by Dr. Lori Verderame
While Presidential campaign collectibles are always of interest on the resale market, these collectibles attract collectors in large numbers during an election year.
Cool objects associated with the race for the White House will be at the height of their popularity during the months leading up to election day. The idea of giving away objects or sending out postcards and flyers promoting a candidate are, of course, distributed to keep candidates in front of the voters’ minds. The widespread media coverage of political campaigns offers a good opportunity to sell political collectibles from past campaigns and elections too. From political bobbleheads and Presidential action figures to comical coloring books featuring politicians from President to Dog Catcher and stuffed Ty Inc. beanie babies in the form of donkeys and elephants, all types of political objects are all the rage now.
What’s hot? What’s selling? What’s all washed up? Political campaigns have rejected the idea of giving away functional item to inspire voters like buttons and signs. While these items are still available for a short time, but once the campaign ends, these collectibles are not stirring collectors’ interest. What are collectors looking for? Current political collectibles and the most creative collectibles from past campaigns. The collectible and vintage items that hold their value in the political collectibles realm and selling market both online and offline are items such as a George W. Bush jack-in-the-box, a John Kennedy /Lyndon Johnson cigarette lighter, a Mitt Romney bobblehead toy, a Bill Clinton soft plush doll, a Barack Obama action figure, a Hillary Clinton pillow with “A woman’s place is in the White House” and a Donald J. Trump coloring book, to name a few.
Looking back about a decade or so, early in the 2016 Presidential campaign in the United States, the diversity of the two Presidential candidates impacted the collectibles offered to the market. Political object collectors had many choices when it came to objects to collect from that campaign. The familiar and financially savvy face of Donald Trump impacted and in some ways, improved the ever-changing market for political collectibles. There were many collectible items produced and marketed to highlight the rare profile of the 2016 Presidential election. For instance, objects that recalled the first time a major political party, the Democratic party, selected a woman to run for President were on offer. Similarly, collectible objects relating to the career of the new Republican candidate, Donald Trump, and his party’s policies were featured in the campaign collectibles from the right side of the aisle in 2016.
In the 2020 and 2024 Presidential campaigns, Donald Trump political and presidential memorabilia expanded to include more wear-able merchandise than ever before. The expansion of merchandise sold online like t-shirts, crossbody bags, baseball caps, and more made the accessibility of political campaign collectibles even easier to acquire. This was in keeping with the abundance of items sold online in the merchandise or “merch” as it is called, category. Politics are no different. The same way collectors want a t-shirt featuring their favorite band or celebrity or cartoon character, political collectors want wearable items with the likeness of their favorite Presidential candidate and in 2024, the choice was Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald J. Trump.
Memorabilia objects, photos, artwork, video footage, statements, and slogans that chronicle Trump’s long history as an American financier, business tycoon, public figure, author, TV personality, and real estate magnate will be actively brought into the spotlight in his role in the political process.
It follows that like Trump’s legacy, Trump collectibles will be bought and sold for big bucks to those who collect in many categories including political and celebrity collectors. In a fine example of American trade, vintage collectors are contacting me to inquire about the value of their numerous and diverse Trump collectibles. Any time that public awareness increases, associated memorabilia increases in value. From Trump Tower hardware and signage to Trump Castle casino collectibles, all things Trump are all the rage.
Top 10 Donald Trump Collectibles
Some of the most valuable and unusual Trump collectibles are provided in the list below which includes objects available for the 2016 and 2020 campaigns:
1. Circa 1980 autographed photo of Donald Trump
2. TV production stills from “The Apprentice” TV show
3. $5 poker chip from the Trump Castle casino in Atlantic City
4. 1995 Trump playing poker poster “How the West was Won”
5. Trump National Golf Club tees
6. Autographed first edition of “The Art of the Deal” book written by Donald Trump
7. You’re Fired desk accessories from “The Apprentice” TV show
8. Donald Trump bobble head figurines
9. Donald Trump fashion dolls, circa 1980s, in their original packaging
10. Logo signage from Trump Tower in New York, NY
and as a bonus, number 11. MAGA (Make American Great Again) baseball caps in bright red to go along with the established colors of the Republican party
Other collectible Trump items include celebrity photographs of Donald Trump on the red carpet with various starlets, celebrities, political figures, his current wife and former First Lady Melania, and his ex-wives Ivana Trump and Marla Maples, fine artwork like Al Hirschfeld drawings of Trump with other New York socialites from the 1980s, Christmas cards from the Trump family to celebrities like Michael Jackson and Liberace, and campaign t-shirts with the 2016 campaign slogan “Make America Great Again”.
At any time when a personality gains public attention, memorabilia surrounding that person impacts the market and the objects’ market value. Over the last few decades, for many different reasons, Donald Trump has been in tune with the culture of America making memorabilia associated with him collectible and desirable. Other candidates including President Joe Biden, VP Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and others also bring political collectibles to the forefront.
Get an online appraisal for your political collectible from Dr. Lori.
