Is the Collectable Market Dying?

NO the collectable market is not dying, the people who buy collectables are dying and there are no replacements. It’s the changing of the guard and most of the new age people have no use for “collectables.” Are they wrong, right, in between? Does it matter what they think, no…what matters is that every day that passes there are less “collectors” of anything. Whether it be Lionel trains, muscle cars, toys, records, audio equipment, cameras, even tropical fish. Reasons, I have my suspicions but that also matters little. I buy audio equipment, many people who contact me by email and by phone start the conversation by saying what they have is rare, desirable, worth meelyoon’s, etc. Sure it is if you can state it works 100%, guarantee it for 180 days through paypal, looks near new, smells good since at the time it was used nearly everyone smoked, pack it to travel 3,000 miles without damage, pay fee’s, deal with dishonest buyers, and in general deal with eBay’s anti-seller attitude, and navigate the selling site and try and understand what you got yourself into, etc, etc. Also, be prepared to take it back with exchanged or missing parts. Or even a busted substitute unit. Most are not honest with themselves…who are you kidding? Your never going to sell that 75 lb tube amplifier on ebay. Neither are your kids, your friends, or the guy down the street who takes 30%-40% of your profit for the privilege of letting him sell it for you. It ain’t happening and you know it…Another line I hear all the time, “I don’t need the money.” I know you need this boat anchor of a receiver taking up space in your home that you will never use more then the money it will bring? Even a gizzilionaire would rather have the money then a pile of useless junk that needs restoration that he or she will never use. True, some peoples cerebrums defy logic.

Bottom line, the only place your going to get 1/4 of ebay price is EBAY. Your not going to sell it locally, or on Craigslist or anywhere else for near what you can get on ebay. OK???? The only people who buy your collectables today are re-sellers. They market, advertise, and do all the work to maximize their profit. And even the resellers know time is limited and the collectors, the people who buy vintage items are disappearing at warp speed. Millennial’s, don’t want your old stereo, trains, furniture, Hummel’s, etc. It’s even hard to find a new age kid who plays an instrument so that market will eventually dry up also. Wake up, the only thing that matters today are cell phones, sneakers, and name badge on a foreign car. As the title states, is the collectable market dying? NO the Collectors are…