5 Collecting Categories that are Losing Steam - Do NOT 'Invest' in These Items for the Long Term!

In this video, we look at and examine five collecting categories in the greater antiques and collectibles trade that are losing collector interest. The topic of both 'investing' in long term collectibles is discussed, as is the ever present ongoing discussion about speculation in the trade...

[@taifunlian]

Incredible video, i do agree with all the points. If i saw this video 20-30 years ago i wouldn´t want to agree with you because i was "in the hype" and was pretty addicted in collecting, games, cards and comics (as investment). As time passed i also did my analysis and saw that in long terms none of these catagories work well. Many people may not agree with you, but i guess you got to get hurt first so you can wake up. I will check all of your other videos too. Great job!

[@PatTheNESpunk]

Model trains! Right up there with Elvis collectibles as dying a sure death in terms of collectibility year after year.

[@accent718]

Get this guy on your podcast pat,he'd be a great guest.

[@bathombre9739]

Dont forget stamps

[@salvagemonster3612]

Strange thing is, over the last three years there has been a uptick in Elvis items. The difference between Model Trains and Elvis is, Elvis is a American Rock Icon. For a man that has been dead now for 44 years he is still a marketable “good”. He songs are still played in new movies every year. Graceland still attracts a million plus visitors a year. Other musicians still sample or remix his work. If he wasn’t still viable companies would still not being paying big bucks to use his music or release a product with his face on it. See he transcends generational differences. I would agree there is less folks every year. But if he wasn’t still popular they wouldn’t be holding an international Elvis impersonator competition every year. But I can see your idea you were reaching for.

[@beebeejoo]

9:40: Yes, please do a full video on your price histories from ebay, etc.

[@jimmyhimmy2]

Agreed! I would love to see this. I have my own buy/sell history from 2010 onwards and sometimes I'll just sit and read it. It really is fascinating to see historical prices and reflect on it.

[@costakambouroglou5579]

Backing this comment

[@joshn2342323]

Love the channel so far and it is nice to see someone actually putting out intellectually stimulating content on youtube compared to all the trash content on here these days (clickbait title, clickbait thumbnail etc). I pretty much totally agree on your investing philosophy. What I think is a good overall strategy to do is to look at what the young people are interested in RIGHT NOW 8-15 year old range. What are they interested in? What are they collecting? It is no surprise that most of the items on your list are stuff that used to be childhood hobbies or a child would have a fascination with it. As people age, they relive their childhood by spending money on these items, probably acquiring top-tier items that they couldn't get as a child but read about in a magazine, book, online etc. This is also probably why magic and pokemon is having a speculative bubble now. 90s kids grew up playing these games and now those 90s kids are in their late 20s to early 30s....mid career making good money with minimal responsibilities. These days I think it is somewhat easier to spot the hobbies that are popular with youngsters these days. Everyone is on social media and youtube but the wild card is always which items to acquire and hoping that the hobby has a deep enough connection to the child that they bring it into their early 20s, 30s etc. and hoping that the hobby isn't another beanie baby fad. Some stuff I've noticed is popular with youngsters now: Pokemon cards Lego Funko pops "LOL" toys 1 and 2 I think have investment potential but the question is which sets/cards to acquire that will be desired in 10 years from now. I don't think WOTC era will be as desired simply because the youngsters of today will have little connection to that era. Similar with Lego. The last two I am not sure if they have investment potential. Funko has too many similarities with beanie babies and LOL toys seems to have no "rarity" but I haven't looked extensively into those items. Thoughts? BTW I am talking about 10 year speculative type investment strategy here.

[@image_comics9224]

You're variety of content is great to see as always 👍

[@ChristopherWalkenPUA]

I had never even heard of cast iron mechanical banks before this video lol

[@bathombre9739]

Same lol

[@bathombre9739]

Cast iron ? I thought he was talking about little dungeon and dragons people painted

[@IllPropaganda]

Out of pure curiosity I'd be down to see that Atari price comparison video! As always, thanks for all your insight and consistent uploads! You're always on point!

[@startyde]

Just here to say grats on 200 subs Shaun! You're picking up steam, definitely proving there's a market for pop culture collecting insight and education :)

[@ReservedInvestments]

Thank you!

[@unstoppableExodia]

Now at 666 subs 🤘

[@heyhonpuds]

Over 2K now.

[@thor800]

love this advice - taking the emotion out of investing in nostalgic items is difficult for most people

[@Foslopac]

I'd like to see a video about what you see as growing collectible trends over the next 25 years.

[@Meat6669]

1990’s still had a Lionel Train around the Christmas tree.

[@jimmyhimmy2]

Wow, what timing! I just came on to KZbin to see if you had anything new.

[@defaultgenCQ]

Great video, looking forward to the next 10 hours of other dying collectibles too. I also just bought Chase the Chuck Wagon speaking of items that fell from favor, ha, but as you would say it’s just a curiosity.

[@joncandyfliprecords]

As always, truth bomb after truth bomb on the modern collector delusions. You're the man, Shaun. This generation treat this current period as though no-one in the 80s or 90's was doing the same thing! They think they're going to corner the market, or save their children's future, but that's based on nothing more than vain hope. History has all the lessons on what is really worth your time in these markets. If you get out of the 'collector' mentality, you start to see the truth of real investing - which is why the best investors are unemotional about the product itself. And why I see so many record collectors lose money in the game, and run their 'business' into the ground.

[@SmokeBreakWithHuck]

You are not wrong about Intellevision's market. I picked one up in a beat up box with a pile of 20 common games and a Voice Module for $80 this summer. I was very happy to be able to reclaim a fond piece of my childhood on the cheap!

[@GoodUsedGoods]

I have seen this time and time again well managing a antique mall. The amount if old ladys bringing in daltons and havjng there heart broken when they realize there is no value in 99% of it. Theres always that one or two precent though. Great content

[@ReservedInvestments]

Thank you!

[@GradedGengar]

i wanted to comment on your question where a lot of the buyers were when the prices where still low on the Pokemon market. Most of them (95%) were still in school and didn't have the capital yet the purchase the cards, boxes etc. they wanted. I agree that if Pokemon isn't as popular in the next generation that it won't hold much value for them. But the buyers in the pokemon market are still very young and only beginning to get the resources needed to purchase the more expensive items. So I think it is wrong to compare this to items were the buyers market is 95% 50+ years old. Nice videos!

[@ReservedInvestments]

Prices were not at their peaks just 5-10 years ago. My statement about where were these collectors then when prices were lower, was about buying into the market at that time frame or before; not today when prices are at an all time high. That’s speculation.

[@glycineairman]

Reserved Investments comics were at “all time highs” in 2011 as well after decades of growth. They have doubled or tripled since then. There is very likely coins and currency you purchased at all time highs 20 years ago that have done the same. It’s all speculation for the most part. Good video overall Shaun..what the hell are mechanical banks?!? :P

[@ReservedInvestments]

Fundamentals are what separates speculation from investment. There is a major difference between the two.

[@GradedGengar]

I for example did not have any free income 5-10 years ago as i was still in school (-18y). I think a lot of people are only just getting their disposable to enjoy their youth passion again. When I see everyone that is engaged with pokemon i see most people haven’t yet recieved their full potential financially seen. Isn’t that something to keep in mind?

[@ReedStiles]

@@GradedGengar I think you're severely underestimating the level of wealth of the true market manipulators and whales in the trade

[@jpamn636]

I just started watching your channel. I love your work and your crystal clear explanation on another videos. Please bear in mind. I m deaf. I saw your another videos have closed captioning in English. But this current video I m watch you right now. It is closed captioning for Korean. I know I m new on KZbin. I probably should contact them instead of you for English subtitle version :-) Keep it up. I actually enjoyed reading your videos with subtitles!

[@ReservedInvestments]

Thank you for your support and your comment!

[@unstoppableExodia]

Wow I'm glad Patrizio the NES punk got me onto this channel. A straight talking, business educated dude who also happens to be a left leaning progressive that can help me to better understand the field of collectibles from an investment perspective, what more could I ask for in a channel? This is channel is a diamond in the rough.

[@ReservedInvestments]

Lol! Thank you.

[@CatsMeowPaw]

I would add one thing here: find out what your dentist collects, and cross that off your list. When it comes to collectors, doctors and especially dentists are terrible at picking winners.

[@eirvingdiaz7185]

I think 🤔💬 a great discussion about comics and toys is to distinguish between buying it for your personal enjoyment and pleasure -- nostalgia versus a high risk investment. Toys and comic books are not liquid assets. Paper will never be superior than gold nor a share that's paying dividends through the magic of compounding. But as enjoyment and pleasure --- do it if it makes you very happy

[@aleksejclerici]

Again i completly agree. Really seems then someone here are passing through the real market and the era. Same speeches i also use to say nowadays but..as all...people can't see but just speculating on them. Like "this limited o fplaystation will worth so much!"..come on, you don't really have any idea of what is the real world and passing age. The atari, colecovision ecc part too i think is perfect. I use to say that, people trying nowadays yet to sell things for money but it's totally dead. I even never spend more than very low amount of money means 10 dollars for an atari or colecovision. I care nothing and more it goes more will be. I can see people proud of arcade lasergame dragon's lair, person of 45.48 years old for ex...i never buy something like that...arcades are quite dead, people use to live in smaller and smaller houses expecially i Europe and big and expensive cities as Milano where i live..and care nothing about puttin some old giant stuff on there. the market of arcade is totally collapsed. Surely for games like lasergame which people nowadays even didn't remember what they were!

[@jedirun]

indeed my late grandfather loved to collect coins and so do I :)

[@VHSCLIPS]

Is buying expensive clocks speculating or investing?

[@Jkoihm]

31:13 This is a great sum up, this was a great video

[@cardstockcollector]

Glad I found your channel.

[@swordssolitude3861]

Really enjoying your channel - Would you consider making a video (perhaps you already have one) about budgeting in regards to speculation and investing? I'm curious about how, for example, one speculates on a bunch of stuff, flips it, and then goes ahead and buys that top tier magic card and HODL's for 30 years... Where then is the start-up capital coming from for additional low-level speculation if the higher end asset is frozen in the long-term? Like, what funds are you using to purchase the speculative items if you're never flipping the big boys? This is something I've wondered about with Rudy as he claims to never sell singles and also claims to "not need" to sell his valuable long-term assets.

[@RasLion]

Hush....on a more serious note, great vid and advice !

[@KennyNiii]

You've changed my mind. Great video. I wonder about ways that we can track how a collectible category looses traction with future generations. Eg, Pokemon has captured two generations (millennials and Z).

[@ReservedInvestments]

Pokemon is still going strong across multiple generations as of right now. That is correct.

[@bslangable]

nice vids; take a look at collectible photobooks, very interesting market.

[@SeekingASMR]

Good point that later generations do not have the same interests as current collectors, but I can 100% see the original target audience (young kids) and their grand parents (in the future) really getting a lot of enjoyment out of pokemon together! its already multi generational and at least one more generation of interests is likely in my opinion

[@vgrepairs]

meh, kids don't care at all about cards.

[@avenger1212]

Wow. If Pokemon was in a speculative bubble in 2019, what is it today?

[@ReservedInvestments]

Speculative bubbles can last decades...

[@dealdonkeyontwitter727]

wow this was a year ago and the prices a year ago were crazy low

[@ReservedInvestments]

You sure about that...or are people manipulating the market to their own advantage. People like me and others...😉 Careful...

[@dealdonkeyontwitter727]

​@@ReservedInvestments i want the prices to go down happy if they go down. are you happy if they go up?

[@sweetlildevil7597]

Do you think that the tv show Antiques Roadshow increased speculation in the late 1990s?

[@ReservedInvestments]

Yes!

[@Nightkalima]

Ironically Lego Western Sets from the 80s are some of the most expensive sets ^^ just having fun

[@mariovalenzuela7153]

I have Pokemon and i believe the stimulus checks drive up the prices. Do you think I should wait for a second stimulus to sell or do I lock in the profits now?

[@ReservedInvestments]

Honestly, I would lock in the profits if it is modern era stuff...just my two cents...

[@mariovalenzuela7153]

Ok. I have vintage holos graded 10. Are those still worth holding on to even if they already had massive growth? I wouldn't know what market to move the money to. I was thinking silver or gold but those markets are at a high to. Thank you for your time and advice btw I appreciate it and the videos you make

[@johnnyfuture3524]

I remember collecting coins and stamps when I was a kid in the early 80s. Where is that market now? Well you'd have to be a millionaire to be in that market, and stamp collecting, it seems, isnt talked about anymore as being relevant in today's market for the beginning child collector.

[@salvagemonster3612]

Coins especially if they are silver and gold in them. Have gone up a lot. We used to buy Morgan and Peace dollar “sliders” for 20 percent below spot. Which after the Hints ruined the market was less than 4 bucks a coin. Now they are 90% silver. Go to a regular estate auction, flea market, coin shop and expect to pay $38 to 50 bucks for one. We ran a coin and antique store from 1979 until 1995. Believe me I know what happened to the coin market then.

[@savagebeastb.m.f7156]

I always enjoy your input on collecting speculating so on , investing can be fun but you can loose too but if you know what your doing its a great way to make money and have fun too , do you know much about conductor pocket watches 1890s its gold ,it was my great grand fathers he drove the train , a rolex dealer in flordia never seen one like it and gave it the white glove treatment its n.f.s but id like to learn more about it any tips ? And i have all paper work and its box too any info would be great

[@ReservedInvestments]

vintageoldpocketwatches.com/antique_railroad_train_conductor_pocket_watch_american_waltham_watch_co.html

[@ReservedInvestments]

Depends on a lot of variables. Start with this site to help identify it, then go from there.

[@savagebeastb.m.f7156]

@@ReservedInvestments thank you very cool

[@Robotoken-299]

Where do you stand on the magic the gathering market? Is it more speculative or an actual investment when buying magic cards? Or is there a difference from buying something modern like secret lairs compared to buying something from the reserved list?

[@ReservedInvestments]

I’ve done videos on this…

[@MelindaTheBeautiful]

Who is going to collect Elvis memorabilia if they don't know who he is? They will know what coins are, maybe.

[@bathombre9739]

Military memorabilia seems good, especially ww1 and WW2 items

[@salvagemonster3612]

But as I have collected it since 1976 I have seen a lot of changes. And a lot more fakes being sold. I have been slowly selling my off the last year. Kids don’t want it. Gen z and even millennials see a German battle flag and flip out about racism. My grandkids don’t want any of my military items at all. Be extremely careful with these auctions out there with military items. I can name 4 with in 200 miles of me that half there stuff is fakes. And I can name three guys who put the fakes on there. One guy takes old uniforms and dopes them up with better patches and ribbon bars. He even will put fake patches on fatigues. I enjoyed the hobby. Made mistakes, money and had fun. But what I am seeing is a lot less young ones interested in the stuff. A bunch of old men who keep trading stuff amongst themselves for forty years. And just up the price so they can manipulate the market.

[@bathombre9739]

@@salvagemonster3612 thank you for your comment. I dont have any military items, the closest is a nazi propaganda book from 1938.

[@bathombre9739]

Arent gijoes that are carded, I heard their o rings will eventually snap, is that true?

[@ReservedInvestments]

Yes!

[@WilliamB87]

Interesting channel, sub

[@heyhonpuds]

26:18 Will smith influence creeping in.

[@kingoffighterscrim]

good shit i subbed

[@nunya1337]

Still great a year later

[@christiantolliver4042]

I don’t understand the appeal of Pokémon or Magic cards. It’s only 10-15 years old as a collectible so v speculative.

[@ReservedInvestments]

It's the proverbial new kids on the collectibles block, along with vintage video games...

[@PatrickGotHands]

PlayStation 2 will be a great investment for 10 years. All the games I sold have tripled already in price

[@imanpepion777]

If I had all the G.I joe toys that I had from the 80s 85 86 87 I would be rich and all the transformers I believe that all these remakes and Japanese based toys have a peak in the fact that you can always get a release and the over all brand like transformers has diminished because of it I want to get into LEGO Star Wars just started and transformer Studio series line that’s it what do you think ?

[@light_blader7042]

I like your videos and I know you are very knowledgeable of all diff types of collectibles..but don’t you think you’re a little to serious, I mean your just reselling Walmart and target stuff day to day and holding on coins and currency,books,documents. I just don’t think calling a bunch of books and games and legos assets is the right word, it’s just a bunch of “stuff” I mean I have signed first editions because I like the books and appreciate the Arthur. But it’s not an asset it’s a book..just put your time and energy into real estate or building and selling service companies.

[@ReservedInvestments]

If that is all you are getting out of this you need to look much much deeper....

[@christophertomasello1227]

Are you really enjoy your postings because of the psychological angle you take. Some others do the "warm and cozy" and others are just hype. Because of this, self-examination is inevitable

[@moveit987]

Why are you investing on Lego item in first place, when you can sell it at double price and then invest the cash in stock or whatever financial stuff? You could throw the cash from beginning into the financial bin without buying the toys ... Doesn't make any sense ...

[@ReservedInvestments]

You don’t get it…

[@turokforever007]

I find it insane when so call collectors buy 3 for 2 lego sets. they build one sell one and store the other one to make a profit on. lol

[@FrailDell]

Wasn't Seinfeld partly responsible for the resurgence of PEZ in the 90's?

[@ReservedInvestments]

No, it was just a reflection of the market at that time...

[@FrailDell]

Ah I see. I'm a complete layman to this world, Pat the nespunk turned me on to your videos through his podcast. Keep up the good work

[@salvagemonster3612]

We will see Nintendo stuff tank hard this next recession in a few years. It has been so manipulated by sellers and You tube videos. Speculators will dump all them graded games on the market and walk away. Leaving a huge glut on the market. Buy it because you like it and enjoy it. Can’t play a game inside a plastic case. Can’t read the comic in the plastic case.