Can fruit jars (glass) be an investment???

[Kheidecker]

I agree Rob Bob. The thought of touching something that was made 150 years ago and be so breakable is intoxicating. I've been fortunate enough to dig up three whole mason jars. To Triple L's and swayzees quarts and they're my favorite just because I was the first person to touch him since they were thrown in the ground years and years ago. Unearthing them was a rush. Can't wait for dryer warmer weather so I can do some digging. PS I'm 39 years old and just got into this digging and glass collecting and I love it I know I'm not that young but I see myself doing it for years to come

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

Ball jars are like the original ziplock. Fragile is right. I hate litter but bottles are okay...go figure. I have been playing in the woods as a kid always digging something up. And dragging it home. I am 56 this july and i won't stop ever.

 

[martyfoley]

Great idea about doing an inventory and approximate value spreadsheet by jarsnstuff. Family should know what you have and approximate values. I would also add to that, documenting some sort of plan for the eventual bottle collection (or any collection) sale or hand down details. Document who gets what if children take interest, and/or document possible auctioneers or estate marketers that may handle an estate sale. It's like a will in some ways but antique bottles have value to many collectors, we are the caretakers for now and need to pass them on in some way, hopefully to someone who will really appreciate them. Doing a spreadsheet inventory with approximate values is a great idea for the family.

 

[ajohn]

I think what most people are saying is that investing and collecting are two ideas. Investing serves to feed the passion for security, while collecting is a passion. Personally, I've been collecting jars for over 25 years, and the time I've invested in this passion has paid off in ways I could never have imagined. Sure,95% + of the things I've collected have held their value and most have apprecated over the years, while the biggest payoffs have been the countless hours of doing something I love. I truly believe this has made me a better person. I can't even express how much I,ve enjoyed some of the most interesting people I have ever met....And the education into the true history of our countries early development of industrial growth has been nothing short of WOW. I can go on and on and talk about my passion for collecting things I like all day.....And sometimes I do! I promise this, that if a person spent a lifetime doing what they love, they will leave this place truly rich.

 

[jarsnstuff]

Right on ajohn! If all you're looking for is an investment that gains value over the years, just move along to something else, have a conversation with your investment banker. Who can put a price on the enjoyment of looking at my jar displays every single day of the year. And, if I'm lucky, I can go to a bottle show and talk jars with my friends for a couple of hours (or more!). One other thing, my hubby and I started collecting fruit jars when we became empty nesters in 1993. Ron passed away in 2009, but I have some great memories of how much fun we had scouting antique malls, buying antique fruit & debating if we wanted anything listed in the current glass house auctions. Many times I've added something to the collection and think "Ron would have really liked this one". I'm much richer for the experience, but maybe not in dollars.

 

[Brewster113]

I agree with all of you about collecting, buy what you like and buy the best you can. Never assume that your investment will go up especially a collectable. Case in point beanie babies. I have a collection of squat sodas and thought I had a good investment and then they dug the dome in Toronto and they found so many bottles as it was an early dump that squat sodas took a nosedive and have not recovered. The really good and rare stuff tends to go up until they find another dump.
Bruce

 

[sandchip]

I won't add anything here. Plenty of sage advice already offered.

 

[ESmith]

Stamps and coins are doing just fine, so are baseball cards.

 

[martyfoley]

People collect for all kinds of reasons. The thrill of the hunt to fill out the collection, in the case of bottle digging the idea of getting outdoors etc. Even just the idea of displaying your favorite finds give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. Learning about the bottling industry and how it grew over the years. Learning about the way bottles were produced. For me, its getting a medicine bottle that tells a story. Something I can learn about, display, and wonder about the story it could tell. Especially the really crude ones. Bottom line; Buy the best, love them, and let the investment side of it take care of itself. There will always be demand for the better bottles.

 

[Timelypicken]

The younger generation needs to get a damn hobby that ain't video games. I am 17, and I have never played a video game in my life, and I'm happy! Bottle hunting, arrowhead hunting, detecting, you name it. If we teach them that it's fun, maybe we'll get interest.

I have come up with my own theory, and that is the 100th anniversary of WWII coming up. During the 1950s, you could buy a Civil War confederate uniform for $10. Post 1965, prices went up dramatically, going up hundreds of dollars over the next thirty years, until they got to $1,000-$25,000 a piece. I expect the same thing to happen with WWII relics. 2039-2045 will be a boon for this type of collecting in my opinion. That's why I am starting to little by little buy up WWII memorabilia when I can find it, especially the German items, that already go for big money.

I’m 14 And I do the exact same things as you. I buy military items when I can