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I realize that we probably aren’t objective on the subject but what do you think will happen with the value of all our signs, oil cans, pumps, etc. in the future years? I’m not talking the next 5-10 but more like 20-30-40 years from now? I also collect classic autos and wonder about those too. It’s hard to imagine that one day these things will be worth very little because they will always be apart of American history, automobile history, advertising history, etc.

When I go to car shows, I notice that a lot of the people in attendance are probably in their 50’s, 60’s,70’s and 80’s, the majority probably in their 60’s. Are the baby boomers driving up the prices of a lot of this stuff because they want it, are probably retired, have money and these items are from their generation (for the most part)? What happens when they are gone?

It’s not that I am looking to sell my collection but it’s comforting knowing that you can at least get out the money you have in if you really needed to, assuming you didn’t overspend when you bought them. Just curious on your thoughts!

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Prices have gone up up up since i started back in the 80's, but in all reality they have to peak sometimes, these items will always be sought after but if your paying the extremely high prices some are selling for these days I personally dont think youll be making any money on them in the future.


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I believe that they will go the same way as jukeboxes did in the 90's. When the current baby boomers die out and those that follow will not put such a high value on Petroliana. You will always have "collectors", but prices will stabilize, and then decline. It is just a feeding frenzy in certain areas now. Things will settle down. Dave


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As a collector who didn't get into this hobby until 5 years ago, I was late to the dance with regard to buying signs and pumps at the "good old day" prices. I understand there are those collectors with what seems to be unlimited financial resources who can buy the pristine pieces whenever those surface, but my biggest concern is centered on the impact that artificially aged reproduction signs will have on the little guys with limited budgets in the hobby. It seems logical that once a collector gets stung, they will be less likely to take a similar chance and will forego the purchase. Typically a reduction in demand results in a reduction in price which may be good if it results in a reluctance to continue manufacturing and selling reproduction pieces.

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We were talking about this at Iowa gas. The recent price increase has taken out the average guy. You used to be able to go to a show with 5-10k and buy, buy, buy until you were tired of spending money. Now you are lucky to get 1 or 2 good pieces for that money. I am very fortunate to have all the items in my collection.


FREEDOM oil items wanted.




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I've shared with several collector friends that I'm glad I bought the bulk of my collection when I did, before the current trend. I'm not afraid to say I doubt I could afford to replicate even half of my collection at today's prices if I just started collecting. I guess being that I collected years ago, I still find it hard to justify today's prices. This has curbed my collecting quite a bit, plus the fact that I have limited room left for additional items. While I still love petroliana and always will, after collecting as long as I have, I lost the "gotta have it all" attitude that I once had. I know another will come along, at a price I'm willing to pay.....at least this way there's always something to look for and eventually acquire.
I personally feel it will be some time though before the prices really come down. When we did the "how old are you" poll, seeing that about half of respondents are age 40-60 if I remember correctly, it will be another 30-40 years IMO before we see a huge decline in overall interest. What we collect appeals to several genres of collecting, so it will always hold some appeal. And remember, QUALITY over QUANTITY will always be the smarter road to take.
Darin


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Gosh, I had this conversation at swap meets back in the 80"s and most of us agreed that they couldn't go much higher. Shows you what we knew.

As said the good stuff will demand that someone will have to step up for those who want it. I think it's safe to say this hobby will always have an audience that wants to collect it but at what cost, I have no idea. Remember we thought prices couldn't go higher.

I'm not an auction guy but have been watching more to see if there are any trends, I just get surprised. Much of what I see is prices/value have pushed many out and also forced them to pay a lot money for less condition wise items. I just can't see the prices to keep climbing but I do see they have been pretty steady over the past few years. So 30 years from now, don't ask me I don't know and I won't be around to worry about it or be surprised.

As said, just glad I started when I did, but at that time we were collecting for the love of the stuff not as an investment.


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I pretty much agree with what Darin says and don't see the popularity of this hobby decreasing any time soon. But my philosophy is that I'm in it for the long haul anyways. If things peak sooner, then some of my collection may lose value. But it also means I may be able to buy things that I figure I'll never get a chance to own.

My parents started collecting antiques (stoneware, primitives, etc.) back in the early 70s. Some of their stuff has maintained value while other items have lost value, or at least have not kept up with inflation. But they don't really care because they've been able to surround themselves with the stuff that they enjoy for nearly 50 years.

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The mere fact that auction houses are asking 10% from both the buyer and seller and getting it,tells me this hobby has legs well into the future.


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Originally Posted by Cold Pizza
The mere fact that auction houses are asking 10% from both the buyer and seller and getting it


its more like 20% too 23% .. ... cool


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The biggest concern I see is the reproduction. As UpnorthNeil stated, as more and more people buy them at original prices,more and more will move to something else. It has gotten harder and harder to tell if it is orginal.

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Dave Jones mentioned above, how about jukeboxes? Also how about Model T Fords, soda machines, cash registers, phone booths. Keep in mind, many guys collect what they remember, only some of us want to go way back to everything in the hobby.

Jack Sim


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Air Meter ID book also available
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Yes, Jack....and add postage stamps, beer cans, all but the rarer sports cards, beanie babies, and many pre-1960's (at this point) toys to the list of very strongly-priced hobby collectibles that have experienced significant price downturns from their highpoints.

Whether it references the stock and bond investment markets, OR the collectibles area, I've learned to be leery of the thought, "Don't be concerned, It's different this time".

Please note: These comments reflect my personal opinion, and should not be construed to be a personal "attack" on anyone or anyone's comments on this subject. Only after the passage of time (maybe five to ten years) will we know the answer to any question about the future of our hobby. John

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As the OP on this topic...the several responses here basically mirror my own thoughts on it. A part of me thinks it will always be collectible and another part thinks when the boomers are gone the bottom could drop off a bit. I do think it will always have value as an automotive antique and part of Americana.

It is hard to believe that 18-25 year old kids right now, driving their foreign cars, will care much about old gas pumps or porcelain signs of gas stations they have never heard of when they are in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, etc. They will be looking at the foreign stuff from their youth that they had.

I’m 36. But my dad was taking me to classic car shows when I was a little kid and have it in my blood. Almost none of my friends care about it at all.

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I purchased my house to live in and not really as an investment as such. Since the purchase, we saw a bust and now we are going through another boom in our area. So I have seen the value of our home go down and come back up. Either way...it’s OK with me...it’s to live in. My sign collection is the same way. I purchased the old original signs because I like them and not as a major investment. It’s “cool” if they go up in value...but I really just like them and love my garage. It makes going out to get in my truck and returning home each day a real treat!

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Just awhile back I was talking to a friend that attends a lot of local auctions that on several occasions the (kids ) 40 years and younger have no interest in grandpa or dads stuff and only want the money . So sad . But I have also stopped and thought out of all my friends and people I know my age ( 42 ) how many collect this stuff or even have a interest in it . Not many , so it's kind of holding true. I had another collector friend tell me once he remembered when the old dark green electric pole insulators would fetch $ 10-20. Now no one hardly buys them . I will do as others have mentioned buy what I can afford and just enjoy it . I think Dave's jukebox comparison is proof as well . I don't even go to auctions anymore as you can't buy anything . Sooner or later I think it will slow down or I hope ... I have to many item I want lol.


I like SINCLAIR and old American made stuff ... No china items.
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I'm 28 so maybe lend a younger perspective. I see myself always owning at least two station signs for the next 40 years. And I look forward to buying some cool stuff on the cheap, cause I would be absolutely shocked if prices (real) don't drop. We're soon in a world of self driving cars, renewable resources, and people not owning cars but using ride sharing. This means less love & attachment to automobiles and certainly servicing the automobile that they don't own. I've had many people come through my condo ignoring my glorious sinclair/texaco/red crown/humble/.... signage. Very few comments or appreciation for the history and value. It's a shame cause I love it.

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As Steve is indicating in his posting above.....if we collect gas and oil goodies because we enjoy and appreciate them, we'll always be "O.K.", regardless of what happens with the prices. However, anyone purchasing these items as an investment runs the risk of suffering disappointment at some point in the future....especially if their eventual exit from the hobby isn't well-timed (selling at or near the high in prices). John

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I love this stuff. But it has gotten way to rich for my blood. I have not made a purchase for almost two years. Everything goes in cycles including anything collectable. So Ii think the prices will drop a tad bit in the near future so that entery level collectors like myself can get back in the game. Then it will fall slowly year to year until the young generation are the only ones left. And they will just toss it in the trash! I hope I am wrong.

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This is an interesting conversation so I figured I throw out my 2-cents as well. I’m 53 yrs old and I can remember from the time I was a young kid that the vintage signs were always cool to me along with the old corvettes, Camero’s etc. I had bought a few reproduction signs from hobby lobby in recent years but it wasn’t until last summer that I thought I might by a few real ones. This website was one of the first I ran across and I made my first post asking if anyone had a mobilgas pump plate I could buy. It didn’t take long before a long time collector replied and shortly after that I met him. He shared his massive collection with me and it just confirmed to me how cool this stuff really is. He told me to only buy quality and I’ve heard others say the same. Well I ended up buying 2 plates from him that day and i made the comment at the time that this would be like buying crack in a joking way.

Fortunately I work for an airline (not with a pilot salary though..ha) so I flew to Iowa gas from Texas shortly after that and again this year and it’s awesome and I was surprised to see some of the signs like mine selling for more than I paid. That’s great but I buy them because I love them and I don’t go crazy, but I try to buy quality and I know they will have some value down the road, I hope more but if not I’m 100% good with it either way because I love them. My friends think they look cool but they won’t spend the money and my girlfriend thinks I’m crazy. Doesn’t matter to me I love the history of these old companies and I find myself wanting to learn more and more. I enjoy it and look forward to hopefully getting out to Dixie Gas for a day next week and maybe Hershey in October. I know it’s risky with the reproductions out there but if you use the resources out there on this website and some of the FB groups and other sites and more importantly meet you guys and learn from you, hopefully I won’t make too many big mistakes. I think there will always be some value in the quality signs and the history that goes with them but keep it fun and enjoy the stories and there are still so many cool signs to see so enjoy the adventure. I now have 14 signs and probably will buy a few more. Whether you have $200 or $20,000 or $200,000 to spend, there’s a collection for you to build and enjoy so make the most of it and only time will tell if anyone else shares our passion down the road and what they might pay. It’s a blast so thank you all for your great posts on this website and elsewhere and thanks for sharing your collections and experience with the newer collectors.

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I went through all the conversations to be sure this has not been mentioned. My question is “How has the History Channel’s American Pickers affected buying, selling, and collecting of Petrolina and the rise and potential fall of prices?

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Originally Posted by Stephenwarren30
My question is “How has the History Channel’s American Pickers affected buying, selling, and collecting of Petrolina and the rise and potential fall of prices?


I believe it has affected the hobby in a big way. Sign values have skyrocketed. It has probably made a lot of would be sellers reluctant to let their stuff go.

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Vince, That was a well thought comment you wrote. You will enjoy this hobby immensely for years to come with that great approach.

-Steve


-Steve B. (WTB: 48" Flying A button, 48" black/org Phillips 66, White Star, and Chevrolet Signs. Also looking for a Wayne 866. Send a PM. Thanks.)
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Thanks Speedracer!

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I have been a car guy all my life so it seems kind of natural that I would be interested in gas station related items, particularly (for me) old pumps. I also agree with many of you that think prices will eventually hit a peak and drop back. There was a time when visible pumps were heavily sought after but the demand seems to have dropped off and prices for the more common models seem to have come down some. Now the demand for clock face pumps is high but this is sure to diminish as well. I also believe that at some point demand for the lowly pumps from the 60's and 70's will increase as owners of muscle cars from that era try to "accessorize" their collection. I don't think these pumps will ever demand the prices we are seeing today for the older pumps but I more often wrong than right. It is important to remember that there are a very large number of car enthusiasts out there and this alone suggests that the stuff we collect will remain collectible for a long time to come. Let me conclude by saying that I collect because I love this stuff and if the price of pumps comes down than that only means I can afford more for my collection. Now the price for signs is another story and one, I will admit, I simply do not understand.

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I think prices will decline just like so many other items from the recent past (bicycles, soda machines, etc.). Every time I go to car shows and swap meets I am by far the youngest person there (44) and by kids are the only ones there. The younger crowd is not exposed to these items and don't have any interest, especially with the prices so high they can't afford it even if they were interested. This pushes them even further away.
I don't collect to speculate, I only buy what really interests me and at the right price - which not much of anything lately with the prices being too high. I don't plan to sell, but you always need an exit plan just in case. I just don't see the prices staying or going higher within 5 years.

As for the pickers show, I think it has not been good for the hobby as a whole as it has driven the prices up too high to allow entry level people in that have an interest, but not a lot of cash to buy beat up, overpriced stuff.


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I have a little more optimistic view of the hobbies future however I do feel prices have shot up to quickly in the last few years and there may soon be a correction in values . I think its always going to be human nature to be attracted to quality built colorful and rare items from the past no matter what your age is . I see it when my children bring there friends over to look around , most of them really are interested and impressed as well as wanting to know more about history etc.. Who would want to live in a mass produced everything the same cookie cutter world . I'm 63 years old and in my lifetime the rare hard to find pumps and signs have always gone up even when the economy was bad . Anyways I don't worry about it either way because every dollar I have spent collecting has been more than paid back to me by the fun of traveling and searching and finding these things and especially the friendships made along the way . Whenever I walk by these things and look at them it makes me happy . Peter

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Completely disagree about the impact of Pickers show ...I guess it depends on which side of the fence you're on. Has it caused prices to increase?
Sure. For those of us that built most of our collection before that show took off .... that's a good thing.
But ... with the increased valuation has also come increased awareness. I've gotten leads on stuff because people notice petro stuff more ... and I believe there's an increased appreciation for our collections from those that don't collect because they are now more aware of the value.

Some probably won't want to hear this ... but I get tired of the whining about prices being unaffordable for the 'common man'. It's never been an easy task. I've worked side jobs and bought/flipped cars and petro to buy what I wanted. Rarely have I spent household money to buy. A rising tide lifts all boats. If prices are high ... take some risks in your life, buy out a small collection and flip what you don't need to keep. It can be done.

Future of the hobby? Who knows. I personally don't believe it's topped out yet. Like most collectable markets ... it will peak and begin a downward trend. When that happens the good stuff will probably still be good ... the medium to lower end items will take the biggest hits first. That's why you buy good stuff when you can.

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I have the same thoughts as Ohio Oil about the picker show,knowing its a show that is staged for the audience makes me see through it as just entertainment,but it has brought our hobby to the forefront.Thats a good thing no matter what it does to prices.

I think comparing the petro market to such as stamps ,jukeboxes, antique furniture, etc isn't spot on because of the attachment to the car hobby.It seems to be transforming to resto mods as they are more sought after, but as long as it remains strong so will our stuff. There will be motor heads who have garages long after I'm gone. Sure there will be ups and downs ,but I've watch as every thing took hits it hurts this hobby less than other items

I don't worry about where its going as my stuff will be passed to my son and grandson, if they sell it ok if they enjoy it ok. I know they don't view it as junk .
If your trying to plan a out as some has talked about , buy one quality top notch item as opposed two or three beaters.and ride the waves. I wouldn't worry about the bottom falling out anytime soon if ever. No one has a crystal ball,if I did I would of been collecting long before I started. If I ever stop it will have to reach a point where I don't enjoy it any longer. I don't see that happening.
,


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In the last 2 yrs, I've noticed alot of guys in their 30s collecting oil cans. Might be due to American Pickers influence and signs being so expensive

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