Collecting Newspapers

Collecting old and interesting newspapers has become a popular hobby. One frequent question is what value an old newspaper might have. The Connecticut State Library is unable to appraise a newspaper or recommend a dealer. However, here is some information on the topic.

The New York State Newspaper Project has information on "Newspaper Appraisers, Collectors and Dealers." In addition, dealer Phil Barber offers "Some Questions and Answers about Collecting Historic Newspapers."

Reprints of Connecticut courant, Oct. 29, 1764
The Hartford Courant has celebrated its history with reprints of No. 00 of the Connecticut Courant (dated Oct. 29, 1764). This practice began in 1864 when the newspaper celebrated its centennial. These reprints can be very old and look genuine. On Oct.16, 1949, an article appeared on page 1 of the Hartford Courant entitled "Original and Facsimile of First Edition of Courant" describing how to tell if it’s a reprint or a genuine original.

You can tell it's a reprint if the word "Thanksgiving" in the third paragraph from the end on the back page is spelled with a standard "s" rather than the old fashioned letter that looks like "f." Here's the full sentence, using the letter "f" where the old fashioned "s" appears in the reprint:

Reprints of Other Old Newspapers
Many newspapers celebrate their past by reprinting historic issues. The Library of Congress offers information on how to tell if your copy is genuine or a reprint at "Information Circulars (on Authenticating Old Newspapers)"