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Great discussion. I got started because I had no pictures on the walls of my den. I found a 36' inch conoco sign for 75.00 and away I went. I have NO memories of any of the gas pumps I have or the signs I own. However I truly enjoy them! They make me happy, so I can't imagine selling them. Will they hold their value? Doubtful, but that matters not to me. I wish prices would actually go down so i could buy more! Prices have been riding a big upswing these last few years so a correction has to be coming. I just hope I have some cash to pick me up some more happiness when that happens.

Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
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I buy Texaco items because I like it and don't think too much about resale. But, like most of us, I hope to buy at a fair price. I have also purchased non Texaco items becasue I have liked the item or thought there was a possibility to make some $$$ so I can use that money to buy more Texaco. I bought a case of Texaco Marine Quart cans and the guy was firm on his price. They cost me $25.00 a quart. I kept two and sold the other 10 and bought a couple of Wayne 70s, Wayne 100 and a Bennet 76 and a Wayne 40 with the proceeds. I sold the Wayne 40 and I redid the rest as Texaco pumps. The proceeds fromthe Wayne 40 paid for lots ofpaint. I would like to keep them...but who knows. When my son and I were moving them into the house we were "horsing" them into the basement and I said that these pumps would probably be his inheretence. He said, "Gee, they are kind of heavy...how am I going to move them when you're gone?" I said, "Not my problem." We had a good laugh.

To me, if you collect to save, or restore, or sell or just bug your wife....do it, enjoy it and have a good day.


Alex
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I buy what i like when i get more than one of something i resell the extra. If i make money on it great if i dont or brake even no big deal. Because i kept the one i wanted. On the other hand i buy and resell other antiques not counting gas and oil.I do that for a lil extra cash not to get rich or retirement. Plus i injoy hunting for a great deal then selling it to someone that just has found that ONE piece. Makes me happy to see someone so happy. But if your looking for that then buy furniture,because at some point every one will want it. In my opinion.


WTB - Any thing from ILLINOIS FARM SUPPLY COMPANY
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Well I guess that a couple of cents from me will be added to this thought process. I too collect because I am like to find and fix things up. It is my greatest joy to make something, anything look like it once did. I enjoy looking at it when completed and knowing that it was once a new item. We are just the custodians of many things, and in this case we are helping to retain and restore the past. I like things that light up and restoring them with my son is great initself. If they are worth more when finished then great, even finding them is exciting. We are going through some tough times, and when the money or other items that we have are not as shinny as they once were, I can still light up the neon and get a good feeling. Wish you all good health and happiness, and may fun will continue for awhile.


Craig
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My accumulation is slowly turning into a Collection. I collect mainly Marathon / Ohio Oil items. The fact that I have worked for the company for over 24 years might have something to do with that. I like the old Service Station give-a-way items from the 30's-60's, and anything that was related to our transport division.
For me though, it is the thrill of the hunt for things that were put out by the company that I have never seen, and putting together pieces of a puzzle that I enjoy most. Like finding a copy of the ad or company promo sheet, that may have been put out for a piece that I have.
I know I have paid more than I will ever get back on some items. But, like others I get a lot of personal enjoyment out of it.
Hopefully someday one of my grandkids will find enjoyment in these things and want them. Right now, at 2 and 3 my grandson's just want the Toy Trucks... I realized one day the those trucks are not going to see any real value, so I broke out a box of duplicates and now they run for that box when they come over.
I find even greater joy watching them play with them, than the ones setting on the shelf. If they get broken, no big deal.
I seem to recall I broke a few toys in my younger days.
Chuck

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I collect gas pump globes from lots of different companies and anything from Sinclair.
I add Sinclair items to my late son's collection. When I buy a Sinclair sign I can imagine Jeff saying "that sign is way cool". If you havn't lost a teenage kid I don't expect you to understand.
I buy globes that I like. Many are from certain compaines like Standard and Pan Am. I collect globes from Kentucky and Ohio because that's where my parents are from. I have bought globes for resale in the past. Always with the intention of selling them quickly to raise money for my collection. As my collection evolves I sell globes that no longer fit the theme of my collection. In some cases I've sold globes I would like to have kept because I needed the money to buy globes that were more desireable to me. Like everyone else, I like to buy at lower prices, but I'm not afraid to pay top price for an item I really want. The Oco Pep globe I recently added to my collection is a good example. I wanted that globe because my buddies and I used to hang out at the corner Owens station when I was a kid.
My suggestion is if you're looking to make money on petro items is to turn them quickly. There is no guarantee that what we collect will continue to increase in value. Low and mid range globe prices are way down right now. If I were to sell my collection now I'd lose money on many globes. I don't plan on selling now, or ever for that matter. I see the low prices as an opportunity to buy more globes for my collection. I do think prices will eventually increase for awhile. Maybe for another ten years or more. But as petro collectors age and sell their collections to fund their retirement, or their families sell their collections after they're gone, prices will drop because for the most part there aren't young people entering the hobby...and staying in the hobby.
I agree with Judy that "collectors" in the purest meaning of the word try to learn as much as they can about what they collect. Unfortunatly I fall somewhere between an accumulator and a collector going by Judy's thoughts that a "collection" has to be displayed or easily reached. Due to lack of space I only have 60-some globes on display. Our long term plans include a new house which will have plenty of space to display our collections.
So what's the next hot collectible? I certainly don't know, nor do I care.


Wanted: Gas pump globes:Sinclair & affiliates, IL companies. Ripple bodies. Anything Sinclair, Stoll, Pierce, 4 Bros.


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I'd say your globes are a real collection. You know all the information about the ones you own.

My guess that the next hot collectibles will be from the 1980s. Maybe the Jelly Bean Taurus will be the hot car. :-)
It's the first decade designer stuff became such a big deal, so I think the collecting fad will be connected with that.

If I was to start collecting something else, only thinking about returns, I'd say LPs from the 70s and the early 80s. Not going to do that, though.

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I had an entire collection of John Lennon Albums. ONCE!!!
My EX-wife, sold them at a yard sale - all for $5.00.
Yes, she is still alive, No, that wasn't the reason we divorced...

Over the years I have read collector postings on what they collect. Inherently, the most common answer is "my dad, grandfather, Uncle, ran one of those stations" Or, I use to live near or frequent a place...." You get the idea.
I don't foresee that idea changing. So what do kids today, 15 -30 years old, associate with, that may be gone in 10 - 20 years?
In 25 years we may all be driving electric cars. My son's would say, I remember those Old plastic oil bottles... as they shell a $20.00 bill for one... Who would have thought, we threw all that stuff away. And it is the last sentence that makes things valuable.

I have saved all my Marathon Ashland stuff. Couldn't get a plug nickle for it right now... But, the name Marathon Ashland was only out there for 5 years. So maybe someday???? Who knows.
(O.K. kids, who knows what a plug nickle is? LOL... I should have saved some, getting hard to find, they are all plastic now.)

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I remember my first collection at age 8 when my Dad was a State Park Ranger on the north shore of Lake Superior....We had many tourists from all over the country & and i needed to collect something & the only thing that came to mind that was free, was license plate numbers.... nobody else could duplicate this collection & i had something nobody else had....So for the next couple of summers i kept a notebook & pen with me at all times & wrote down every license plate number, state it was from & the year..It doesn't sound like much of a collection but i had the disease very early & it has never left...

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when i first got into this i have to say that i thought it might be good as an investment,but quickly found out that probably wouldnt be the case. as i learned more it came down to buying what i liked,and not worrying as much about it as moneymaker.yep,everyone wants to get a good deal,and i have been pretty lucky on some things i have found,and made a few bucks.hey then i was able to buy a few more things i liked.way i look at it now,when the day comes i am no longer here,i would like to see various relatives and friends who enjoy this kinda stuff receive something to remember that whacked out guy mick who collected this cool old gas stuff.the money part is sureley seconday to the enjoyment factor!!


Looking for gas,oil related clocks,especially neon and spinners .clock repair available. Mick
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The definitions are "bang-on-the money". I have an accumulation because I like it all, but I have been working on 2 collections since I've started to gain direction and passion.

I started for several reasons. I just plain enjoy hunting and collecting things, especially old things. I like history a lot and for me this is like being a part of history. I get to preserve a piece of it, learn about it, and talk about it. I'm my own museum so to speak....we all are for that matter. Prices may go up and down, but there will ALWAYS be people interested in a "time that was" and that will always lead to people who accummulate or collect. The amount of people at any given time interested in those items will determine prices as a product of that interest.

I however look to the future of my collection in a different way. I WILL retire someday. That is not an option. I have taken up interests today that will keep my retirement years fun and fullfilling. Retiring with nothing to do after a lifetime of working is practically a tragedy. So for me, as I save and invest for tomorrow financially, I also invest my time in interests that will make my tomorrow interesting and fulfilling. My interests in woodworking and tools, antiques (especially petro), my new interest in my wifes' first love of horses, gardening and who knows what else will catch my attention in the future are going to make for a very exciting retirement!

Jack, you are quite the thinker!! This was an interesting topic for me to respond and enjoyed it. Keep up with the late night philisophical side!


........Dave
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Lordparaffin.... What a pleasure it was to read your input into this subject. I, for one, appreciate your inputs into subject like this.

I failed to mention, that we, like you & yours, also collect animals. Eight of which are horses.

But I like the comment about your "own museum", I guess thats part of why I do, what I do. In growing up, in Southern California, I lived between, many of the major oilfields.

But its also about, the comment about, investing time in interests that will make my tomorrows interesting and fulfilling.

For me, that comment pretty much sums it up. Thank you.


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To Lastgas:
Sorry for your loss. I know where you are. I didn't lose a teenager but I did lose a 28 year old. He had bought a 67 Ford Galaxie to restore a few months before we lost him to a car accident. I have since restored it for him and I find myself buying different signs for my collection that he had suggested that I buy, also.

He collected tobacco and liquor signs and bottles and I now have those displayed with his car as well as some of my signs.

I started collecting old toy trucks back in 1990 and in early 1991 started my petroliana collection as well. I started out just to collect a few oil cans to go on a shelf in my shop, but that soon turned to a sign to display with the cans. Then I thought it would be nice to have an old pump, then a globe or two, then.....you all know how that goes.

I like collecting the items just for pure enjoyment, although I do buy things occasionally for resale. It seems as though you have to do something to help support your "habit". I also buy these items as a means of retirement sales, if I make it to retirement. I have been in business for myself for almost 35 years and as you know there are no 401K's for the self employed. So, in my "Golden Years" maybe my collection will be a source of something to do to help supplement my income as I sell it off.

Thanks for starting this, Jack. It helps to see that others are planning to do the same as I..... Dale


Wanted: Champion Spark plug, Shell, Pennzoil, Kendall, and Woco Pep signs...Dale Stephens
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I'm an old fart. Years ago I don't know who, someone one told me if you had one of something "oh well it's just one." If you had two of something "who cares it only two." But if you had three of something "Wow that made you a collector." Well I'm a collector of lots of things cars, jukeboxes, pinballs, beer mugs, pumps, globes and cans. When friends come over I warn them I live in the past. When I feel down I can go participate in one of my collections and feel great. That's what its's all about for me. Since I retired a lot of you have met me at Vic's, Iowa Gas and Columbus. A few know me but I'm fairly new on this site. Bottom line is it's fun. Mitch

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Thunder---Thanks

Mitch-----Amen brother


........Dave
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