Seems like we have these discussions quite a bit but that's ok as there's always new folks around to absorb them. I've only been collecting this stuff for about ten years in earnest I guess but have always collected cars, and related stuff since I was ten years old (that was over fifty years ago). That being said, I've seen values go up at a steady pace in that time frame through all the other chaos of our economy that took place. My dad always said, "invest in things they're not making anymore because they sure are making more people that want them". I think that holds true in petroliana as well as real estate, and 1954 Corvettes. The invention of the Internet has played a major role in driving the prices up, but it also makes a lot more people aware of the things that aren't made anymore and the bigger the market with a limited supply is the perfect recipe for a stable or growing commodity. None of us like to say that we buy this stuff as an investment, but nobody will be too disappointed that what they've amassed over the years will someday be a nest egg if they ever wanted it. I know that I will most likely pass on most of mine to my son who is a bigger hoarder than me, but it's still fun to try and find the good stuff at a bargain and that's just part of the enjoyment we all get from this. Whether it matters or not, in all likelihood our prizes will continue to appreciate in value in the future, albeit at varying rates. I remember buying my first house in 1973 for $16,500. That same house today is worth close to five times that. I actually thought about giving that much money for a gas pump a while back.......GB