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How to Store Political Buttons

Political buttons have been a facet of U.S. life since the mid-19th Century. As a form of political advertising, their use took of in the 1890s with the invention of a process to mass produce the pins using celluloid and lithographed paper. There are a few styles of manufacture and subsequent technological advances have introduced new materials, each of which faces some danger of damage. In general, buttons are susceptible to damage from physical contact, sunlight, moisture and temperature fluctuations. Celluloid buttons from the 1890s have the most stringent care requirements. Caring for all buttons as if they were from this period will help preserve your entire collection, no matter when they were made. Mint condition buttons are significantly more valuable to collectors than those with damage.

Instructions

- 1
  Separate your buttons. If you recently found your great-grandfather's collection stuffed in a pillowcase in an old attic, the first thing you should do is separate them from one another. No matter how they are found, buttons stored in a big jumble can scratch one another. Gently remove them from a container and place them on a table or board, temporarily lined with tissue paper, so they do not come in contact with one another.
- 2
  Sort and identify your buttons. You will need to know what buttons you have in order to make competent decisions about where and how to store them and which are made of materials that face the most risk of damage. The American Political Items Collectors organization offers an encyclopedia of political buttons through its website. Other resources may be found at your local library. The plastic on buttons from the 1890s is susceptible to damage from sunlight.
- 3
  Place buttons on a lined tray. Place the buttons on a tray lined with a polyester or polyethylene sheets. Buttons should lie flat in the tray. Celluloid buttons -- those from the 1890s -- should not come into contact with buffed materials, which may contain chemicals that accelerate deterioration.
- 4
  Place tray in a drawer or case. Museums and serious conservationists may store trays of buttons in a drawer to shield them from constant sunlight. Many collectors however, may prefer a case with a glass top that will allow visitors to their homes to view their prized collections. When choosing a case, avoid woods that are high in acids. These, too, may damage celluloid. Store the tray and the box in an area that does not have frequent temperature changes, changes in humidity or direct sunlight. If your home is air-conditioned, the humidity will stay relatively low and the temperature steady.

Collecting Memorabilia