Political Campaign ButtonsActually the first candidate to wear a political campaign button was George Washington, but it wasn't actually to get the word out about his candidacy or boost his popularity, since he first wore it in 1789 at his inauguration! These first pins were brass clothing buttons with the names of candidates like George Washington and Andrew Jackson molded or engraved on the reverse side of the button. It wasn't until 1860 that presidential campaign buttons began to evolve into the popular collectible we recognize them today, with pictures of the candidates on the front rather than a quiet endorsement on the reverse. They didn't have pin backs like the ones we know today, instead they were made of a metal ring surrounding a round tintype picture that dangled from a ribbon on the lapel or collar. Pin backed political campaign buttons didn't appear until the end of the 19th century, during the McKinley-Bryan election. Some collectors will limit their collections to one type of button, such as local government elections, or one political party that they favor. Others don't limit themselves and collect pins based on their personal preferences or favorite designs, which often leads to collections that have hundreds or even thousands of political campaign buttons. So, how do folks get started collecting, anyway? Many begin during an important campaign when they can easily pick up all kinds of different buttons for free, while others get started when they find a supply of antique or vintage buttons in the attic or garage. Any way you slice it, though, they all have one thing in common; a love of history and a fascination with political memorabilia. If you're just starting out with a collection, there are plenty of places where you can get buttons to add to your collection. Online auctions offer more buttons than it would ever be possible to buy in one lifetime, while stores online that specialize in political memorabilia are popping up everywhere. State and National party conventions are one of the best places to get presidential campaign buttons, and there are always other enthusiasts there who are more than willing to trade buttons with you. A good idea for beginning and seasoned collectors alike is to grab more than one of each political campaign button available if you can, since it can be quite an advantage later in your collecting career to have extras if you want to trade for other buttons of similar value. Be sure to take good care of your buttons, and do all you can to keep them in the same condition as when you bought or acquired them. The quality of your pieces can make or break the value of your collection, and any scratches, fading of colors or dents can severely diminish the value of a political campaign button. If you're planning on selling your collection eventually, be sure to do your homework and see what other buttons of that type and era look like to judge whether or not your buttons are in "excellent" condition or simply "fair." Today, political campaign buttons are everywhere. Even teenagers running for student body president can have a button created for their campaign, which just goes to show how important they have become to society. In an election year, it's impossible to turn a corner without seeing at least one or two presidential campaign buttons on different people, and the number of designs available are endless. While it suffered a slight decline in the 1980's, political campaign button collecting is more popular than ever now and can be a lot of fun for everyone from kids to adults and everyone in between. |