While there are those who collect the newspaper, in its entirety, those yellowed, crumbling pages of an old paper have something to offer other collectors as well.
Advertisements are a huge part of what keeps a newspaper afloat, and collectors will find all sorts of items marketed in 
newspapers. Because newspaper broadsheets are much larger than even the Life- or Look-sized magazines, making up for lack of color with size.
Newspaper ads tended to be for less glamorous items than the glossy magazines offered. Daily- wear clothes, food and housewares, and locally- produced items. As a “local collector,” some of the biggest finds are the addresses — while I do have some old city directories, unless I know what I’m looking for it’s unlikely to run across a particular business. In the newspaper, the ads jump out at you.
That’s not to say bigger-scale advertisements don’t appear — local car dealerships advertised the new years’ cars, electronics shops advertise the newest toys, and department stores get out the word about new styles straight from New York. Depending on the publisher and the product, the ad 
seen in the small-town newspaper may be identical to the one in the New York Times, distributed as part of the media kit by the manufacturer. The local business gets to add their name, but the rest is the same no matter where the ad is published. If you’re a hardcore collector, that might be a detriment: Take the 1956 Chrysler to the left. If you went looking for ads and the only one you found was identical to this, you’d keep one, maybe a couple — until you found that unusual one, the one that diverged from the main path, and showed the car in a different light. Newspapers can bring that far better than pulling an ad from a magazine.
Advertisements aren’t for everyone — and, remember, the newspaper isn’t all about the ads. Collectors of all kinds can find articles referencing their passions, although it might feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. Newspapers with entire sections devoted to a topic — like sports or local news — will fare 
better than something with a less newsworthy collection, but it all depends on the newspaper and the time. If the fun is in finding that rare and unusual article, then jump right in. A nationally-relevant article can be easier to find than you think. The AP (and other) news- wires did their best work when their articles were repeated by smaller papers across the country. An article may have only been run once in a single paper, but it could appear any of number of places, on any day after its release, in any paper.
Media collectors have something to find in a newspaper to augment their collection. Book reviews, music reviews, advertisements, and schedules all appeared in newspapers. I can almost guarantee that your favorite movie, on its first week in theatres, had a large, visually-striking 
advertisement in the newspaper. In a small-town library, I’ve even seen the local newspaper’s review of a book taped inside the front cover, to help readers decide if it’s worth checking out. The Times ran larger ads for books, but back when local bookstores were more important to a community, they ran ads for local signings and launches like any other event. Bands had to announce their concerts, plays had to let the public know when auditions are, and both radio and television released their broadcast schedules to the public. Newspapers put out pages and pages of information, relevant to their readers and advertisers, every single day — it’s foolish to assume that it loses all value once a new stack of neatly folded papers is dropped off for the paperboy at 4am the next morning. There’s always going to be something neat to be found inside an old newspaper, if you’re lucky enough to find one, and have the time to go through it.
These scans came from the October 21, 1955 Fargo Forum and the October 22, 1955 Moorhead Daily News.
October 25th, 2008 at 4:50 PM
I have a complete newspaper that my grandmother saved “Dewey Defeats Truman” I am looking to sell. Would you be interested? If not could you maybe suggest where I might go to sell this. Thank you in advance for your help.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Good morning. I have the Wall Street Journal from 12/31/99 and also 01/01/00. Do they have any value? Thank you.
December 28th, 2008 at 4:37 AM
newspaper collection for sale 35 years….
February 19th, 2009 at 11:18 AM
hi i am looking for some information. my grandfather died last april. my grandmother is going through his things n found an original december 8, 1941 st. louis star-times in a plastic sleeve. we were wondering if it is worth holding on to. please email me at alicecooperfan1975@yahoo.com thank you
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:23 PM
1 have some old news papers NEWYORK LEDGER 13 ISSUES ALL 1882 VARIOUS WEEKS ALL IN FAIR TO GOOD ..looking for info on value and info on who collects..
also..FRANK LESLIES ILLIISTRETED MAGAZINE DATED 1858… 63 PAGES BOUND .. FAIR TO GOOD..
VARIOUS HISTORIC.. PICTURES AND STORIES OF THE DAILY LIFE IN THAT ERA..
April 17th, 2009 at 5:02 PM
I have a newspaper from april 6, 1968 from memphis, TN the day afer Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. I am looking to sell this paper. If you have any information on how much its worth or where I can go to sell it, please e-mail me at larondabethea@yahoo.com. Thank you in advance.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Hi,
I have a sport section Sept 23, 1921 in good condition from The Chicago Daily News. It’s an oversized paper with lots of advertising. It also has a couple articles on the front page of golfer Chick Evans, one article was actually written by him. It lso has the plans for the cubs white sox city series? Do you think it’s worth anything??
May 30th, 2009 at 4:08 AM
i haves newspaper,DEC,14, 1961, called [THE INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITY PRESS ] THE SUNDAY LEDGER-INQUIRER: JULY 21, 1939] ALSO MONDAY OCT. 27 1952 ]OPELIKA AL.WENSDAY AUG. 24,1949 ]BIRMINGHAM NEWS, MON. MARCH 30,1982, HEADLINES. REAGAN SHOT LEAVING HOTEL; 22 YR. OLD GUNMAN HELD ]HAVE BIRMINGHAM NEWS, SUNDAY, JULY 1, 1945, HEADLINES ,CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS ]BIRMINGHAM NEWS, JULY 4,1976, HEADLINES , ISRAELI COMMADOS FREE HOSTAGES. ] [BIRMINGHAM NEWS ALABAMA, APRIL 13, 1945, HEADLINES, ROOSEVELT DIES; TRUMAN, STAFF CONFER. ] [BIRMINGHAM NEWS, SEPT 10, 1963, HEADLINES 9 ADULTS ARRESTED AT WEST END,] [THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS, FEB, 6, 1952, HEADLINES BRITIAN'S KING GEORGE V1 DEAD; ELIZEBTH BECOMES QUEEN AT 25. ] [HAVE- COLUMBUS GA, COLUMBUS LEDGER, MONDAY 13, 1945, HEADLINES, JAPS' ANSWER- AWAITED AS FIGHTING CONTINUES. ] [COLUMBUS LEDGER, JUNE 6,1944, HEADLINES- ALLIES SMASH 9 MILES,ALLIES LANDED IN NORMANDY FRANCE TODAY. ] [COLUMBUS LEDGER,AUGUST 7, 1945, HEADLINES, STUNNED JAPS ADMIT ATOMIC BOMB DAMAGE.] HAVE QUIET A FEW MORE, WAS WONDERING IF SOME ONE WOULD LIKE TO BUY THEM. MAKE ME AN OFFER, OR SOMEONE TELL ME THE VALUE OF THEM.
June 5th, 2009 at 7:20 PM
hello i have some very old newspapers from kennedy assassinated to us stoping hitler etc. i have been trying to find out if they are of any true value they are all los angeles times if someone can give me a website on where i can find this information write me at ajmarks17@yahoo.com thankyou
June 19th, 2009 at 9:42 AM
i have an old newspaper dated 1895 Mon. Nov. 29 at the top it says The Press, i think from philadelphia. what would this be worth?
July 1st, 2009 at 5:43 PM
I have a stack of 1928&29 San Francisco chronicle funnys, car adds boy killer, zeppelin adds, oakland chronicle,radio adds,hovers elect,Im just curious is this just good for wall paper or what please let me know
July 30th, 2009 at 5:37 PM
I am refurbishing my 1875 home. I have found that under the lineoleum are papers from 1927. What are they worth?
July 31st, 2009 at 12:10 PM
I have an old news paper article-Bobby Kennedy Keeps Door Open In Current Presidential Contest 1-20-68 by Paul Scott. The article also gives refrence to Martin Luther King. Does it hane any monetary value
August 3rd, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Someone who does business on ebay said that paper doesn’t bring much money.
I checked it out myself because I have 3 period papers from bobby kennedy in hospital after assasination, Nixon resigns, and reagan assanination attempt. I fear none will be worth more than 10 or 20 bucks a piece. They don’t seem to sell.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:29 PM
I am selling my Final Edition of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, dated November 2, 1989. It is complete with inserts and is in excellent condition. If interested, please email me at william@theafricanamericanking.com
August 18th, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Hi, I am an avid collector of old newspapers and would like to find out where I can purchase certain ones. I collect the papers for the old car ads and the years I am interested in are 1967-1970. I really like the old inserts that carry the new cars for the next year as well as magazines like Parade etc. I have been trying to locate the St.Louis Post Dispatch or globe for thos years.
thank you charles
September 6th, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Susan: If you still have the Dewey Defeats Truman newspaper for sale I would be interested in purchasing it. Sincerely, Steve successm@aol.com
September 21st, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Hi, I have several late 19th century new york times in mint condition, but not sure where I need to go to sell them. I would appreciate any help you could give. Thank you! Beg2dream@yahoo.com
October 13th, 2009 at 12:49 PM
hello everybody
in a box i found some old stuff from my dad
i found an old page of the new york times
its about martin luther king
its from sunday april 7 1968 section 4
its about the race crisis
is there someone who wants to buy it or tell me what worth it is
greetings martijn from holland
October 26th, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Hello, I have a 1935 Memphis Press – Scimitar, highlighting Will Rogers and a 1936 highlighting King Edward of England. If anyone knows how I could find info about selling these will you please e-mail me. Thxs in Advance.
Debbie – m_l_p@bellsouth.net
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:54 PM
I have the original sports section of the NY times, 1917, with baseball stats including Ruth, Hornsby, Cobb. Would appreciate any info on appraising/selling. Thankyou. reno93535@yahoo.com
December 6th, 2009 at 12:31 AM
I have an original copy of the Honolulu Star Bullletin 1s Extra that I discovered in my attic – the date was december 7, 1941 – pearl harbor. Is it worth showing it to a collector.
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:27 PM
I believe I have an original first edition of The Minneapolis Daily Tribune. Vol. 1 Saturday May 25 1867. NO 1
I found this in my fathers belongings. After he passed away. He was a newspaper editorialist and freelance writer his whole life.
The condition is fair to good, and it is folded twice. It should be folded only once. It has a small koolaid stain on the front.
Is there any value to this?? Who would know?? Thank You Brian
February 27th, 2010 at 2:03 PM
i wonder if anybody got any answers . . . I’ve been surfing the web trying to find out an answer to a question which is: I have three large scrapbooks with newspaper articles glued into them, all aviation related and begins with hindenburg explosion to the baby lindbergh kidnapping trial-appears to be everything aviation related in between the two incidents, including amelia earhardt, lindbergh crossing pacific, lindbergh marriage etc. my question is, since these are glued onto a scrapbook page, has that decreased the value of the newspaper articles significantly, or, is it increased because it is all together in three scrapbooks? I don’t know whether to keep it all together, or, sell pages individually