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The Onion has published a request for copies of selected print issues spanning 1988 to 2013, saying it wants to fill gaps in its archive. People with requested issues can submit details through a Google Form; the publication says its archivist will contact contributors if their collection is of interest. The page does not specify prices or guarantee that an issue will be purchased.
The Onion is seeking copies of specific print issues to fill gaps in its archive, with requested editions dating from 1988 through 2013. People who own any of the listed issues can submit information through a Google Form, but the publication does not state prices or promise to buy every copy offered.
The request appears on a page titled “So, you’d like to sell your print issues of The Onion?” The publication asks prospective sellers to identify their copies using the volume number, issue number and date, information it says is printed on the front page. It notes that numbering can appear in different places and that some special issues use a format such as “22-01” rather than “Volume 22 Issue 1.”
The wanted list includes every issue in Volumes 14–19, covering years the page identifies as 1988 to 1991, along with selected individual issues from other volumes. It also seeks all issues in Volumes 47, 48 and 49, which the page associates with 2011, 2012 and 2013. Between those ranges, the list names particular issues from Volumes 21, 22, 29, 33, 39 and 42, as well as substantial portions of Volumes 44, 45 and 46.
People with a match are asked to complete the Google Form and provide as much information as they can. The Onion says its archivist will contact them if their collection is of interest and that having more of the publication’s missing issues may make an offer more attractive. Copies must be clean, readable and in good condition. Any issue sold becomes The Onion’s property and cannot be returned.
How the Archive Search Works
The notice gives owners a direct way to offer older print copies to the publication, while making clear that submitting a form is not the same as completing a sale. The archivist decides whether a collection is of interest, and the page says The Onion may follow up with questions. That leaves room for the publication to assess which copies best address its particular gaps.
For readers and collectors, the detailed list matters more than a general call for back issues: it identifies the specific volumes and issue numbers being sought. Owners can compare their copies against those entries before submitting information. The stated condition requirements also mean that simply owning a requested issue may not be enough; the publication is asking for copies that remain clean and readable.
The notice does not explain how the archive will be used or whether acquired issues will be digitized, exhibited or kept for research. Its confirmed purpose is narrower: The Onion wants to fill gaps in its archive. The acquisition may preserve copies that are otherwise held by individual owners, but the page does not describe a larger archival project or set a timeline for it.
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Which Print Years Are Missing
The wanted issues span multiple periods in The Onion’s print history. The earliest requested set is all of Volume 14, listed as 1988; the page continues with complete volumes through Volume 19, which it dates to 1991. It then names selected issues from later volumes, including Volume 21, Issue 12, and four issues from Volume 22.
The list returns to broader runs in later years. It requests issues 49–52 of Volume 44, portions of Volumes 45 and 46, and then every issue in Volumes 47–49. The page gives examples of how volume, issue and date information may appear on individual copies, warning that the placement varies and that special issues may use a compact number format.
This is a targeted request rather than an open call for every issue. The Onion’s page says it is looking for the editions specifically listed, and that collections filling more gaps may be of greater interest. It does not provide a complete account of which issues are already held or how many copies are needed for any entry.
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Prices and Purchase Decisions
The page does not list prices, payment methods or a timetable for evaluating submissions. It also does not say whether The Onion will buy individual issues, require a minimum number, or make offers based on condition and rarity. The stated process is that an archivist will contact an owner if the collection is of interest; the precise selection and negotiation process is not described.
It is also unclear how many copies the publication wants for each listed issue, whether it has already received offers, or when the request might close. The source provides a list of gaps but does not say how complete the archive currently is or whether the list will change.
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Owners Can Submit Issue Details
People who think they have a requested issue can check its volume and issue numbers on the front page, then submit the details through the Google Form linked from The Onion’s page. The publication asks applicants to provide as much information as possible and says its archivist may follow up if the collection is of interest.
Any further steps—including a price, arrangements for transfer and confirmation of which copies The Onion wants—would depend on direct follow-up. The page does not announce a deadline or a date for updates, so the request remains open-ended in the available source material.
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Key Questions
Which issues is The Onion looking for?
The list covers complete Volumes 14–19, selected issues from several later volumes, parts of Volumes 44–46, and every issue in Volumes 47–49. The full issue-by-issue list is on The Onion’s archive-hunt page.
How can I offer a copy?
Use the Google Form linked on The Onion’s page and provide as much information as possible. The publication says its archivist will contact owners whose collections are of interest.
Does The Onion guarantee it will buy a submitted issue?
No. The page says the archivist will reach out if a collection is of interest. It does not promise a purchase for every submission.
What condition must the issues be in?
The Onion says copies must be in good shape, clean and readable. It does not give a more detailed grading scale.
Does the page say how much The Onion will pay?
No. The request does not specify prices or payment terms. Those details, if an offer is made, would need to be established directly with the publication.
Source: hn
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