The American Political Items Collectors (APIC) is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the collection, preservation and study of materials relating to political campaigns. Organized in 1945, APIC currently has 2,200 members and serves the growing hobby through many varied activities including special research projects, publications, shows and auctions. There are both geographic chapters and specialty chapters, a youth committee and an internship program.

APIC strongly supports the Hobby Protection Act and has an active ethics committee which plays watchdog for the entire hobby area dealing with political memorabilia. The APIC website - located at http://APIC.US - offers a wide range of political collecting information. For more information about APIC activities or to join, visit the website or write:

APIC
P.O. Box 55
Avon, NY 14414-0055

The text of the Code of Federal Regulations 16CFR304. This Act defines the permanent markings that are required of all reproduction, imitation or fantasy political and numismatic items.

In 1985, the APIC published an edition of our publication The Keynoter, that was dedicated to identifying fake and fantasy political items. This issue, vol 85, no 3 & 4, was entitled Brummagem: An APIC Project: A Handbook on Fakes, Fantasies & Repins.

The original publication is no longer available in print format. However, a downloadable version in Adobe Acrobat format is available.