Commemorative Press Plates

• A commemorative press plate will be an exact copy of the plate used to print the newspaper on the date of an important event. The inauguration of President Obama, in January 2009, was significant enough for many newspapers to produce not only commemorative issues but also press plates. Plates from dozens of important historic dates may be available from select newspapers.
  
  

Preservation of Plates

• Issuers of commemorative press plates usually cover the aluminum with a coating of gum arabic to protect the metal from oxidation. They recommend covering the plate with glass or mylar, keeping the plate away from ultraviolet light and avoiding touching the plate with bare hands which might damage the coating.
  
  

Value of Press Plates

• Publishers who reproduce and sell plates usually charge about $25 per plate as of 2010, but like any collectible, the price of press plates changes depending on supply and demand. Antique press plates from the Civil War, for example, are usually not copies; they are original and probably priceless. Press plates from more recent events may have been reproduced by the thousands and command much less.