Q:A copy of the New York Herald newspaper from April 15, 1865, has been in my family for generations. The front page announces the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln the previous day and his death that morning. The center of the front page, right below a drawing of Lincoln's face, calls the newspaper the "Extra 8:10 a.m." edition. All four sheets, yellowed with age, were encased in plastic 30 years ago and are legible. It is a precious heirloom we have treasured. What is its value?

A:You have a well-known fake newspaper that was printed in huge numbers between 1880 and the early 1900s. Most of the fakes were probably made to advertise the Herald or to hand out as souvenirs at historic sites. They weren't meant to deceive collectors. There are several clues that prove your paper is a fake and next to worthless: There was no original 8:10 a.m. edition of the Herald. Originals were printed on rag paper, which does not yellow with age. The Herald did not publish a portrait of Lincoln on April 15, 1865. And the original newspaper was eight pages long, not four. Family stories about long-held possessions are often more myth than fact.