One of our great pleasures is to help people determine the value of their family's political collectibles and assisst them in selling items from estates and collections. We've been doing this for over 43 years and it certainly is a passion. But sometimes there are items that famlies have saved for years - even decades - that just don't have significant value. In those instances we often recommend that that familiies consider the following options. Of course, before considering these options it is best to first determine whether any of the items do have value. It is quite common that items people feel have great value have just limited value, and items that families believe probalby have no value turn out to have significant value. So the first rule of thumb is ALWAYS check first.  Three ways to consider the disposal of political collectibles and campaign items
  1. Contact a reputable political collectibles dealer to first determine the value of your items.
  2. Vintage political collectibles such as campaign, inaugural  and ephemera (paper items) can be a superb way of teaching children about American political history. Donating the items to a local school can be an invaluable teaching tool for teachers in your local schools.
  3. Consider donating the items to a local university library or museum. Again, they can be an excellent teaching tool and a way of preserving American political history. In some instances the donation may be tax deductible.
A few things to consider before donating your items:
  1. University libraries and museums tend to focus on large collections and more valuable items only
  2. Be sure to ask what the university or museum plans to do with the collection. In many instances the items may simply be accepted and then stored in a warehouse never to be seen again, thus defeating the purpose of sharing the items with students of history.
  3. Always consider checking the value of the items you are donating first. Don't assume they have no value. You might be surprised. Reputable dealers in political and campaign items will typically be happy to give you an idea of value.
Lori and Steve Ferber are the owners of Lori Ferber Collectibles, one of the leading dealers and collectors of political and campaign memorabilia in the country. They have been offering free opinions of value of political collectibles for over 43 years. They can be reached thru their website at www.loriferber.com