What Happens to You’re Collection When You Die?

[mrosman]

This post by "photolith" is NOT mine..... (mrosman).... for some unexplained reason the M in the circle ended up in the wrong place.... hope it will be corrected....thanks

 

[Snigl]

A lot of issues with this question. Problem #1 is that Millennials don't collect anything. My kids don't even want the family photo album. Problem #2 is that the group that does collect is getting older and smaller. Every time a major collector dies it dumps a large amount of items on to a smaller market. Lastly, most people enjoy collecting things they were at least at some point in life exposed to. Plastic has to a large extent become the new glass. Not a lot of plastic collectors that I know of. Not just this hobby but the collecting community as a whole.

 

[coreya]

I have 100's of mason jars and old bottles and on and on which will probably end up going to the dump or recycle as the majority of younger generation are having trouble moving out of mom & dads house let alone being interested in something other than twitter, facebook etc etc. But I enjoyed the heck out of the hunt and acquiring of them which in the end is all that matters.

 

[Gunsmoke]

I agree with Snigl. Most of the younger generations have no desire for collecting anything. I myself collect bottles, guns, knives, and coins pretty much in that order. I'm 61 so needless to say I have amassed a substantial amount of dollars in various safes and display cases. Since this is a bottle forum I will keep this post to bottles, but I have done pretty much the same thing with all of my collections. My bottle specialty is U.S.A. Hosp. Dept. bottles and I truly love them for their different colors, shapes, and sizes. But mostly for their history. I have told my daughters, and grandchildren that this IS part of their inheritance. What they do with it after I'm 6 ft. under is entirely up to them. I have a spread sheet of each bottle and approximate value so they will know what to sell it for if they so choose. The inheritance thing also keeps the wife happy when I balls off and drop some serious coin on my next Hosp. bottle! LOL! After all, we are just keepers of the glass for the next person anyway.

 

[photolith]

^
Most people that are young like me have no money because pretty much no jobs pay anything anymore and we have to work a ton for the little pay most millennials get, on top of the insane medical bills and college loan debt we get. But, there are a lot of people my age who collect bottles. Not as many young people collect bottles as older people do however. This has to do with low wages as most have no money to buy anything other than the essentials like food, rent, clothes, etc but also that antique bottles are becoming harder and harder to find by just walking around.

I became interested in antique bottles when I was in college in 2011 when I found a broken local hutch in a creek. If I hadn't found that bottle I probably would have never of gotten interested in old bottles. So, as more and more bottles are dug out, there will be less and less for younger people to just randomly come across while walking around. However, I think there will always be interest in antique bottles. They will just get more expensive as they will be harder to find by just digging them out of the ground easily.

On a sidenote, I spent thousands of dollars in college on collecting minerals. When I graduated, I realized that I couldn't feasibly move them safely as many were incredibly fragile minerals. So, I donated them to the geology school that I graduated from at Arkansas Tech. They are still on display in their museum; which is a much better home for them anyways; so all the students throughout the years can see them. Many I had bought from the Houston Museum of Natural History and Science and or dug for throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas.

 

[WesternPA-collector]

Lots of other generations had it way worse than Millennials. The only difference is Millennials whine about it all more.

 

[WesternPA-collector]

A lot of issues with this question. Problem #1 is that Millennials don't collect anything. My kids don't even want the family photo album. Problem #2 is that the group that does collect is getting older and smaller. Every time a major collector dies it dumps a large amount of items on to a smaller market. Lastly, most people enjoy collecting things they were at least at some point in life exposed to. Plastic has to a large extent become the new glass. Not a lot of plastic collectors that I know of. Not just this hobby but the collecting community as a whole.

Glass is coming back somewhat. Not like it was before but at least is showing some potential. Taking a walk through a soda aisle in stores, I see a lot more packaged in glass bottles. But the things you say are true. People that were not somehow introduced to collecting things early on, probably are not going to start later. Maybe a new "trend" will happen and it will be the in thing to collect stuff again. Eventually all that is old becomes new again. Look what happened with record albums.

 

[mrosman]

Reminiscing and came across your 'dilemma'... what to do with your collection? I collected Orange flavoured bottles which progressed to Orange Crush only, over almost 30 years...wrote a book on Orange Crush bottles (3 eds.)... my kids didn't go near the bottles - no interest. My wife helped at flea markets etc... a great eye!... Then I retired, had to sell my house, and with the help of my wife's good sense, and moving from a house to an apartment.... the bottles had to go!! Even without the bottles, I still follow everything I can related to Orange Crush.... what to do? Sell the collection - my only option. Over the years I learned who the knowledgeable and serious collectors were, some contributed to my book etc. etc. That is whom I approached to buy my collection. Both parties knew how common or rare things were and the current market value ... so the negotiation was easy. The collection ended up in the hands of a fellow collector, augmented his collection and gave me a feeling of comfort that the bottles would be well cared for. We still communicate all the time, and if I find a listing etc., with an unusual O.C. bottle, I advise him and/or ask questions. In the meanwhile I follow all the listings, assist buyers whenever they have questions or ask my recommendations etc. etc., which is a lot of fun and keeps me in touch. I wish you luck in your decision when that time comes, but when the wife says "its the bottles or me", the decision making was made easier..... good luck.

 

[mrosman]

Forgot this... a lot of members are talking about museums... I tried that, and it lasted about two weeks... no interest. I sent signed copies of my book, years back, to the heads of Orange Crush in Toronto, Canada and in Waco, Texas (at that time).... Orange Crush itself did not have a museum. In fact I knew more about the history than they did... they were only interested in selling drinks and making money. The signed books, with a letter were delivered personally by the secretary of the Chairman from Toronto. To this day, about, 7-9 years later, I have never received a reply and/or thank you. I tried two bottle museums and again no interest..... again good luck...

 

[Old man digger]

Forgot this... a lot of members are talking about museums... I tried that, and it lasted about two weeks... no interest. I sent signed copies of my book, years back, to the heads of Orange Crush in Toronto, Canada and in Waco, Texas (at that time).... Orange Crush itself did not have a museum. In fact I knew more about the history than they did... they were only interested in selling drinks and making money. The signed books, with a letter were delivered personally by the secretary of the Chairman from Toronto. To this day, about, 7-9 years later, I have never received a reply and/or thank you. I tried two bottle museums and again no interest..... again good luck...

If they are good bottles, they go to Heaven. If they are bad bottles, they go to the dumpster and that's that!!!! OMD