Bill Wagner of the Record Searchlight answers an reader inquiring about the value of newspapers detailing historical events, specifically sports-related in this case. Wagner says that “there just isn’t that much interest in newspapers these days,” which I’d unfortunately have to agree with. If you’re looking to sell them, that is. But I find that if you have a newspaper with something of interest or a fantastic headline, pulling it out to show a friend or colleague usually gets a good response. Unfortunately, almost everything “old” has taken on some sort of need for valuation - when in reality, it’s all about whether or not it’s important enough for you to keep it around - in a box, or hanging on the wall. My St. Louis Post-Dispatch copy from when Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run is still around (yes, I know Barry Bonds quickly broke that record), and my New York Yankees 75th Anniversary Coca-Cola is still in the fridge, somehow surviving three moves.
With regard to newspapers, I’d certainly start keeping them around if you find one you want to save. You never know when they’ll all get thrown away.
