Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Future value of gas collectibles

What are everyone's thoughts on the future value of gas collectibles. For instance, I am 46 now and when I go to an auction I see old wooden butter churns go for allot less than what they used to go for becasue the next generation does not know what a butter churn is so they have no desire to collect. I have spoken with auctioneers and they tell me that general antigues have started to go down in value - not because of the economy but becasue the younger generation does not know what they are. Can this happen with gas collectibles? Is the younger geberation collecting these? Will this stop me from collecting - no because i like it as a hobby and the nature of the people that collect. I just wanted to get a consensus on everyones thoughts.

I think the value of gas station collectibles will go down eventually. I've had this conversation with fellow collectors before, and we came to the conclusion that people tend to collect things that are familiar from their childhood. Since most younger people don't have a clue what this stuff is, it isn't collectible for them. When Wes and I (27 and 22 now) decide to sell off, there's not going to be anyone to sell to! LOL. We'll just enjoy it while we have it and let someone else deal with it when we're gone! :-)

That's an interesting subject. My feeling is that the hobby's median population is toward the older side, and I consider younger collectors like myself to be somewhat uncommon. That's not to say there are not quite a few younger collectors, as there are. The collecting population is, though, likely decreasing with time.

As with the butter churns you mentioned, the classic car collecting hobby has followed an age-based trend. As the people who grew up with 1920s cars grew smaller in number, the value of Model A Fords and such has fallen. The same goes for 1950s cars. Currently, it's the 1970+/-2 cars that are really hot, value-wise. Collectors of those cars are in the stages of their lives where they are more capable of spending money and buying the cars they remember from their younger years.

So, with the petro hobby, I expect prices to fall in the future, and the number of collectors to decrease as well. That's good for the people left in the hobby, but not so good for the hobby's long-term growth. It's also the reason I feel that investing in petro collectibles might have been wise in the past, but will continue to become less lucrative. It's important that we try to get more younger people involved in the hobby, and it is our duty as collectors to work toward this when we can.

I don't buy to invest -- I simply buy items that fall into the categories of "I really like that" and "I can afford that."

Just my thoughts...
Wes

Watching programs such as Antiques Roadshow and checking out auctions, I see no real downturn in honest "well kept" items. Furniture from the turn of the 18th century(Early American) still holds its value. Each generation of collectors starts collecting items that they are familar with. Most of the time it is because it costs less than a similar item that is older. A perfect example is the gas pump; a 70's model and newer are given away. While a visable or pre-visable go for big money. During the 40s, one couldn't give a visable and earlier away. They were scrapped for junk. It will be the same for any object as time goes on. Collectors who are older and/or sick will pass on. Most of the time their heirs will not have any idea what an item is/was, let alone its worth. Some items will be sold to collectors, more often than not a good portion will be sold as junk, as family members try to get on with their lives. Each type of collecting experiences these rises and falls. Coins,stamps,baseball cards,furniture...etc even insect and butterfly collecting have all gone through this, but each still is going strong. Will gas and oil collecting "bottom out"? Depends on what is meant by "bottoming out"? Items given away free during the 40s-70s are still going for $$$, so if one sells something given away, then has that item "bottomed out", will it ever bottom out? The seller may not get what they paid for something, but maybe that seller paid too much to begin with. Just my .02 worth of possible nonsense.

The next generation (I guess mine, I'm 31, could be considered here) will dictate a whole new genre of collectibles that they will desire, once they reach a point where they have disposable income. (HA!! Like that's gonna happen, Stimulus my a**)

I am also 31, Wes and Tara are Youngsters I have a Couple Buddies that are 30 that collect and I beleive I have seen others here that have said they are in their 30's. Sounds to me like there is a Bunch of 30 somethings collecting this Stuff and Don't forget the 20 somethings Wes,Tara and Aaron Hop. So I think the Next Generation of Collectors is going strong all it takes is for others our Age to visit our collections and maybe spark an interest in the hobby, I have a Few Buddies that don't collect but every time they stop over for a cold one they allways want to know what my latest purchase was or they are calling me because they spotted a pump in the wild. And as long as there are Guys collecting Cars wanting to decorate the Garage Mahals this stuff will allways have a Value. It is just up to our generation of Petroholics to do our part and keep this hobby going strong in the Future. Just my 2 cents that are probly worth 1 cent.

Jason,
"Just my 2 cents that are probaly worth 1 cent"
Do you accept Pay Pal ? LOL

Yes I do but I will have to charge you 2 cents for 1 cent to help cover the Paypal Fee's!!LOL!!!

My 1 cents worth: If we're talking strictly value, which I believe was the question asked, the good, clean stuff is going to keep appreciating as time marches on. The middle of the road, common stuff I think is going to lose steam and probably drop in value. If I had to choose between one good sign purchase per year vs. three mediocre signs, I would spend the extra money and buy "up"
Once again, if you're talking only in terms of value and wanting to protect your investment long term.
But who really knows, if we did we could all retire wealthy.

I've been collecting for just under 25 years, the prices have just steadily gone up, 5 years ago you could spend the weekend yard saleing and Antique shopping and come home with a trunk full of goodies every weekend, TODAY, you can drive and shop for 3 weekends and find nothing at all. Where's it going???

Values may go up and down, But there will NEVER be a shortage of collectors searching for this stuff, 30 years from now people still will know about Gasoline Stuff, It is not like a Butter Churn that was only used for a short period of time

Interesting subject. I'm one of the older geezers on this site. I've seen the change over the years of collectors & lifestyles. I've liked & collected anything old since I was a young kid! I have several friends that are teachers & professors. While talking with them about today's youth, one theme emerges. Young people today don't collect anything nostalgic like the rest of us do. They're interests are different. That doesn't make them bad or wrong. My two sons & grandkids aren't interested in my collectables. They joke with me about how quick my collection will go on ebay before my body gets cold! In reality, that's what will happen. I see it happening all around me with other older folks as they become disabled or die. So, I'm selling off some stuff now, but am keeping those things that I just relly enjoy sitting & looking at & showing to others. This is my 3 cents worth. (1940's value). Sam

A butterchurn in one form or another was/has been and is still being used for over 2000 years. In many parts of the world it is still being used everyday. I sent time in South and Central America a couple years ago, saw them used there. Friends just back a couple of months ago from mission duty in S.E. Asia, have photos showing people using churns everyday there. Will "gas and oil related" items even have the "half life" of the butterchurn? We talk as if gasoline related items are old, they aren't even true antiques yet by definition. Some of our grandparents and/or great-grandparents can even remember when there were no automobiles. In my short lifetime, middle age, the US has fought at least 6 wars, space travel has gone from a dog, to man circling the earth, to man walking on the moon, to people living in the spacestation. Too only a very, very few having a black and white tv, to flat screen projection tvs and more. Where if a family had a single newer car, to the average family having at least 3 vehicles. I could go on and on, hell who would have thought it possible in the 80's to use an I-pod or the new I-phones or a lap-top computer? I hope our inventions now even come close to changing the world as much as that simple butterchurn. I will get off my soapbox now, I guess I've spent so many years seeing the world as it truely is, not what the US and European ad ideas of what is out there. Uncle Sam promised me that I would see the world, he kept his promise. Both while I was in the Army and afterwards.

KZ 1000 - very good points as was everybodies. I coolect for the fun and always buy up but one must still keep in mind the investment even if you like it. At least you will get some of your money back as compared to other hobbies.

Bob, my point was a Butterchurn is a Butterchurn, Where a Gasoline collectible ranges from the Teens to Today. From Texaco to Gulf, oilzum, mobil, hancock, penzoil, esso, shell, kuntz, willard,chevy, ford, lion, socony, richfield, hupmobile, husky, jenney, motorcraft, gas pumps, oil cans, thermometers, ashtrays, globes, could go on but I can't remember the other few thousand items by name at the moment.

My other point is there is probably not a sole alive that doesn't know what a gas and oil related item is, I am sure there are a lot of younger people that never heard of a butterchurn. Gas and Oil has been around for everybobies lifetime, and is a Neccessity, so it will NEVER be "forgotten" or lost in History

Hmmm... Some good points for sure. I have run across a few "youngsters" myself who have gotten into the hobby. One guy from San Jacinto, CA did a pump because his grandfather wanted one. He had owned a service station earlier in his life. The grandson really like working on them because it was so different than what his friends were into. He was 25. He wants to have a bunch of restored pumps (restored his way) for himself. I just finished a lubester in 3 color Polly motor oil and told my 9 y.o. Grandaughter that someday she could have it. Her eyes got big and she smiled. She is very curious of me whenever I am in the garage doing something to a pump. If it strikes a chord within a person hard enough, they will get into the hobby. Age doesn't matter. It can be from familiarity or curiosity or that they just plain want to do it. Future prices? That will be a function of rarity plus how much money is chasing after a piece at any given time versus other items deemed collectible to the buyer. Dave Folck

Hope I did the quote thing right...
The wife of one of Wes' co-workers came over one time, looked in our showcase and said "What's Sinclair?" LOL!

Lots of good points. In my opinion, there will always be a group collecting Petroliana because it appeals to different people for completely different reasons. There are some who like collecting things from their "glory days". Some go hog- wild for anything connected to the automobile and some appreciate the beauty of some of the pieces.
My son is 18 and he and his friends are really into muscle cars. My daughters (16, 14) each bought a Red Crown Tee shirt from Old Navy and I didnt think they had the slightest interest in my globes. Kids are paying attention whether we realize it or not.
As for prices? I agree with whomever made the point that quality pieces and rare pieces will always appreciate. The market will have its ups and downs, but will always trend up over the long term.
Perhaps this is an appropriate question for a new post, but what can we do to get more people into the hobby, especially younger people? I stumbled upon this hobby by accident. I had no idea that there were so many nuts out there who would spend lots of money on a gas globe, sign or pump. Now Im one of them.
John

Vermonter and everyone - butter churn was the first thing I could think of. But you are correct we need to get more younger people invloved. At this point we may be in charge of our own destiny.

I recently mentioned something along these lines in an email to Richard Weir (Pegasus), wondering if the items that I'm paying good money for these days will still be worth something in the future. That week I had purchased a Mobilfuel Diesel plate and a hard to find Magnolia Lubrite quart. I am 32 years old, and collect Mobil for a couple reasons. I love the Pegasus design and have since I was a kid, and my favorite era is the 1930's to the 50's, when these companies were in their hey days.
A lot of the seasoned collectors I know at one time worked for the company they now passionately collect. Richard worked for Mobil. A local collector friend Dave Rowlison delivered for Marathon, and he collects Marathon items. I think there will always be those that will collect these items due to their association with a particular company. (As long as we still have gas stations and oil companies in 50 years!)
Another aspect I look at is that although we collect petroliana in particular, a lot of the items fall under a much larger catagory we all know as advertising. The objects we collect, any way we look at it, were never meant to be permanent fixtures in this world. When you look at the prices of century old advertising items, there is still a general appeal and a market for it, even though those products have not been available for 75+ years. With this in mind, I feel that there will always be an appeal with Old Gas memorabilia. Maybe us 30 somethings that are collecting this stuff are out of our demographics as far as interests, but I feel in a way I am preserving the past for the future generations. That I am happy to do, so even if it isn't worth much in 40 years, I'm happy to preserve it. In the days in the not too far future when my nieces get old enough to ask me what an oil can is and when were those used, I will be able to say, "When I was a boy, oil came in cans, not plastic bottles......." Have a good day all,
Darin

Interesting comments by all. I'd ask you all to name the most knowledgeable person you know in the U.S. with regard to gasoline pump globes. Scott Benjamin & Lonnie Hop come immediately to mind.....followed very closely IMO by Aaron Hop. Don't know Aaron's exact age, but he's still in college.....so probably 19-21. And I've heard Lonnie say more than once that Aaron's the one with all the knowledge locked up there in his head.....something about old age and brain farts!!

With folks like Aaron, JJ, Darin, Tara & Wes, Scott (quartcans) and a host others I see here on Oldgas and at shows and auctions(that's people 25-35 years younger than me), I'm confident that when it's time to auction off MY stuff, there's gonna be lots of collectors out there that will bid high and often to grab it all up. Right now's probably not the best time to do that, but 5 years down the road..........?

Richard

The one thing I didn't see (and I could have missed it) was the need for each of us to cultivate an appreciation for the things we find so attractive, satisfying, etc. in one or more young people in our lives. As someone mentioned the youth of today collect nothing nostalgic. Quite likely this is because of the life-span of things in their lives as compared to those yhat were in ours growing up. They are inundated with objects that they change out more often than we let go of our old underwear. Although not pettrolium related, here's how I started out my son.


By daverichey

That is Cool Dave!! Now you need to get him Gas Boy to put out front of his Place.

This is a stuff subject because there are thousands of gas and oil items to collect. I have been a gas collector for about 13 years now and I have seen ups and downs in price for items. I buy what I like, if I resell it latter for more than I paid fine, if not, that is the way it goes. There are also allot of nice people in the hobby which really adds to the enjoyment and quite a few young collectors. I have also seen interest from my car collector friends, that usually starts with one gas pump and well you know.

Never fear-I've bumped him (and me) into petroliana. Unfortunately, this pic was about 14 or so years ago and he's now a college freshman.

Next time you're at a show take note of what age group is doing the buying. There are exceptions like Wes, Tara, and Aaron, and even several guys in their 30's, but the majority of pertoliana collectors are in the 40-65 range. I think prices will remain strong for a number of years, and the really high end stuff will continue to command strong prices for a very long time. But the low to mid range stuff will decline in value as aging collectors sell out.

There are a number of reasons why younger people aren't involved in the hobby. Some have been mentioned already. The escalating prices that have caused many to view their collections as investments can actually price the younger folks right out of the hobby!

Gas and oil is one of the few consistent things that hold their value, Other collectibles like battery op toys, books, bottles etc are slow or dead right now at least for me. Other advertising if old and original and good graphics like coke, soda etc still do good if nice condition. Pumps very good. Motor oil cans have to be good graphics unless real rare as I have lost money on common or average looking ones. Early and rare gum machines, vending machines good.

I was going to bring up the same point way earlier in the thread when posting about common stuff declining in value as time goes on. IMO, the can market is not nearly as strong for the common stuff as it was even 5 -6 years ago. The ultra clean and rare cans still continue strong. Once again, IMO, that's an indicator of what could happen as a whole to this hobby.

Vermonter hit the nail on the head with the "How do we bring more collectors into the hobby?" I've been wondering the same thing.
Has anyone on Oldgas ever done speaking engagements or worked with Scout troops? If so, I'm wondering how it worked out.

Also--
IMO, I think prices will eventually go up if the oil situation gets bad again. I think there will be nostalgia among the millennials for a time when you could pop down to the gas station and buy enough gas to go driving around in a private car. But I don't see prices going up until these people hit their late 40s or 50s.

Maps, I think, have enough of a crossover appeal to historians and geographers, that they will at least hold up in price. I hope.

Oil and Gas memorabilia is a relative young collectible. Realisticly maybe 30 years old? Take a look at some older areas of antiques/collectibles their trends might lend insight to where this hobby is going.

I don't have enough diverse knowledge to make an informed analogy. However, I would say that in ALL specialty areas of collectibles the lesser condition, less desireable or common items have modest gains in value and poplularity with age. The extraordinary pieces will increase substantially over time.

Even with an aging collector base and little infusion of new collectors the best items will be highly valuable in the near and distant future. Personally I see the extremely graphic, colorful, rare items entering into the area of "art" and not advertising thus getting into "big" money or high investment ranges.

If I were looking to collect something for investment or with future value considerations, I would buy automotive signs. The car hobby is never going away (taste may change, but there will always be car buyers). Otherwise, I would and will continue to buy what I like....small independent Oklahoma oil company stuff mixed in with high quality globes and signs when they can be obtained.

I have found people collect things they relate to. Once the folks are gone that remember the old gas stations, Thats when the value will decline drastically.
Look at Glassware and China, 10 years ago it was selling at our auctions piece by piece, Today, those collectors are dead and gone. We sell glassware and china by the box now.
Lets look at the antique and classic cars. Today a 1929 Model A at auction brings, $35,000. Then a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner at auction brings $135,000. The guy that remembered the Model A is dead. The guy that remembers the Road Runner is in the prime of his life, and by golly he is gonna have one.
Just my obersvations

Yep--recently we tried to sell the MIL's Depression glass at a flea market booth, and what we sold was for about 1/4 of book value. The rest just sat.

I agree--many of the beautiful porcelain signs, and globes, are art. What I don't think will hold its value is common oil company stuff (not a perjorative term, promise!).

TerryL - that was my point exactly with the butter churn.

The future value of gas collectibles depends on whether or not European and especially the Japanese decide to start collecting. I know that we have some very fine collectors across the pond in Europe that post here. But I believe that if and when they give us their opinions they will say that "gas and oil collecting" is still very much in its infancy in Europe. I can see that it will grow as word of mouth and collectors share ideas and open their collections to the "masses". In Japan it isn't on their radar screens yet, but just wait it will. When it does lookout. Their embracing of 50s and 60s American culture will move to everything relating to those years. If one has been to Japan(while working for Weyerhauser here in Longview, Weyco built a newprint mill in partnership with Nipon Paper, so I went to Japan 5 to 6 times a year), they will be flooded with 50s,60s and 70s American culture. Clothing, music, neon and advertising, is more than common. Now most of the people won't have room for a visible pump, the ceilings they used to tell me were 8', but I think their rulers were missing some numbers. I stand 6'3" and I had to duck to get in my room doorway in the hotels. But I regress; the Japanese are going to embrace the signs, globes and smaller display items, items they can place on the pre-fab concrete walls. Anything that will "pop" and we all know that gas and oil items "pop". Just .02 worth of my "hot air". lol

I'm 27, I've been collecting since I was 12. I definitely think I skew to the younger side of the hobby. It'll be interesting to see how things shake out. It seems to me that a lot of the best stuff is being consolidated with many "large collectors". I'm not sure what means for the future of the hobby.

Hobby is strong and the market for the collectibles is strong. At least where I am.

Condition and rarity will bring the money and is where the investments are being made.

People are starting to "invest" more in these types of things as the stock markets are to volotile (sp?) and it's almost like you need a degree to understand it all sometimes.

I would rather put my money in things I know about. That way it's my risk and nobody like Bernie Madoff is going to run off with my money. Some friends of mine in local trade unions took a HUGE hit here over that scumbag.

Buy quality and condition when you can and you won't go wrong. I also am into firearms and related fields and it's the exact same deal in those collecting areas.

Collect what you love, buy the best you can at the time, and you will enjoy it far more than a statement you get in the mail at the end of every financial quarter.

That's what I am doing.

Fabulous topic and one that we all discuss. A couple of years ago, maybe Jim can tell us how to find it, a question was asked, how old are you and what do you collect. Well the topic ended up going quite a few pages and what I found so interesting was the actual number of "younger" people are on this site and are collecting. That said, when you go to shows, but depending on what part of the country you are in, the majority have grew hair, like myself, but there are younger buyers as well. I've always tried to give the young people a better deal if I can because it encourages them to get excited. One final thing. This same question has been asked many times about the hot rod industry and it dosen't seem to be going anywhere. Yes sale prices are down but not that far down and both of these hobbies should be around for a long time. LONG LIVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

i am 35 y/o and am going into my 8th year of collecting....i never worked at a gas station or in any petro environment. growing up and having a father who was always working on older cars and going to hershey, carlisle, and englishtown put me in the hobby. today i enjoy the hobby more than ever and look forward to all the events associated with cars and petro...i buy things that i enjoy, and i dont mind paying top dollar for items that i plan on keeping forever.....

anchored by the vast number of coca-cola collectors....i think that advertising collectibles will always have some value, even 200 years from now. we will see in the decades to come if any sectors will be skipped over by their generation. i think that pieces with graphic, art or decorative feel will have an easier time surviving the future markets, no matter what the subject matter.

no matter what happens i will continue to love the hobby no matter wich way it shifts....and hopefully not in the direction of the butterchurn, hairpin, deppression glass, snuff bottles, and inkwells...

toodle doo

Looking at the number of younger people in this hobby, I'm only 39, and I see alot younger in here and see more younger people out at auctions and meets when I can get to them.

This stuff is cross-generational unlike butter churns, milk glass, and Hop-a-Long Cassidy. Unfortunatley when the generation who grew up with butter churns and Hop-A-Long no longer collect there really isn't anyone there to pick up where they left off.

Collectibles in this field will continue to rise and keep interest due to popularity acorss the board.

Remember, buy what you love and enjoy the hunt.