Antiques Vs Millenials - will values fall?

chub

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RustyRelics

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I am GenZ, a generation newer than the millennials, and I am a fanatic about old antiques. The problem is, I must be an anomaly, because the second you mention anything older than the latest iPhone upgrade, my generation's eyes glaze over. It's sad really.
 

xcopperstax

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Great question. I am not a Millenial but it does seem that they don't value that kind of stuff very much. But factor some stuff in here: Antiques are an infinite resource that only replenishes as things age. They will be interested in stuff of their generation as they get into their older age and that stuff ages. The truly old stuff is more finite in a way as it was made in 1749 for example and there is no more stuff being made from that year. As the value of the dollar falls due to inflation the cost of the antiques could even go up! Also factor in the exponential growth in humans ie potential antiquers... Match that with millennials lack of interest and by my calculations.... stuff will still be the same price! We need a statistics expert and a fortune teller here because I just don't know.
 

smokeythecat

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I have had this discussion with a lot of dealers. They are into collecting old tech - like from the 80's.
 

hvacker

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What I have seen is people value the things they grew up with. After that, not so much. I saw the Pickers on their tv show looking at some Howdy Dooty stuff and I thought many would have no idea who that is. I also thought that it's value is dropping.
The new gen will have their nostalgia stuff down the road. I'm going to dust off my Commodore Computer.

My Mom had an antique store for a long time. She had a sign that said "The only thing interested in what your Grand Ma had was your Grand Pa." because so many would come in and go through the whole thing about "Oh I remember.....
A lot of collectables aren't rare at all. Take Barbie dolls. There are millions probably. But still people pay.
Same with muscle cars.

The fact is stuff doesn't always go up. Trends are fickle.
 

releventchair

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Niche markets ,depending on era as far as I see.
Over seas can cause interest. Odd , but it can happen with certain things.

I'm seeing decline in some areas. Tractors for example. Steam punk is wearing off .

A video game from the mid eighties has much more value today ,to the person wanting one they played then.

Certain cards (oh boy...) from games of that era have demand too.

Shabby chic has been on the rise.
Were I to fill a warehouse with stock to redo such , the fad would change.

Scrolling through opinions of certain markets only rings one bell . (I ain't saying which ,l.o.l..)https://www.postbulletin.com/life/l...cle_8d5739a3-0b71-54a7-9a7b-bd55b0984dbe.html

Of interest is the Bohemian mention.
I've noted part of the younger "man bun" crowd 's slight emulation of such.
 

A#1

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I was glad to see Millenials not wanting Baby Boomer Harley's......after wishing for 25 yeaes, I could finally afford one.

So i suppose it ain't all bad, depending on your angle.
 

kingvegan

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Between vaping and looking for Pokémon, millennials don't have time to collect much of anything except tattoos.
 

mdj

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Even people who collect now, don't collect the same things as the generation before. For the most part anyway. How many people collect punch boards, Dionne quintuplets, or Charlie McCarthy?
 

mdj

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I wonder if starting about the year 2059 people will hoard memorials? Or when they dig one up say "Hey, look I got a memorial!"
 

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chub

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I wonder if starting about the year 2059 people will hoard memorials? Or when they dig one up say "Hey, look I got a memorial!"
2059 theye will just 3D print memorabilia or insert a memory....or remove one....
Chub
 

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chub

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Trezurehunter

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According from what I see from most millennials, not only will antiques go by the wayside, everything will go by the wayside. There are some good ones out there, but not enough to tip the scales in the right direction. Most of these kids don't even know what a Half Dollar is. I spend them all the time, and constantly get the "is this real" and "what is this" comments. I think I learned what a Half Dollar was in 3rd grade !
 

smokeythecat

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Trezurehunter, get some $2 bills and watch the fun begin! They look at you like you're from Mars. I get some just for fun from time to time. It's a blast.

Good will always be good. An original Chippendale mirror from 1777 will always be wanted, now the price, who knows. I have been able to get some nice stuff during the antiques market "lull" in the last few year, but prices are going up on good 18th century antiques. I watched this one piece of 18th century dated Westerwald (blue and grey stoneware) pottery for a year. Didn't buy it at $1495. Didn't buy it at $1100. Bought it at $800. But it has a nice home for now. Someone will always want it. Want some fun, try bidding on an auction of American Indian artifacts and hold onto your checkbook! Prices are way up.
 

DizzyDigger

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I believe that the issue is due to the newer generations not
having any connections to the distant past.

For instance, a good quality steel, hand forged ax would be a very
valued possession to a mid-1800's mountain man. 50 years later,
it's still a valued (and used) possession in the hands of it's owner,
and so on.

Young people growing up in the cities today would see no value in it,
as they've never had a need to use one, nor do they have the slightest
understanding of the culture that did value it.
 

smokeythecat

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Dizzydigger, that's because SOME of them are too busy staring at their belly buttons.
 

Trezurehunter

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Trezurehunter, get some $2 bills and watch the fun begin! They look at you like you're from Mars. I get some just for fun from time to time. It's a blast.

Good will always be good. An original Chippendale mirror from 1777 will always be wanted, now the price, who knows. I have been able to get some nice stuff during the antiques market "lull" in the last few year, but prices are going up on good 18th century antiques. I watched this one piece of 18th century dated Westerwald (blue and grey stoneware) pottery for a year. Didn't buy it at $1495. Didn't buy it at $1100. Bought it at $800. But it has a nice home for now. Someone will always want it. Want some fun, try bidding on an auction of American Indian artifacts and hold onto your checkbook! Prices are way up.
Funny you mentioned the $2.00 bills Smokey. I just bought $100 from the bank last week. I just haven't had much time to go out and spend them. Can't wait. I should video the reactions I get from the younger generation.
 

tinpan

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Hi Millennial Bohemians style is the same as the original Bohemians French Impression Painters Writers and other modern painters like Andy Wahol. The Barista or coffee shops they hang out in is lot better than the bag of donuts and bad coffee some you drink. TP
 

CorgiDoom1881

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I'm a very late millenial (2000) and buy and sell antiques and have a passion for history from the 1800s-WWII. I have seem some younger people at antique shows, but most people there are older. I think as millenials get older they may be interested in things they had when they were younger for nostalgic purposes and things from that era may be considered antique. It's getting harder to find objects many decades old as the owners are dwindling out. I don't think antiques will die out anytime soon, but they will be thought of differently.
 

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