Many of us can recall having to prepare a "Current Events" assignment as part of our regular homework in school. The guidelines were simple: news articles regarding criminal activities (especially murder) were not allowed, and sports events could only be used as a secondary item. The goal was to make us aware of what was happening around us. But there was a secondary lesson, that although not intended had a more lasting effect: newspapers provided factual and unbiased information. As we grew older, we slowly learned that this was hardly ever the case.

Unlike today, when news is released almost as it happens on the web, back in the late 18th and early 19^th Centuries many newspapers were printed on a weekly basis and filled a scant four pages. It could have taken up to another week before the latest news hit your doorstep if you lived far from a center of commerce. Newspapers would regularly include both classified ads specific to a local immediate audience, as well as national news and government policies. It was likely that a single copy would be read by multiple people, each person focusing on what was most important to him. When reading a centuries-old paper you are witness to history not as it was intended for an individual, but as it was being presented to a large audience. You are reading the "facts" as they were believed and experienced by the general population.

It is impossible to pick up a newspaper from any period and not find a story or advertising that appeals to your imagination. The dramatic language used to describe the mood in Washington on the eve President Lincoln's assassination would make today's "serious" journalists cringe: "Men, women and children, old and young, rushed to and fro, and the rumors were magnified until we had nearly all the Members of the Cabinet killed." Later in the article Senator Sumner is described as "sobbing like a woman" and Edward Stanton is quoted as having said, "Oh no, General: no - no," before collapsing in tears upon learning that Lincoln would not live through the night (The New York Herald, April 15, 1865). This edition remains one of the most collectible of newspapers for Lincoln collectors. In fact, the demand for this newspaper has always been so high that it has been reprinted on many occasions (the Library of Congress has an Information Circular on identifying these reprints). The importance of the event for the American population was such that many people carefully stored their copy, so it is not a terribly scarce item. Additionally, there is no information contained that cannot be obtained in some other fashion. What drives the demand for this particular edition is the flavor of the moment that is captured, and the portrayal of the experience of the general population.

The most widely reproduced newspaper is the January 4, 1800, edition of the Ulster County Gazette announcing the death of George Washington. Re-published in 1825 by the original publisher, it is believed to have been the earliest instance of a newspaper re-print. This announcement of Washington's death is not unique in any fashion, but for some unknown reason, this edition of the Ulster County Gazette has become the holy grail of newspaper collecting. It has been reproduced countless times, and to date there are only two known original copies (located in the Library of Congress and the second copy by the American Antiquarian Society) [Leonard Rapport, "Fakes and Facsimiles: Problems of Identification"]. Should a third one ever appear at auction, it would be near impossible to estimate for value. In a market driven by rarity, its widely held regard would land it in the upper stratospheres of auction prices.

Period newspapers are also a way to collect important manuscripts. What better way (in fact, the only way) to own a true contemporary copy of the Declaration of Independence? Keep in mind that Peter Force's very desirable printing was not done until 1833. The contents of the Declaration were printed for wide release in various newspapers throughout the colonies just days after its signing. Other important early documents you can find in this media include: the Bill of Rights, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, and almost any early act of Congress. Additionally, newspapers provide information about how these documents were presented (and accepted) by the general public.

By their very nature, newspapers are not unique. Prices can vary according to immediacy of the events, location of the printing, and condition. The July 6, 1776, edition of Pennsylvania Evening Post containing the first printing of the Declaration can sell for upwards of $350,000. An early August printing included in the London publication The General Magazine sells for a more modest $2,000.

Newspapers span many collecting interests and can be found in all of our Historical venues. Newspapers with maps describing Civil War battles can be found in our Militaria auctions; editions describing the fall of the Alamo are a perfect fit for our Texana venues. A simple search for "newspaper" in any of our upcoming auctions will likely yield interesting results. You may not get the latest news, but you will certainly pick up new insights about our history.