How to display a flag selling at a benefit auction

This flag was flown over the United States Capitol on January 20, 2009, the inauguration of Barack Obama.  I sold it at a school auction.

My team recently fielded a question by LinkedIn reader Ed in Oklahoma City. 

Ed was curious about how he should display a couple of flags he’d procured. He would be selling them in his benefit auction. Each would likely go into a separate package, but could be sold individually.

He wanted ideas. 

“A folded flag doesn’t seem too appealing to me,” he wrote.

Well, it might not be appealing. But that’s how most are sold.

This flag was signed by President H.W. Bush and wife Barbara, and President George W. Bush and his wife Laura. I sold it at a school auction a few years ago.

Typically flags are folded and stored in a triangular wooden case designed for flags. (See first photo above.)

On the positive side, this style of case makes the item easy to carry and protects the flag itself.

In contrast, signed flags are handled differently. 

In those cases, the flag is usually framed in a manner similar to how a sports jersey would be displayed. The flat framing enables the signatures to be shown.

Here’s a close-up of the signatures.

Wait a second!

That begs the question … is it even legal to sign a flag?

I didn’t think it was?

My suspicions were confirmed after reading the Flag Code. 

Ahem. Someone might want to let a couple of our former Presidents know.