Millennials and Gen X Are Figuring Out What to Do with Boomers' Stuff

6 points by CrypticShift 8 months ago | 5 comments
  • eesmith 8 months ago
    "The much more common story is it's worth much less than they anticipated, or perhaps almost nothing at all."

    A few years ago my Mom checked prices on eBay for things she had saved for decades. The "collector" Star Wars glasses from McDonald's in 1980? $0.50. So she started using them rather than uselessly saving them.

    She's quite practical that way. Thanks Mom!

    • JohnFen 8 months ago
      On the other hand, a decade or so ago my wife made me get rid of most of my collection of antique computers (from the late '60s forward). At the time, there was little monetary value to most of that.

      Now, however, almost everything in it is worth pretty serious money. I estimate that if I still had that stuff and sold it all today, it would be worth around $150k.

      The underlying problem is that it's essentially impossible to know what will and won't be worth anything in the future. Cheap tat can become wildly valuable, and expensive high-end stuff can become worthless.

      • eesmith 8 months ago
        More like the other pinkie nail than the whole hand. ;)
    • CrypticShift 8 months ago
      • mydriasis 8 months ago
        The next generation of antique stores are soon to be created to house it all!
        • 8 months ago
          • 8 months ago