How to Collect Presidential Campaign Buttons

Visit campaign headquarters of major party candidates in major cities. Best of all are the hotly contested battleground, or "purple," states. Candidates often set up their main headquarters in their home states, where you'll have first crack at the best items, and the biggest variety. Visit cities hosting major party conventions for a bonanza of buttons. Even if you can't access the convention itself, hotels hosting delegates usually welcome merchandisers with tables chock full of buttons. Candidate appearances are also fertile territory.

During nonelection years, supplement your collection with older items, many of them surprisingly inexpensive. Visit antique stores and flea markets. Join an organization with other political collectors, where you can learn from and trade with others.

Visit early primary or caucus states such as New Hampshire and Iowa, where you can acquire a wide variety of buttons. Not all headquarters have buttons all the time, so multiple trips may be required. Items for runners-up are not as sought after or valuable as those of nominees, but they're fun to collect for hardcore political junkies.