Some folks go beyond personal events and hold on to other editions documenting tragedies or commemorating historic events. Knowing what to save when it comes to newspapers may seem like a mystery, but it doesn't have to be.
Which Newspapers Should You Save?
In general terms, saving graphic headlines depicting the type of news that has grown in importance over time might pay off. Major sports events, first announcements of war or peace, the death or assassination attempt of a world leader, and unusual tragedies all have the makings of news collectibles. Garnering a "mistake" edition, like the famous Dewey Defeats Truman issue of the Chicago Daily Tribune, would also be the pot of gold at the end of a news hunter's rainbow.
The truth is, however, most widely distributed paper items are rarely worth much monetarily until a good bit of time passes. So, if you're looking for an investment that might appreciate quickly, newspapers probably won’t fit the bill. Once some of the issues perish and become harder to find, then there's a chance they may increase in value.
For instance, do you know someone who saved a newspaper from 1963 when JFK's assassination shocked the nation, or from the beginning of World War II? How about the Sept. 11, 2001 demise of the World Trade Center?
The answer could quite easily be yes when it comes to any of these significant headlines. And since many people did save them, the value won't be quite as high as scarcer headlines in demand now for one reason or another. Of course, owning these newspapers remains important to the people who saved them for personal reasons, or perhaps a collector of presidential or military memorabilia, regardless of the current value.
Preserving the Newspapers You Save
Should you decide to keep a few papers for posterity or pleasure, keep in mind that newsprint is wood pulp in its most fragile state. Newspapers are essentially created to be disposable so taking care with them is imperative if you really want to pass them down from generation to generation or try to capitalize on your minimal investment in the future.
Columnist Wayne Mattox recommends keeping newspapers complete with one fold. In other words, the way you find them stacked on the newsstand with all sections complete for that particular day. Mattox also recommends looking for air-sealed boxes suitable for framing newspapers along with other collectors supplies aimed at protecting fragile paper items as storage possibilities.
The Library of Congress suggests on its Web site that storing newspapers in locations minimizing exposure to dampness, heat, air pollutants, dust, insects and vermin is preferable when considering conservation. Flat storage is also recommended, and wrapping the newspaper in sturdy alkaline paper is also suggested to protect fragile newsprint. You can also place alkaline tissue paper over color pages to help prevent bleed-through onto adjoining pages.
