What Sells: Historic Memorabilia
Historical Memorabilia
Historical memorabilia tends to be dominated by a wide range of pop culture and
culturally or politically symbolic items. In general, the older and rarer an item
is, the more valuable it is; although age alone will not guarantee an item will
be valuable.
What Sells
Some of the most popular historical items include:
- Amusement park rides, signs and souvenirs
- Old photographs, newspapers and magazines
- Political memorabilia (campaign pins and posters, convention souvenirs, personal
belongings and autographs, etc.)
- Flags, jewelry and uniforms from fraternal groups like the Masons or the Odd Fellows
- Royal memorabilia
- Space exploration items (equipment, uniforms and astronauts’ personal items)
- World’s Fair souvenirs
Authenticity is very important, as many historically significant items have been
counterfeited, so consider having an item appraised by an expert. To find an appraiser
who specializes in your item, contact the American Society of Appraisers. Visit
the website at http://www.appraisers.org.
Online Marketplace Restrictions
Online marketplaces usually prohibit the sale of certain types of historical items:
- Items related to organizations that promote hatred, such as the KKK
- Personal items that belonged to criminals, or items that were used to commit crimes
or used as evidence in criminal proceedings
- Law enforcement badges that resemble current badges
Most online marketplaces allow the following:
- Books, photographs and videos about criminals and criminal behavior
- Items of historical importance associated with acts of violence against a public
figure (e.g., a book about the assassination of JFK)
- “Black Americana” items (vintage housewares and advertisements) with derogatory
depictions of African-Americans. Many people find these offensive, yet they are
often quite valuable; Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby and Whoopi Goldberg all collect
Black Americana
- U.S. passports that were issued more than 20 years ago and are now expired
- Historical law enforcement badges that do not resemble current badges, as well as
toy badges
- Police uniforms that are obsolete and do not resemble current issue police uniforms
(this fact must be clearly stated within the listing)
- Vehicle license plates that are at least five years old
- Vintage uniforms and accessories from the airline, train and subway industries so
long as they’re at least 10 years old, no longer used by the airline/railroad/subway
system, and don’t resemble current uniforms
- Manuals or other materials related to mass commercial public transportation (e.g.,
safety or operations manuals for commercial aircraft, buses, trains or subways)
that are obsolete and being sold for their collectible/historical value
Research Resources
You may wish to include background information about an event or historical figure
in your listing. If you do this, keep the information brief, and don’t include excerpts
from books, websites or other online listings without providing attribution to the
author of the text and the source.
The following websites can help you identify historical events and figures: http://www.encyclopedia.com/ and http://www.wikipedia.org/.
When to Sell
Timeliness can be an important factor in selling historical memorabilia; some items
will fetch higher prices when they’re sold near the anniversary of a particular
event, or when the person in them is in the news or has died. This isn’t true of
all historical items, however, so be certain to do your research before finalizing
the timing of a listing.
Condition
Note these signs of age and use in your listing:
- Torn, ripped, creased or yellowed paper
- Fading and discoloration
- Chips, cracks and “crazing” (a web-like network of tiny, delicate cracks in the
glaze)
- Writing and other marks on paper
- Missing or broken parts
- Odors (especially cigarette smoke) mold and mildew (items stored in damp basements
often acquire a musty smell)
Key Details
Include these details in your listing:
- Name(s) of people, places or things associated with the item
- Description of the item (newspaper, photograph, uniform, etc.)
- Age (if known)
- Certificate of Authenticity (if included)
Storage and Shipping
Old items are often very delicate, and should be handled carefully. Paper in particular
becomes brittle with age, so protect it with an acid-free backing and clear poly
bag, and keep it out of sunlight and away from heat sources.
Store items in a well-ventilated room, away from children, pets, smoke and cooking
odors. Don’t place an item next to heating vents or air conditioners, either, since
temperature/humidity changes can cause damage.
If an item includes a case, place the item in the case, pack the case in bubble
wrap and place it into a bed of packing peanuts for shipment.
The size and delicacy of a collectible can require special shipping. It’s best to
determine the shipping method in advance and to include an estimate of the total
shipping cost in your listing.
