Barack Obama Inauguration Souvenir Collectors Guide
The inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States is indeed a historic event but, what Barack Obama souvenirs will be worth collecting in the long term? Which Obama memorabilia items are going to be worth something in 30-50 years and which are going to be duds? There is no shortage of Barack Obama Presidential inauguration products on the market. Some are standard souvenirs while others are just plain wacky. In this buyers guide, we’ll take a look at which items, in my estimation, will retain some value.
Guide Continued Below…
First of all, I recommend hanging on to the standard Presidential campaign paraphernalia like official Obama campaign buttons and Obama campaign posters. These have always been popular with collectors of Presidential memorabilia. A good Obama button collection would include examples from the primary as well as the general election. It’s also good, for completeness sake, to add in buttons from organizations that supported Obama, such as those from MoveOn, since they also capture the essence of the campaign. Adding in related posters, such as those by Shepard Fairey, lapel stickers, bumper stickers and other official and semi-official Obama campaign trinkets will give you a well rounded collection that you can maintain as a keepsake for many years that will also maintain some resell value if you want.
What about Barack Obama coins and coin sets? Are they going to be collectible? My guess is that while they’ll have some value, primarily for their precious metal value, they won’t have much value beyond that. There are a lot of these coin sets out on the market and while some of them look quite nice, don’t expect any significant appreciation on them. The same is probably true as well for Obama commemorative plates and other mass produced collectibles.
Obama clothing items have been quite interesting. Aside from the ubiquitous T-shirts and ball caps there have been Obama pajamas (’Ojamas’), Obama ties and even Obama thongs. Pretty much any clothing item that can be made with a picture of Obama on it has been made to sell to the souvenir hungry crowds around the US and the world. But, will these Obama clothes have any collectible value? My take is that official Obama campaign clothing will have some value while most of the other, unofficial, ordinary clothing items won’t have much value because there’s so much of it. However, it is possible that some of the wackier Obama clothing will have some novelty value due to its uniqueness.
Obama bobbleheads are popular with supporters as are Obama action figures. There’s even an animatronic Obama that will dance to tunes from your iPod. Will these have collector value? Maybe, however they’re like any other mass produced commemorative item and, given the popularity of them, they will have to be rather unique and well built to hold much value.
Inauguration day newspapers and magazines have always been popular Presidential collectibles and this year, with many publishers putting out special Obama editions, promises to have a wide selection available. Due to the heavy circulation and popularity, these won’t be rare but having a good collection as a whole might be of value. I would especially keep an eye out for the Obama Spiderman comic if you want a well rounded magazine and newspaper collection.
One item that I’ll single out with collectible potential is the Rand McNally “fabMAP”, a cloth map with the Obama inauguration parade route on one side and Obama’s likeness above the Capitol building on the reserve side. This kind of unique, timely and relatively lightly distributed souvenir item is one that may increase in value.
Beyond this, there are literally thousands of other Obama merchandise items being offered. If you’re looking for collectibility, look for official items, quality items, unique items and lightly distributed items. This will help insure that you get the most value for your dollar on Obama souvenirs.
Frank
There is no doubt that anything related to Barack Obama’s rise to presidential fame and success will be a collectible.
People are collecting any merchandise that is connected to our president elect from any past Obama connection.
Wow.. the auction is on the while the President in the house. I hope the price will shoot up soon.
wah, what a complete list of product and prize hehe. I don’t know whether Obama’s souvenirs have come into my country, but I still can’t get it one. maybe I’ll try to find it on ebay
Frank, I must say that the business community can really think of many things to exploit any situation. Here is a list of what I can say, are classic rubbish that will cost a great deal, and if I can believe you, add value as time passes.
I think a lot of these souveniers aren’t going to be worth much more than the original price, except for maybe campaign buttons or psoters. Clothing, I definitely don’t see going up in value.
Haha, so true. Still, people try anything to see if they can make money and this is just one more way to do it. But yea, I don’t expect much from these.
It’s amazing just how crazy people are over Obama. I think he’s great but he’s not a god. People ought to calm down a bit.
I agree only posters, pins, maybe some pictures will hold any monetary value but they may hold much sentimental value.
ohh..interesting things related to Obama. gr8
I think Barack Obama souvenirs will be popular for - ohh I dunno about 8 years? Or maybe he will be a transformational President and them Obama memorabilia will be hot, hot hot! At least he looks good - particularly Barack Obama without a shirt is good look
I voted for him…
He almost did nothing until now!
I give him 6/10 and would hope to improve this number in the near future.
Brooke
I reckon the inauguration memorabilia will be one that will have both monetary and sentimental values where as the Obama souvenir will somehow lose its novelty when the dust settles…
Been sometime since you blogged Frank! What is the matter?
Hi Nicole,
Nothing’s the matter but thanks for asking.
I have dozens of sites so I have to spread myself pretty thin these days. Since I wrote this post I’ve started 5 blogs on niche topics. Thanks to the search traffic I’ve built up by posting on interesting and topical topics like the Obama inauguration though I haven’t seen any decline in visitors.
Good. I was beginning to worry :-)!
I for one have no intention of stopping to drop by and checking for new posts. Hope to see some soon.
Yup, with every great moment in history, there will be sovenirs of that time that will be rated as collectors items in the near future.
Great list you’ve made, I’ll get the dvd and news paper (Globe) with the front page special on his inauguration.
They know very well how to make money…I’m sure there will be a lot of people want to be collectors of those stuff.
Since comic books often appreciate in value anyway I have high hopes for Marvel’s Spiderman Edition that featured Obama on the cover and in the storyline.
Lol this is crazy.. See what happens when you get popular!
I’m slightly scared by the mere thought of an ‘Obama thong’.
Lol some interesting gear there. How about an Obama version of Monopoly?
Ok since my first comment I have loaded up on more. Added some magazines and other trinkets. No so much for the value though. More just for fun.
I look forward to the next (hopefully
years of this administration and all of the wonderful art/collectibles that will come out.
It’s funny how contrast this is to Bush’s presidency in where 99% of everything with his picture on it was making fun of him!
Wow theres so much memorabilia out there, I wonder what it will be worth in the future
Looks like people makes a lot of money with such stuff. Although I don’t understand people who buy that =)
Lol I laughed so hard when I read about “Ojamas”. I need to get one of those fast!
Andy
lolz..Ojamas looks similar to Pajamas..
I wonder if Obama gets any money from this, or if the companies that manufacture and make the Obama stuff have to sign some sort of deal with obama before making their product.
Hi Used Tires,
Presidents and other elected officials images are in the public domain once they take office according to current law. There’s also First Amendment usage as well that applies prior to the election. Most don’t mind anyway because it’s free publicity. There is some talk of changing the law but given the 1st it’s likely to be just talk.
Where merchants can run into trouble is in taking photos and other material that’s copyrighted by an individual, not the government, and using it in a product. There have already been some lawsuits over this.
Thanks jfc, that makes alot of sense!
Till then,
Jean
Now I’ve heard of a lot of weird and twisted things in my life, but Obama thongs, now that’s just crossing the line
I have completely different feeling about those coin sets. I think they’ll be worth something - coins are a nice collectible items and in 50-60 years they’d be surely worth a lot more than they’re worth now.
the Official “HOPE” Black Shepard Fairey Obama t-shirt is like my Che Guevarra shirt 5 years ago.
hehe, very interesting stuff about Barack Obama. I really looking forward to get one from them soon.
very interesting stuff about Barack Obama.
Is there any reason you keep the barack obama post at the top of the site? It’s getting pretty old now.
Hi Creative,
Yes, I do need to do another feature level article. I try to do one feature post a month but I’ve been busy with some other projects recently. Maybe I’ll get a new feature up this weekend.
That makes sense. Well, I’ll be waiting for the next one!
jfc, what’s the status here? The months are coming and going and nothing
Every President has the same so it’s no different.
For me, Barack Obama will be a great man only if he is able to take the world out of the current economic slowdown.
Easier said than done. We’ll have to see how successful he is at this one.
I agree with the above comment, the jury is still out on Obama.
I believe that whether is is successful or not.. These collector items are just going to rise in price with the years. It would be very wise to hang on to them.
I don’t know. The problem is, do people really want this stuff? Right now, there’s an obama craze so they can try and market it, but that won’t last forever.
Wow, he was in a spider man comic?
Absolutely interesting stuff about President Obama, its result when you get much famous and success.
People almost crazy and love to Obama since his campaigning and now obama is president so usual to happen.
Did I just see the word Obama Thongs? Okay…. no comment.
I think Barack Obama’s fame and success is collectible, Community can really think of many things to exploit any situation, add value as time passes, People ought to calm down a bit, souvenir will somehow lose its novelty, I’m sure there will be a lot of people want to be collectors of those stuff
obama are so famous now, i think he can goes hollywood 10 years later after he quit the president job…
Shocking! We monetize too many things!
Obama will be in everyone’s memory because he is USA’s first black president.
And his souvenir I think will worth even more than Hollywood stars.
@Rubber Stamps - you’re right, we do monetize too much.
I think that there are times when we should leave well enough alone….
imagine in few years those souvenirs will be considered as antiquities
i guess i’ll buy a lot of them in case it gains value 
My friend is a music teacher at a high school and the principal asked him to learn “The Barack Obama Inauguration Song” - a song supposedly written just for him. Is there such a song, and if so, where can I find a recording and/or sheet music?
All over the world people know about obama. I think he became a national hero of america.
I’m going to make counterfeit Barack Obama merchandise. Obama bear traps, Obama beer goggles, Obama dishwashing detergent. Everything.
People want him to be a super hero for America in current situation, people having lot of expectation from President Obama.
I have searched a bit online, but there has been a lot of different numbers here and there. Does anyone know the true amount spent on Barack Obama’s inauguration?
Souvenir from the historic January 20, 2009 Presidential Inauguration Celebrate President Obama Presidency with this unique collectors item…
I just love the coins you can buy. Have you seen these on T.V.?
p.s Nice comment alex. Haha. Yeah I think that would sell!!
ill hold off on those until he does something noteworthy…
-Jack
Barack Obama is a fantastic president
I need an article about President Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration for my english homework to do an article summary. Nothing too long, but not too short either, maybe 3 paragraphs about.
I wonder if this blog will still be updated. I am missing those nice informative post that use to be in here.
I’ll be doing some new stuff here soon. I’ve been working on some new projects recently that have taken up my time.
Did I just see the word Obama Thongs? Okay…. no comment.=))
Obama thongs? Now that sounds practical. Does anyone know if Obama gets any commission on this stuff?
As we can see now, Barack Obama became a trend, a very powerful one.