I think about this a lot really. Although I don't collect strictly for the future monetary value of gas/oil items, I still hope that all of the money I am sinking into my collection at age 33 will have been a wise choice when I'm 65 or 70, since this money is not going to a retirement fund, per se. I guess I would hope that it's still worth what I paid for it at least! I really enjoy my Mobil collection though and love seeing people's faces when they walk in my place and see hundreds of Flying Red Horses all over!
I am on the board of the local historical society, and obviously we strive all the time to promote history to the younger generations. A couple years back we displayed a small part of local collector and Old Gas member Kevin Burkett's handy oiler collection at our museum during the county fair week. (We have a small museum on the fair grounds.) This display turned out to be one of the most popular we've ever shown. I also brought in my Red Crown globe to top the display. I think many people, even the ones who grew up in the hey day of the stations, had forgotten just how many different BIG oil companies there once was. It was something that appealed to people of all ages. Like Richard said above, it's getting this stuff out there to places where kids can actually see it and question the who, what, when, where's, and why's of what we collect and preserve for the future generations. I too am amazed at some of the younger folks that tour our museums. Some you can tell have more of a strong pull towards the past, not in the way that most kids are naturally inquisitive, but some that you know will more than likely be historians of sorts and who truly appreciate history. They remind me of myself when I was 10 or 12 years old. I think these are the youngsters that will carry on our hobbies, no matter what sort in particular.
I think whatever each of us can do to promote our hobby on the local level is a benefit to all. Ask your local historical society if you could do a display for them. Luckily the Hillsdale Co. Historical Society has lots of photos of our old stations and we have displayed these at different events. What I wouldn't give to have seen "Gasoline Alley" in its day....5 of the stations in a row, Mobil, Hy-Flash, Sunoco, Pure, and the Hi-Speed....Those were the days.
