Historic value

For the accounting term, see historical cost.

Historic value (or historical value) is an increase in value because of historical aging. Original materials and signs of craftmanship are important to historic value,^[1] while later-date changes can diminish it.^{[2][better source needed]}

Records and documents

With regard to items like library records or written documents, historical value can mean that the item contains "unique information, regardless of age, which provides understanding of some aspect of the government and promotes the development of an informed and enlightened citizenry."^[3]

Real property

The increase in the value of a property, due to its historic value is based on the property's age, quality, and rarity.^[4] A property's historic value may be due to being associated with a historical activity, event, period, or person,^[5] or it may have particular historical architectural properties.^[6]

Art-historic value

In art, historic value is sometimes called art-historic value.^[7] This is independent of a work's aesthetic value and is based on it being an important part of art history.^[8]