Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Future of the hobby

I'm sure this has been discussed on here before..however I figured I'd bring it up again. I'm one of the younger collectors on the site at 20 years old, I've already collected 18 signs, a gas pump that has been restored into sinclair,and more.While looking at prices of stuff lately it seems like signs have almost doubled in just a few years, I'm in the hobby because I enjoy it but at my age I've also considered selling not all but the majority of my collection to recoup some cash back.. Where's everyone see the hobby going, are prices going to stay up? Have any other fellow collectors on here sold some of their collection and came back again at some point?.. Looking forward to hearing your input thanks!

I downsized my colelction last year in may and I saw that as a collector selling is pretty hard to get fair price of the items I bought from professionnal sellers or in shows, usually prices are high from those sellers and getting back the money you gave for a sign is like a miracle, in a year of downsizing I manage to sell most of my stuffs for the price I paid but sometimes I sold them with a loss, for exemple I bought an hamilton beach mixer for 170 $ and sold it for 110 $ that's a small loss but at least I manage to sold it to fund older and rarest signs and oil cans ( I sold 14 quart cans to buy a french securit avion oil can with an airplane )

that's part of the game, for me selling at high prices or trying to get benefits on items I bought is nearly impossible

my advice for you, buy what you like but try to pay the fair price for it

The future of the hobby, at least price wise will depend on supply and demand. Right now there are a lot of people collecting this stuff. For some of them it is a fad and will fade for them. They then sell their stuff. Some of the older collectors are passing away and their collections become available. If the younger collectors do not stick with it or there are less new collectors the prices will start to come down because there will be more supply than demand. If the demand stays high then prices will stay high.

I believe that it will follow the same course as the jukebox craze went through the 70's and 80's. The diehards are becoming fewer and fewer and the upcoming generations aren't "into" petromobilia. There will still be some serious collectors, but the demand just won't be there for the most part. A Wurlitzer 1015 which brought over 10 grand in 1990 might sell at 6-7 grand today. Time will tell...Dave

The values of quality originals are fetching continue to create more and more re-pop porcelain signs and glass lens. Now its not just new porcelain copies, but vendors faking the distressed look/patina and trying to pass off as an original article.

The wine collector industry is seeing the same thing with fake labels and both new and seasoned collectors unknowingly over paying for what they though were original premium wines.

Do think all the re-pop's and forgery cheapens any hobby.

We have to keep the young guys in . they are the future of our hobby . The come lately "professional " sellers will be in for a shock , come the first recession . The old collectors will always collect , but we will probably take a kicking on the value of our collections . But I do it for the cool stories , the great people , the Red Indian and the thrill of the hunt . Not cash.

Do it for the fun of collecting and restoring, look around and do not just go after all of it. Find it on the road, in odd places. You will be happy with the story, the find, and usually the price. If you make money down the road, then you have all of the above combined. Buy what attracts you.

Thanks for the input guys!!!

Up here in Saskatchewan, I'm seeing quite a sell-off right now. I guess once the majority of people find out that items they've been hanging on to for years can demand a good dollar, they decide to part with them and let the collectors enjoy them. Right now, the market is saturated with speculators like myself, and they are the ones doing most of the buying. I'm finding it next to impossible to find real collectors any more. So I'm thinking that the speculators will not be able to turn over much of there items, and will in turn, become Collectors themselves, and the cycle will start all over again in the years to come. Neat, Real Old Stuff, just seems to have a way of always being in style, albeit at varying price points.

Like many on here I've been collecting a long time and am somewhat amazed at the prices people are paying for this stuff. Ten years ago my friends would ask just how long can the prices climb. Well, we have our answer. Even in the last recession they held pretty strong or at least I didn't find any deals. So with that said history of sales have shown us that there is a pretty consistent value on gas & oil items and the hard to find items in good to great condition seem to find someone who will step up and pay the ticket for the ride.

I am a collector and have never asked myself will I make money on this piece. If it is for my collection I'm just plain happy to have been able to get it. My problem is I unfortunately remember what I paid for things when I started and it does sting a little when I have to pay the current prices but I know there is a person right behind me that will, so it's play/pay or go home.

There maybe some ups and downs but nothing like the stock market if that is what drives the decision on buying that piece for your collection.

If I have the cash, I'll scratch the itch.

bingo.

and there's no risk if you are buying the items for what they are & enjoying them regardless of value. there's only risk if you are buying for investment sake. and if for some reason prices drop and you lose money on some items, then that's why its called 'risk'

Future will be fine I bet . I wouldn't get caught giving today's top end prices and sitting on it. Buy whats affordable that you can afford to keep and enjoy . I just can't see how some of these prices will keep climbing , maybe I am totally wrong . Just my 2€ .

Jordan; I can honestly say, that I've been around this Hobby for a long time... (some say, way too long)

So far I can't recall a period of time when prices fell; that Values didn't rebound and even escalate within a very short period of time...

My time in the Hobby includes the Recession of the Kennedy/Johnson years, prices/values held steady. The Recession of the Carter/Reagan Years, prices/values actually went up. And of course this Recession during the Bush/Obama years, where the market value and prices on most Petro items are above where they were before this Recession...

Will the Future "Spring Eternal with higher Values"? I have no idea! My Crystal Ball in the Shop undergoing it's 100,000 mile check up and all my Magic "8" Ball reads is: "Reply hazy, try again"...

I am a Collector. I add to my Collection. I rarely sell. Personally, I would rather trade items than Sell. And as hard as it might be for some to read; I've even been known to give away an item or two... (but I always schedule an appointment with a Doctor immediately afterwards... so it won't happen again; at least for a reasonable length of time)

Good reply. Not to jump in but I think now is a good time to do a age check and how long you have been collecting stuff from the collectors out there. I think that will be good to see how the prices have changed from the older collectors to the younger collectors. If I am out of please remove moderator.

OK, I'll play, collected as a teenager, cars & speed equipment and some gas and oil.

Became serious gas & oil 1983, I would receive calls with a "you come and get the pump and take it away it's yours" up to about 1987.

Globes $150 to $300, bought a Cities Service glover globe for $450.00 and flight control wouldn't talk to me for two days.

Porcelain signs 30" 250.00 to $400.00, 48" $250.00 to $500.00, 6 ft $100.00 to $250.00. Tacker signs $50.00 to $125.00.

Oil cans quart $5.00 to $30.00, 1 Gallon $25.00 to $100.00, 2 Gallon, $15.00 to $30.00. Glass oil bottles $10.00 to $35.00.

These are what I can remember and was in my area (Southwestern Michigan) when I started in 1983. As everyone here I was particular on condition and the graphics. I still have most of what was collected from the beginning and later up graded on many. There are many that I let go and still regret it to this day.

AAAAAH the good old days.

You are correct, it has been discussed here before...................................

On another note take a look at my latest post..a great subject which seems to be over looked here.

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

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate everyones input.. especially the veteran collectors that have chimed in!!

I think as the generation that grew up with these items passes on the value of most items will decrease for a bit at least until demand catches up with a very limited supply.

That is why I bought and restored my ECO Tireflator. I grew up with one of those at every gas station. My son couldn't care less at the moment but maybe in 30 years he will be able to relate to one because his dad had one.