What old newspapers offer...

OLD NEWSPAPER REPORTS--even in the New York Times--on the  Titanic, death of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln & other leaders in history, Civil War & Revolutionary War battles, can be found.  But be selective in what you purchase. Some have a greater collector value than others Here are some hints:

* One of the great aspects of collecting historic newspapers is that virtually any event in world history of the last 350 years can be found in a newspaper. Looking for a report of the Great London Fire of 1666? The French & Indian War? The Revolutionary War? Newsy reports on George Washington, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, or any famous name in world history? Civil War battles? Custer's massacre? The gangster era? The Stock Market crash? All made headlines in newspapers of the day and can be purchased.

But keep in mind the "desirability ranking" of any newspaper or event being considered for purchase.

* The priority list for historic events can vary by the collector but in general these are the top wants:

1. A front page report, preferably a large, displayable headline if a 20th century event (17th through 19th century newspapers rarely or never had large headlines)

2. A newspaper from close to where the event happened, ideally a newspaper from the actual city where it happened. Example: A Dallas newspaper reporting John F. Kennedy's assassination is much more desirable than a newspaper from Chicago with the same date and coverage.

3. A report from as close, in date, to when the event happened. A printing of the Declaration of Independence in a newspaper dated July 6, 1776 would be far more desirable than an issue dated July 28, 1776.

4. Condition. Newspapers should be complete with all pages (not just the front page) to maintain best desirability, and should have limited damage or wear. The worse the condition, the less desirable the newspaper.


* Buying an old newspaper for reports on Washington, Lincoln, the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, baseball news, the gangster era, or other historic event in American history? Look beyond the headline for a treasure-trove of curious reading....

Old newspapers are almost an unknown collectible. Few people are aware that newspapers are even available from one hundred or more years ago when in fact they can be had as far back as the mid-1600's, and at prices much less than would be expected.

Significant or historic content are not needed for an old newspaper to be enjoyed. Any issue of 100 years or older offers a wealth of fascinating, curious, and often comical tidbits from our past.

Reading the advertisements can be as entertaining as the news reports. Notices of stray cows and pigs found on the streets of Manhattan seem bizarre today but were common in the 18th century. Detailed reward ads for runaway slaves give evidence of an era before the Civil War when such were commonplace. Notices of people arriving on the daily stage, including names & cities of origin, seem quaint today but were news-worthy then. Prices for products of the 1800's seem astounding by today's measure & include products not even found today.

Any "generic" newspaper from the last century can provide hours of entertaining reading, and short of time-travel, provide the best means of experiencing life in an different era. It is no stretch to say that reading an old newspaper is holding history in your hands, literally.

When buying an early newspaper, look beyond the account of Washington during the Revolutionary War, or Grant in the Civil War, and enjoy the ads and curiosities buried in the back of the issue--they can be more entertaining than the front page headlines. And often little gems of history are found buried on an inside page, undiscovered by others bit waiting to be found by the curious reader!

What could be a more unique gift for the student of history?