[78-L] Subject: Re: Collecting vs. 'Investing'

[Steve Thornton]

Michael Biel writes:

> I have found that there are very few males who collect 
> glassware, china,
> dolls, fabrics, figurines, and other such items, but many, many, many
> woman who do.  If you looked at Hobbies magazine beyond Jim Walsh's
> column you would find that a large percentage of the rest of the
> magazine was devoted to woman's collectibles.  When I go to
> antique-oriented markets there often are more women than men there. 
> (Hmmmm, wonder if it might be a good pick-up joint, like they say
> supermarkets are?)

One of the saddest things I've ever seen was a woman at a Barbie show (it
was an anthropological visit on my part) having a show organizer explain to
her that no, actually, her large collection of recently issued "limited
edition" Barbies (in editions of 100,000 or so), Mint in Box, as they say,
was not, in fact, worth very much at all, since no one really wants them.
50s Barbies, yes; 60s Barbies, sure; 90s and 00s Barbies, not so much. I
overheard the woman say she had bought them as an investment for her
granddaughter's college. 

-- 
Steve