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.

Two experienced duffers are pictured here. Both hard at work with handicaps and friendship. One, of course, is Bob Hope who always seemed to have a golf club no matter where in the world he was. The other, former president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, playing to the stands as always. Together, they make a great team at a golf tournament in Dublin, Ohio. The inscription is dedicated to a mutual friend and signed by both Bob Hope and Jerry Ford. What was the final auction value for this unique photo as sold by Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles in 2005?

A. $260
B. $460
C. $360

Presidents come and go individually, but it is quite rare for current and past presidents to travel together. In this photo, former presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter were chosen to represent the United States at the funeral of the assassinated president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat. Afterward, they all posed with Ronald Reagan, president at the time. While it is unusual for former and current presidents to be together, it is also extremely rare to have them all sign one document or photo. Therefore, this signed photo of the four presidents given to Bob Hope (Lot #106) has a unique historical value. Julien’s has estimated the value at $1,000-$1,500.

Daron Clinesmith is a postman in El Dorado, Kan. Nothing unusual about that. But years ago, before he retired from the United States Air Force, Daron spent three-and-a-half years helping protect the most famous airplane in the world: Air Force One.

Daron joined the Air Force in the early 1980s and was immediately assigned to Point Mugu Naval Air Station in California, near Ronald Reagan’s Western White House at Rancho del Cielo.During his tour of duty with Air Force One, Daron got to know President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan. And he found time to put together a collection of Air Force One memorabilia, everything from matchbooks and playing cards to candy jars filled with the president’s famous jelly beans, models of Air Force One and a framed photograph of Air Force One signed by every president from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton.

But Daron’s most-treasured collectible is a photo taken at the U.S. Air Force base in Bitburg, Germany, on May 5, 1985. President and Mrs. Reagan were stepping onto the tarmac to greet German Chancellor Helmut Kohl when they spotted Daron at the foot of the ramp. In uniform, Daron instinctively saluted the president. Reagan flashed his famous smile and returned Daron’s salute. As it happened (and of course nothing happens by accident), one of Daron’s Air Force buddies who was standing nearby, captured the moment on film.

Reagan’s salute

Now a photograph of that presidential salute hangs in the cabin of the replica Air Force One that is on display at the American Presidential Experience in Denver, which is being co-sponsored by WorthPoint. Daron takes time off from his current civilian job whenever the American Presidential Experience goes on tour and relives his days on Air Force One.

Daron on the Air Force One replica

Daron eventually retired from the Air Force and returned to his hometown in Kansas where he went to work delivering mail for the United States Postal Service. But that moment in Bitburg, Germany, almost a quarter century ago, provided Daron with his own very special American Presidential Experience.

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When speaking of the charms of the president of the United States, it is usually more of a warm feeling than a physical item. But, no, I am referring to the small commemorative item worn on a bracelet. For a while, presidents gave these out as well as cuff links and tie bars.

The examples of charms I have go back to the Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan eras.

For example, the charm featuring both Lyndon Johnson and John F. Kennedy was given out in both gold and silver plated versions at the Inaugural Ball on January 20, 1961. By tradition, the inaugural medal of a first term president doesn’t feature the vice president. Lyndon Johnson, a newly elected vice president, didn’t like that and insisted, as only he could, that he be featured as well. Finally, the story goes, he compromised by having these charms issued with both his and Kennedy’s profiles on the obverse and distributed at the Inaugural balls.

The second version of charms I have are actually official gifts given by President Richard Nixon while in office. One charm is silver and the other is 10k gold plated. They may have been presented in a presentation box, but have since been separated.

President Ronald Reagan made a charm with a charm bracelet available for sale for his Inauguration in 1985. This may be the only time a charm with bracelet was offered as part of the official Inaugural gift catalog.

There must be others. Perhaps you can help identify other presidential charms?