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The future of our hobby..

Article about: As stated in the title.. any ideas where our hobby is headed for the future? I'm a staunch conservative.. my recently college grad kid is semi-conservative... I got to know her peers and als

  1. #1

    Default The future of our hobby..

    As stated in the title.. any ideas where our hobby is headed for the future?

    I'm a staunch conservative.. my recently college grad kid is semi-conservative... I got to know her peers and also observed the craziness that surrounds us all.. esp. here in the u.s. our next generation is becoming more woke by the minute. They are too liberal for my taste considering I am part of the generation x crowd. I won't discuss politics here.. so I won't lamente more about that... But my concern at the moment is... Where the heck is our hobby headed to??

    I feel like the next generation don't give a crap about this stuff we collect. Who knows.. maybe SS visors and tunics will one day be worth $20 or be burned in a pile by a bunch of futuristic hippie/treehuggers. It doesn't help too that schools these days are briefly going over WW2 history and how dangerous the Nazi regime can be.. otherwise these kids wouldn't be rooting for antifa or other organizations that act like brown shirts.

    I don't know... Maybe im viewing this with a different lens from y'all... I do live in the most liberal state and city in our country.. if my neighbors knew what I collect and knew I go to a "different" kind of range ...I'd be hanging from a tree..

    Thanks in advance. Just want to know some thoughts..

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  3. #2

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    I myself, am 20 years old, and have been collecting German militaria since I was 18 or so. A good friend of mine (a fellow forum member), is a similar age, and has been collecting longer than I have. At my last militaria show, a good 30% or so were guys my age. At the WWII Airshow and militaria sale I just went to, a large amount of people (50% or more) were younger, in their 20's, and purchasing militaria.

    There are young people out there with an interest, and WWII has been popularized in the Video Game and Movie industries to a point. I don't think there will be a drop off of WWII collecting any time soon.


    The political aspect of it is blown way out of proportion, mostly to cause discord between sides. It really is not that bad. They are a very flashy and vocal minority, and cause a lot of concern that frankly, isn't really needed. We'll be just fine for years and years to come.

  4. #3

    Default

    Quote by RustyRelics View Post
    I myself, am 20 years old, and have been collecting German militaria since I was 18 or so. A good friend of mine (a fellow forum member), is a similar age, and has been collecting longer than I have. At my last militaria show, a good 30% or so were guys my age. At the WWII Airshow and militaria sale I just went to, a large amount of people (50% or more) were younger, in their 20's, and purchasing militaria.

    There are young people out there with an interest, and WWII has been popularized in the Video Game and Movie industries to a point. I don't think there will be a drop off of WWII collecting any time soon.


    The political aspect of it is blown way out of proportion, mostly to cause discord between sides. It really is not that bad. They are a very flashy and vocal minority, and cause a lot of concern that frankly, isn't really needed. We'll be just fine for years and years to come.
    I like hearing that!!! I really do.. you do make some very good points about all this crap being blown out of proportion.. like I said.. I think I'm seeing it from a different lens because I live in L.A. and I have met some crazy ppl .. esp in the government office I work at. For example, my wife's co workers found out who she voted for.. they started to click their shoes and stand straight to attention whenever she walked by them.. my boss who has the same values as me even was asked to take down a picture of our former president on his wallpaper (computer) by HR!

    Oh yeah... And the stories I hear from my daughter about what she witnesses at her university..

    But I get it... Maybe in other places it not bad. But it is here. At least from my lens..then again i do work in the Reichs Chancellory (LA branch) so maybe that's why I feel this way.

    But that's good to know!!! I'm very happy to hear the next generation collecting militaria! We really need this to keep going. The only upside to this hobby failing is the price of SS stuff going down hahahha!

  5. #4

    Default

    Hugo Boss guaranteed that German baddies uniforms will remain forever cool. So there wont' be real scare to their value disapearing.

    Buut, me who is 35 years didn't have other friends of same age who were interested in this stuff. I must guess collectible items were Very affordable for 1960 born kids. But not anymore for me when I started 2005. Money is big reason what you can afford to collect, I always wanted german stuff but never had amount of money for them. In the end, I specialized my area to domestic Finnish uniforms.
    I always listened cool stories of older men of these thing how they found guns hidden between walls and such. And weapon collecting in Finland had golden age in 1980-ties with easier rules and veterans still around who had some real treasures to find... But that era is gone.

    I would say you see the current best picture in Gunshows or other events, how old are the men and women gathering there?
    Middle aged men have money and elders have time for this hobby but young must study and find career before they can enter this hobby, unless relative or connections helps enter to this circle faster. Which was case for me. Sellers often recognized me as I was yonger person in gunshows, but to me it was like; Everyone knows monkey, monkey knows nobody.

    There some thoughts.

  6. #5

    Default

    Quote by rusted180 View Post
    I like hearing that!!! I really do.. you do make some very good points about all this crap being blown out of proportion.. like I said.. I think I'm seeing it from a different lens because I live in L.A. and I have met some crazy ppl .. esp in the government office I work at. For example, my wife's co workers found out who she voted for.. they started to click their shoes and stand straight to attention whenever she walked by them.. my boss who has the same values as me even was asked to take down a picture of our former president on his wallpaper (computer) by HR!

    Oh yeah... And the stories I hear from my daughter about what she witnesses at her university..

    But I get it... Maybe in other places it not bad. But it is here. At least from my lens..then again i do work in the Reichs Chancellory (LA branch) so maybe that's why I feel this way.

    But that's good to know!!! I'm very happy to hear the next generation collecting militaria! We really need this to keep going. The only upside to this hobby failing is the price of SS stuff going down hahahha!
    My God, I knew it was bad out there but holy s##t!

    Bill
    "Only a pimp in a Louisiana whore house carries a pearl handled revolver"
    - General George Smith Patton Jr.

  7. #6

    Default

    Quote by Verikauha View Post
    Hugo Boss guaranteed that German baddies uniforms will remain forever cool. So there wont' be real scare to their value disapearing.

    Buut, me who is 35 years didn't have other friends of same age who were interested in this stuff. I must guess collectible items were Very affordable for 1960 born kids. But not anymore for me when I started 2005. Money is big reason what you can afford to collect, I always wanted german stuff but never had amount of money for them. In the end, I specialized my area to domestic Finnish uniforms.
    I always listened cool stories of older men of these thing how they found guns hidden between walls and such. And weapon collecting in Finland had golden age in 1980-ties with easier rules and veterans still around who had some real treasures to find... But that era is gone.

    I would say you see the current best picture in Gunshows or other events, how old are the men and women gathering there?
    Middle aged men have money and elders have time for this hobby but young must study and find career before they can enter this hobby, unless relative or connections helps enter to this circle faster. Which was case for me. Sellers often recognized me as I was yonger person in gunshows, but to me it was like; Everyone knows monkey, monkey knows nobody.

    There some thoughts.
    I hear ya!

    I'm 41. Didn't start collecting until I was 29 years old.. esp in my beginning collecting phase.. everyone at gun shows would call me kid lol!! Oh yeah .. it doesn't help I'm a Korean/Japanese American buying German WW2 stuff.
    I recently went to the West Coast militaria show and man.. it was sad sight..not as many vendors and not as crowded as it was 10 years ago.. then again..I am from a place where not a lot of ppl are into this stuff and esp guns. 75% of my friends and acquaintances hate guns and think they must be banned. Ugh...I need to move to my home in Georgia. Too bad my job pays me decently well otherwise I would have more incentive to move.

    Anyway, yeah the age bracket that I witness at shows are 90% mid 50s - 80s. Mostly Caucasian. Some Hispanics and no Asians except this one Chinese fellow selling random German ww2 stuff at his table. Really random stuff..

    I'll probably see a better age diversity in places where RustyRelics attend or even at SOS in Kentucky.

    I really need to go there someday. I want to save up some serious cash and blow it there in few years from now. I really need an SS tab or another TK..

  8. #7

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    Hahahahahahhahahaha!!!

    Well we were a republican state in the 90s.. but not anymore..it's become a toilet bowl for the homeless and hippies.

    It doesn't help that I work in government where all these crazy policies are being born each day. Like I said... I work in the Reichs Chancellory.

  9. #8

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    As long as Hollywood exists along with other film makers across the globe, those who produce movies with the story of WWI, the years leading up to WWII, then WWII, Korea, Viet-Nam Iraq and Afghanistan campaign, there will always be an interest as participants have families who always ask, what did you do in the war? From one generation to the next the history is passed down orally, in images of that era and the items that were and are brought back allows the history and story to continue.

    Back in the late 80's and early 90's, Time - Life came out with their books on WWII. Steve Wolfe of Wolfe-Hardin told me of how those books impacted collecting, he said it was a great boost to help sales of militaria.

    Then Fury came out, and what was once an inexpensive buy, tanker helmets by Rawlings went from 75 bucks to what I've seen these days near thousand dollar prices with the helmets selling.

    There is a near insatiable desire of SS TKV & Waffen SS items, American airborne items as well as Fallschrimjager and Afrika corps items. And at the present time dealers raising prices of these most desirable items and 9 times out of 10 they sell. I was astounded to see an enlisted SS TKV tab getting closer to a thousand bucks along with a flatwire SS sleeve eagle at a 2k asking price. It is breath taking for sure as those who have the want and can afford it we will continue to see the uptick in prices. Only if the money starts going south due to political blunders as well as design by those in control I think that seeing a depression in this hobby, the lack of buyers will not occur.

    The political pressure of acceptance of these items has always been present but most collectors know, it is meaningless drivel that cannot slay the desire to own a piece of history no matter how notorious the people were associated with these pieces of militaria.

  10. #9
    ?

    Default

    Quote by RustyRelics View Post
    I myself, am 20 years old, and have been collecting German militaria since I was 18 or so. A good friend of mine (a fellow forum member), is a similar age, and has been collecting longer than I have. At my last militaria show, a good 30% or so were guys my age. At the WWII Airshow and militaria sale I just went to, a large amount of people (50% or more) were younger, in their 20's, and purchasing militaria.

    There are young people out there with an interest, and WWII has been popularized in the Video Game and Movie industries to a point. I don't think there will be a drop off of WWII collecting any time soon.


    The political aspect of it is blown way out of proportion, mostly to cause discord between sides. It really is not that bad. They are a very flashy and vocal minority, and cause a lot of concern that frankly, isn't really needed. We'll be just fine for years and years to come.
    I do agree 100% with RustyRelics.

    I do strongly feel the precieved threat from either political extreme is far greater than the reality of the size and power in those groups. Though they tend to hold more of the attention, they are a minority. Very Very few are truly opposed to militaria collecting.

    Being close in age to RustyRelics I also see the popularization of WWI and WWII in our current culture and I too believe that interests in these things will certainly continue.

    Regards,
    Daniel
    Last edited by Daniel; 06-07-2023 at 05:32 PM. Reason: Clarify text / typo

  11. #10

    Default

    I think the hobby is still strong .I know a lot of younger people do internet buying only and don’t go to shows .A lot of dealers I know said they sell a lot that way . I’m sixty -eight been collecting since my early twenty’s Prices are relative to what you can afford I always said If I had the money I made in my late fifty’s in my twenty’s “wow “ Rusted180 Politicians have divided this country and ok what’s happing now people can’t have a civil conversation with the other side . Your right about your state now compared to collectors I knew in the late seventies there. My 18 year old nephew thinks A.H. Was good guy on are side .He knows nothing about history because he told me it’s not allowed to be taught in his school. I try to school him and tell him about his great grandfathers and grand uncles service but it’s going to take me some time to get trough to him There a lot of people even my age don’t understand why someone collects German stuff It’s history good or bad it’s history we need not to forget the past or we’re screwed in the future . My relatives in the generation are now all gone my 94 year old aunt passed last week she was the youngest I know they wouldn’t like what’s happening or understand the mentality SAD .If we get people like RustryRelics and younger people to wise up to the indoctrination in schools maybe there’s hope .sorry for the rant it seems like I wrote a book here Thanks charlie

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