Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Hobby or Investment?

Hi Guys, I keep reading about prices or if the market is down well here is my 2 cents worth! I have been in this hobby for 25yrs and the signs that are mint and rare should hold there value or increase unless the undated reproductions keep getting better and causing problems! When I got in this hobby on 1978 a lot of us where in our late teens or early 20's and I could go out in Minnesota or ND with a few hundred $ and come back with a load of stuff, ie husky globes and buffalo globes for $500 not so any more because the prices have jumped so much young guys cant afford to drop $2K or more on a globe or sign so the young guys or girls have not got into the hobby! But more importantly you should be doing this as a hobby and enjoying your stuff and not doing this as an investment or your are making a risky move because if new guys don’t get in and the older or wealthy collectors stop buying prices will fall! Let me know your feedback?

You are right about it as a hobby. But also remember that the things that we fix and restore are part of us and the money that we put into it becomes whether you like or not an investment. There are many new younger people in each hobby, but the money to buy a larger priced item is in some cases out of reach at this point in their life. When the more advanced collectors do all have something thay has been priced up, then this allows us younger and with less money to work our way up. It is just tough though to see something that you put alot of time ( i.e. your life ) into and then it seems to not be really worth the time or money at the end. Yes the days ( in some cases are gone ) from the $50.00 pumps and $20.00 signs, but it is just as rewarding to find the cheap stuff as the big dollar stuff as a hobbiest.

Buy what YOU like & can afford & YOU'LL enjoy it as much or more than the biggest collections. It won't stop you from Wishing you had $60,000 signs, $20,000 globes, $2,000 qt cans.
As an investment/business [stocks] it's a Gamble.
As a Hobby [boating, bowling, fishing, golfing etc] it's Enjoyable.

I agree with DB on this. Well said

Yes, agree. I got into it because I simply like it, they don't make it like this anymore and it has character. I worked as a kid in high school at Standard and Sinclair stations. If I only knew then what I know now...But again simply for the enjoyment and not from an investment perspective.

I enjoy the thrill of scoring on an item and bragging about the find. My collection is most likely the biggest around my area do to lack of interest here. Im not a high roller and can never afford the asking prices of items for sale on this site. Some of the prices are mind boggling for reasons Im sure, but I do what I can do and spend what I can afford, and do all my own work and except the fact I will never get rich with this hobby and only hope family survivors dont give it away.

I agree with most, but you are missing the point. If I were a fisherman or hunter or boater it would be irrelivent, but you do not fix up a Fish or animal. Its the fun of doing so, with the hope that you will not be rewarded with 20% of your work-investment at the end of it all. Almost the same problem with restoring a car, major loss of investment even though it is just a hobby.

I disagree to a point about it not being an investmemt. It certainly is a hobby, but at the same time I look to the future when my family will sell off everything I have accumulated. A secondary aim of mine is that my accumulation will be worth more than I paid for it. To just throw family finances around without a thought for the future is a little shortsighted in my opinion.

In regard to risk...my 401k is still trying to catch up from the last few years so I really don't see petro collectables as any riskier.

Exactly my point, just didn't say it as Ohio Oil did. When someone pointed out that they made a score, it is for fun and investment.

For me it's..... Hobby by design....... Investment by accident.

Some will buy a $30,000 boat for fishing or a $200,000 motor home for camping & won't enjoy it as much as the family that uses a canoe & tent & cooks over a campfire.

It's strictly a hobby for me. Like most collectors I've bought stuff for resale. Not as an investment, but as a way to help fund my hobby without straining the family finances.

Anyone that is active in any hobby invests time and effort into it. Restoring pumps or cars, racing, fishing, boating, camping, all require an investment of time, and to varying degrees money.

Next time you're at a petro swap meet or auction look around. You'll see way more 50+ year olds than younger folks. There are still enough of us 40 & 50 some year olds to keep the prices up as the older folks sell their collections. That will gradually change over time because there just aren't that many young people in the hobby. I think those that sell their collections in the next 10 or maybe even 15 years might make a few bucks. Beyond that I think prices will generally fall. The longer the economy stays in the toilet the sooner we'll see collections as investments become a bad idea. A couple of friends of mine have sold their collections. They made a little money but not even close to what they could have if they had put their hobby money in traditional investments.

For those that consider their collections to be investments I hope they are only buying high grade, desirable signs and globes. Pumps do not make good long term investments. Only the best graphic cans have increased significantly in price. Common signs and globes do not appreciate like higher end pieces. Another thing to avoid is collecting one brand (unless it's Gilmore).

I also collect strictly as a hobby. (With the exception of buying an item for resale here or there.) I don't plan on selling my collection within the next 10 or 15 years, and, like Bob said, after that prices will probably drop to due there being less collectors to keep them up. So, I know that by the time I sell my collection (or my family does so), I definitely won't be making any money. I buy it to enjoy it now.

I second that!! If I didnt like it I would not be buying it!!