When the final ballot is counted and even the most weathered signs come down, most of us will purge the paraphernalia littering our yards, cars and mailboxes.

But one person’s trash is about to become another’s treasure.

In an especially historic election, there is one main factor to consider when weighing the potential value of a political item: Rarity. How many of those items were made and distributed?

In terms of buttons, there are three main categories, according to Gary Cohen, a past board member of the American Political Items Collectors:

¢ Vendor-produced: Entrepreneurs make their own buttons, which are sold commercially for profit. It’s difficult to know how many are made of each item, so the value is difficult to gauge.

¢ Campaign-produced: The millions of mass-produced buttons by campaigns are generally worthless.

¢ Convention buttons: These are usually made by delegates or ordered by the head of the delegation. They are the most coveted by collectors.

There are also a few limited-edition designer buttons. Buttons that are colorful and bright tend to become more valuable, Cohen said. Given the historical impact of Obama’s campaign, items from his campaign and convention are in demand, he added.