked-trans-m

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1907-abraham-lincoln-v-d-brenner-plaque-all-orig

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1-piece-autograph-letter-signed-anthony-susan-b-rochester-ny-feb-5-1885-1-p-8vo-cognate-leaf-unnamed

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/7-vintage-kennedy-president-buttons

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/collection-watches-lighters-and-political

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1904-theodore-roosevelt-political-pin-rough-rider

Political items in Worthopedia: Part I Part II Part III Part IV

This is a third in a series of identifying interesting political and historical americana items in our own Worthopedia. With over 300 auction companies providing items from past auctions and from Worthologists and individuals contributing also, there is bound to be some interesting items to review. As always the links for each item will appear collectively below.

The first item is a metal combination walking cane and horn for William McKinley’s 1896 campaign with the slogan, Patriotism-Protection-Prosperity on the handle. Auctioned by Proxibid for $400.

And since we are on walking sticks, this early one for the 1888 campaign of Grover Cleveland and Allen Thurman with an outstretched hand of friendship, “Compliments of A. W. Scott to William Hunt, Jeweler Main Street, Uniontown, PA.” Auctioned by Freeman’s for $850.

And since we are talking about Grover Cleveland, a scarf for the campaign of 1892 was issued with images of Cleveland and Vice Presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson with the slogan “Public Office is a Trust.” Sold by Proxibid for $90.

A ‘Crystlegraph Paperweight’ shows both President Theodore Roosevelt and Vice President Charles Fairbanks within a heavy, clear glass setting giving them a 3-D look. Auctioned by Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers for $40.

If you are somebody in Washington and you know it, show your license plate (clap clap). It’s easier to do when you show this batch of 1940s and 1950s official inaugural and official Congressional aide metal license plates around. Auctioned by Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers for $190.

Lastly, a group of John F. Kennedy political campaign pins, including the large flasher button that flashes on Kennedy then on a slogan. Auctioned by Proxibid for $85.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/political-cane-president-william-mckinley-189

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/carved-and-painted-political-walking-stick-pennsylvania-1888-handle-carved-extended-hand-and-inscription

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1892-political-campaign-scarf

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/political-crystlegraph-paperweight-heron

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ten-political-license-plates1940s-50s

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/7-vintage-kennedy-president-buttons

Political items in Worthopedia: Part I Part II Part III Part IV

This is a fourth in a series of identifying interesting political and historical americana items in our own Worthopedia. With over 300 auction companies providing items from past auctions and from Worthologists and individuals contributing also, there is bound to be some interesting items to review. As always the links for each item will appear collectively below.

We’re starting off with a very colorful, hand embroidered set of flags of American Allies that includes a photo of President Theodore Roosevelt. The empty space in the center was traditionally reserved for a photo of a serviceman who would then send it home. Auctioned by Freeman’s, but didn’t sell.

Couldn’t help including this bronze plaque featuring a profile of President Theodore Roosevelt by the American artist James Earle Fraser about 1920. Auctioned by Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers for $225

Always fun is a collection of 17 political buttons from Richard Nixon to Ross Perot to George Wallace. There is a button here to satisfy any political persuasion. Auctioned by Proxibid for a total of $17.

Since it’s springtime, how about a baseball autographed by President Ronald Reagan formerly owned by a former Secret Service agent. Auctioned by Proxibid for $110.

Well, why not, how about a nice baseball autographed by President Jimmy Carter owned by the same former Secret Service agent. This way we’ll create our own bipartisan spirit in the name of sports. Auctioned by Proxibid for only $60. So much for bipartisanship.

This is a very nice pitcher featuring the image of President George Washington on one side and Benjamin Franklin on the other. That’s an unusual coupling. It is listed by Freeman’s as a reproduction so that may be why it didn’t sell.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/silk-embroidered-patriotic-picture-asia-circa-1908-m-made-american-market-worked-silk-and-metallic-threads-showing

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/james-earle-fraser-american-18761953-bronze

http://www.worthpoint.com/files/pb/1374/5675/93.jpg

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ronald-reagan-autographed-baseball-0

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/jimmy-carter-autographed-baseball-0

http://www.worthpoint.com/files/freeman/full/527/502527.jpg

Political items in Worthopedia: Part I Part II Part III

To advertise your bread, laundry powder or clothing shop, perhaps you could include an image of Hillary Clinton or John McCain and an American flag in the background. If even bad publicity is good publicity, you’ll certainly get noticed all right, by the press and by the summons.

Yet, that is exactly what was natural in the latter part of the 19th century. Merchants would routinely issue trade cards, the size of baseball cards or postcards, with their advertisement clearly visible right next to the presidential candidates (or their particular choice) seeming to ‘endorse’ their product.

The one above shows the general election of 1888 featuring Grover Cleveland and his running mate Allan Thurman for the Democratic Party and Benjamin Harrison and Levi P. Morton for the Republican Party. The flag of the United States, I thought, was a particularly nice touch. Brought to you by: “F. & M. Herbs, Manufacturers of Tobacco, Cigars and Snuff.” Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Harrison and Morton won, by the way, even though Cleveland received the most popular votes. Sound familiar?

If you needed new suspenders, you’ll likely want the new improved President Suspender because the 1896 candidates for president William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan were being introduced to the new version by Miss Liberty herself. See what I mean about the patriotic themes of these cards.

Quite a few were even ‘mechanicals’ with moving parts or ‘metamorphic’ where you can change from one candidate to another with a simple fold of the card. The latter cards are the most collectible with the former cards the most common. Values will range from $10 through $100 for the mechanicals.

It is important to note that none of the candidates were approached nor did they give approval for their images to be used in any of these advertising cards.

While sounding crass to us now, it was a way to get the voters involved in the political process. And it worked. Without the 24/7 news cycles on the internet and CNN, folks were hard pressed to know who was running for president or even what they looked like. Torch light parades, huge banners, “speechifyin’” on a hay wagon, and colorful trading cards were probably the same as the sample ballot might be from your local political organization or the League of Women Voters, without the advertising of course.

But then, how much of the 24/7 news cycle is actually worth collecting these days? Exactly.

Sometimes you’re remembered for only one thing even though you’ve done so much more. We know Clifford Berryman as having created a bear named for President Theodore Roosevelt. Yep, the teddy bear.

The teddy bear was introduced as a character in a story about President Roosevelt declining to shoot an old bear. Berryman changed it to a young bear in an editorial cartoon for the Washington Post on November 16, 1902. It’s been a toy ever since.

Starting this month and continuing through August 17th, the National Archives in Washington, D.C. features “Running for Office”, a collection of 44 recently unearthed original drawings of the political cartoonist, Clifford Berryman. It is a look back to a ‘simpler’ time of gentle teasing from his beginning as a cartoonist in 1891 until his death in 1949 at the old Washington Star newspaper. In all he must have drawn nearly 15,000 cartoons in his lifetime, not all of them political.

He knew all the presidents from Grover Cleveland to Harry Truman. His favorite was to draw the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant in the clothes of the era as they made their respective points on taxes, votes, and issues of the day. The Progressive Party symbol was a bedraggled goat, the regular voter was always John Q. Public looking utterly confused. All in all, his work was important and influential enough to have won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1944.

But it was a bear cub that sealed his fate in our national consciousness. It humanized Theodore Roosevelt and brought utter joy to millions of children from then on. Not a bad legacy all around.

Read more about the National Archives exhibit at:

http://www.archives.gov/press/press-kits/berryman-cartoons/

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.

In 1972, the American Oil Company reproduced historic political campaign buttons with the history of the candidate on a card and gave them away as premiums to its gas station customers. They featured buttons from the 1896 campaign of William Jennings Bryan through the 1968 presidential campaign.

These buttons were marked as reproductions but when placed in a faux wooden frame, a novice would have a hard time determining their individual value. The customer would assume that the buttons were authentic with a high collectible value. They, unfortunately, are more decorative than collectible.

There was a complete set of 38 buttons attached to a cardboard card telling the customer the history of the candidate. Each button featured “A-O 1972 #” and the number of the button from 1 to 38. None of the buttons have the plastic covering over the button that the real ones would have, but instead are solid metal.

Additionally in 1968, the Kleenex Corporation issued a series of 15 political button reproductions that featured the name “Kleenex 68″ along the rim of each of the button reproductions. None of the buttons have the plastic covering over the button as the original buttons would have.

All of the above political button reproductions come in a faux wooden frame with paper backing.

I’m sure there are other similar political product premiums given away by major corporations at one time or another. Let us know what they are.

Just so everyone can keep track, I include a complete official primary and caucus season for the 2008 presidential election cycle.

Date State Primary/Caucus/Convention

Jan 3 Iowa caucus
Jan 5 Wyoming (R) convention
Jan 8 New Hampshire primary
Jan 15 Michigan primary
Jan 19 Nevada caucus
Jan 19 South Carolina (R) primary
Jan 26 South Carolina (D) primary
Jan 29 Florida primary
Feb 1 Maine (R) caucus
Feb 5 Alabama primary
Feb 5 Alaska caucus
Feb 5 Arizona primary
Feb 5 Arkansas primary
Feb 5 California primary
Feb 5 Colorado caucus
Feb 5 Connecticut primary
Feb 5 Delaware primary
Feb 5 Georgia primary
Feb 5 Idaho (D caucus
Feb 5 Illinois primary
Feb 5 Kansas (D) caucus
Feb 5 Massachusetts primary
Feb 5 Minnesota caucus
Feb 5 Missouri primary
Feb 5 New Jersey primary
Feb 5 New Mexico (D) primary
Feb 5 New York primary
Feb 5 North Dakota caucus
Feb 5 Oklahoma primary
Feb 5 Tennessee primary
Feb 5 Utah primary
Feb 9 Louisiana primary (D) & caucus (R)
Feb 9 Kansas (R) caucus
Feb 10 Maine (D) caucus
Feb 12 District of Columbia caucus (D) & primary (R)
Feb 12 Maryland primary
Feb 12 Virginia primary
Feb 19 Hawaii (D)* caucus
Feb 19 Washington caucus
Feb 19 Wisconsin primary
Mar 4 Ohio primary
Mar 4 Rhode Island primary
Mar 4 Texas primary
Mar 4 Vermont primary
Mar 8 Wyoming (D) caucus
Mar 11 Mississippi primary
Apr 22 Pennsylvania primary
May 6 Indiana primary
May 6 North Carolina primary
May 13 Nebraska caucus (D) & primary (R)
May 13 West Virginia primary (D) & state convention (R)
May 20 Kentucky primary
May 20 Oregon primary
May 27 Idaho (R) primary
June 3 Montana primary (D) & caucus (R)
June 3 New Mexico (R) primary
June 3 South Dakota primary

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.