This Washington linked-states clothing button is part of the auction.

Forty years ago, the 1972 election was gearing up with Republican Richard Nixon facing Democrat George McGovern. The Vietnam War was still going, but Nixon was promising to get us out soon. McGovern was running on a anti-war platform.

But up in Ohio, another political idea was tried: Al Anderson put together an auction of political campaign collectibles.

At the end of last month, 40 years later, Anderson issued the 163^rd printed volume of his Internet/mail auction. It’s no longer a small, black-and-white catalog. This issue is more than 60 full-color pages of campaign items from Washington to Obama.

But it’s more than just presidential campaign items: it includes war protest and other cause items, advertising, Lindbergh, comics, sports and other categories. While the catalog is mostly pinback buttons, you can find china, posters and other 3-D items here as well. It’s still considered by many to be the best full-color printed catalog in the hobby. As from the beginning, it also carries the prices realized from the previous auction on the last two pages.

Auction 163 has some truly special items for political collectors. Here are some of the highlights:

A colorful Lincoln jugate from 1864 is one of the highlights of the Anderson auction. A wonderful Suffrage item in the auction.

•   A wonderful Abraham Lincoln/Andrew Johnson jugate (two candidates pictured) ferrotype (tintype) pin from 1864 is quite rare. Finding Lincoln ferrotype jugates is nearly impossible, but to find one such as this with color on it as well makes it extra special. The minimum bid of $5,500 has already been reached. Expect it to go much higher on closing night.
•  John W. Davis was the candidate the Democrats settled on in 1924 because finding a consensus at the party’s convention that summer was nearly impossible. This rare 2 ¼ inch celluloid pinback from that election is one of the best Davis buttons out there for a tough-to-find candidate. Opening bid is $7,000.
• A sepia, oval pin for Eugene Debs would make a splashy addition to any political collection.The starting bid is $300, a low price for an early oval pinback for this Socialist candidate. It probably won’t close this low, however.
• For more recent collections, there’s a nice Womanpower for Ike pin. Even in the 1950s, candidates realized the importance of the women’s vote. Bids start at $90 for this nicely designed Dwight D. Eisenhower pin.
•  Collectors needing a George Washington item to close out their collection will find a great piece in this auction. A Washington linked-states clothing button, a dug example but still quite nice, is offered with a $1,500 starting bid. It still has the original shank attached.
•  Finally, a wonderful Women’s Suffrage pin is offered in the classic green and purple suffrage colors. Starting bid is $1,000 and was already surpassed early in the auction.

Anderson’s auction 163 can be found online as well as in print, and bidding online is ongoing now at www.Anderson-auction.com. The auction closes in two parts in the evenings of April 24 and 26.

A wonderful Suffrage item in the auction.