American Political Items Collectors - 1Earth Antiques and Appraisals Magazine

"All politics is local," was the axiom popularized by former House Speaker Tip O'Neil — but for members of the American Political Items Collectors Club a better axiom might be, "all politics is collectible."
Political campaign buttons are one type of collectible sought after by APIC members	The 55-year-old club is a great forum for buying and selling everything from political campaign buttons to politician's autographs. Turns out, even old ballots are collectible.
But having a forum to swap buttons isn't the only reason folks join, says club member Stephen Cresswell. Many members use the club as a resource for trade information and research. "I suppose most hobbies make this claim, but with APIC we genuinely do have folks from all walks of life," says Cresswell, who is also a history professor and dealer of political memorabilia. "Teachers, antique dealers, doctors and lawyers, postal workers, Teamstersmany were politically active as kids or teens," Cresswell says. "They began collecting as they worked on campaigns as Young Democrats or Young Republicans. Others remember the neat pins that dad or grandma had."
	All of those neat pins (and canes, suspenders, glassware, autographs, bonds, ribbons, ballots, and more) can be found at any one of the group's several conventions around the country.
But unlike some of the infamous political party conventions of the past, scandals at collectors' conventions are uncommon, says Cresswell. The club has an ongoing project dedicated to teaching members how to spot phony items. "Our code of ethics makes it clear that those who cheat other members will be drummed out." The club's reputation for authenticity has paid off: it has more than 3,000 members, an internship at the Smithsonian, and subscriptions to the APIC magazine from ten major research libraries. It's also the only nation-wide organization for collectors of political memorabilia. In addition, says Cresswell, the club appeals to different levels of enthusiasts. Some members are hobbyists content with picking up a 19th-century campaign button for $30. Other members are serious collectors or dealers — on the hunt for more exclusive items, such as a black-and-white campaign button from 1924 Democratic presidential candidate John W. Davis and running mate Charles W. Bryan.
	That pin fetched $150,000 at a private sale, the highest known price ever paid for an American campaign pin. (And quite possibly more money than Davis and Bryan raised for their failed campaign.)
But perhaps the club's most telling feature is its "big tent" approach. Political affiliations — Republican, Democrat, etc. — are tossed out the window, and only one label matters — collector. Osama bin Laden - Niccolo Machiavelli - The Prince - The Art of War - Machievelli - General George Patton - US Third Army - General H. Norman Schwarzkopf autobiography - Stormin Norman - The Space Race to the Moon between the USSR and the USA - President Richard Nixon - George Washington - General & First U.S. President - American Revolution For more information on the American Political Items Collectors, go to http://www.collectors.org/apic/ or write to APIC Secretary Treasurer Joseph Hayes, P.O. Box 1149, Cibolo, TX 78108