Purchasing Obama memorabilia? Buyer beware

By Rebekah Kebede

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans are snapping up mementos to commemorate President-elect Barack Obama's election -- from plates and coins to sneakers -- but experts are skeptical they will ever become valuable collectibles.

The zeal for Obama merchandise has not flagged since he was elected on November 4 as the first black U.S. president, even as Americans suffer a weak economy.

"This is definitely the most aggressive rush for memorabilia items that we've seen in a long time," said Steve Ferber, part-owner of Arizona-based Lori Ferber Collectibles, who saw newspapers sell for as much as $75.

GreatSeats.com is seeing high demand for tickets to events surrounding Obama's January 20 inauguration, said owner Danny Matta, adding that he suspects many customers want to hold on to the tickets as keepsakes.

"It's not like anything else I've seen before," said Matta. "It may actually be topping Hannah Montana, which is big."

TeleBrands Corp, a New Jersey company that markets gadgets such as pet manicuring tool PediPaws on television, is selling its first commemorative presidential "victory plate."

A.J. Khubani, the company's president, said he came up with the idea for the $19.99 plate as he watched the excitement on Election Day.

WHAT'S IT REALLY WORTH?

Agnes Sammons, a New Jersey retiree, has started collecting Obama mementos to pass on to her two grandchildren, aged 5 and 2. At the moment she has her eye on a "Barack Obama Presidential Commemorative Coin" for $9.99.

"I've been in this world for 78 years ... . I'm so happy that I got to see this," said Sammons, who is black.

The election will heal wounds caused by the U.S. history of segregation and slavery, she said. "To me, a lot of that is put aside."

But the rush for Obama merchandise has its share of skeptics.

Sammons' son, Jeffrey Sammons, a history professor at New York University, said he was appalled by his mother's interest in an Obama commemorative coin.

He said he told her, "That thing is probably worth a dollar and will have no monetary value whatsoever."

Sammons said the value is irrelevant.