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Author
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Topic: Who collects space memorabilia today?
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KenDavis
Member Posts: 216
From: E.Sussex United Kingdom
Registered: May 2003
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posted 12-16-2023 01:05 PM
   
This may have been asked before, but I'm wondering if space memorabilia collecting is a growing or shrinking hobby? How many people are part of this hobby are under the age of 30, or are we all 60+? If you are under 30 it would be great to hear what got you interested in spaceflight in the first place and what you collect. Also, once the next astronauts land on the moon, do people think this will generate more interest in groups such as this (especially among the under 30s) or will it be just a momentary news item? |
Zoo Keeper
Member Posts: 51
From: Akron, OH
Registered: Feb 2021
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posted 12-17-2023 10:12 AM
I am under 30, although I’m inching toward that mark. I grew up visiting Kennedy Space Center and gained much of my interest there. Working in non-profits starting in college, I gained historical documentation and archival experience. Florida’s AttractionShare program allowed discounted admission to the visitor complex, and the field appealed to my interests in exploration, historical research, and museum collections.
I am grateful to learn from people who have been in the aerospace field for decades and know the wealth of knowledge and minutia that will be lost in the near future. Older generations have always been stereotyped by their disdain for the changing societal values and norms that come with those younger than them, but the spaceflight community has been welcoming and inclusive.With my main interest in the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo era, I did not have the opportunity to meet any of the Mercury 7. I’ve met a handful of MGA astronauts and recognize that I will be the last generation to do so. The heyday of autograph shows and major artifacts selling for pennies on the dollar was before my time. I consider myself fortunate to be young during the second golden age of spaceflight, and fortunate to have had amazing experiences and relationships with many Shuttle astronauts and personnel. I primarily collect artifacts from the Mercury and Gemini Programs and have built an extensive collection. With Millennials and Gen Z making up more than 40% of the population but owning approximately 6% of American wealth, younger generations are largely priced out of the upper echelon of the collecting market. I personally enjoy artifacts that were physically there and utilized during the events that shaped the early programs. The trend of younger generations valuing experiences over “stuff” will have an impact as well. Robert, who is Gen X, has stated that he is focusing his collection on the Space Shuttle Program as it is what he grew up with and connects with the most. That sums up well how younger generations often view the distinction between MGA versus the private spaceflight industry that is developing alongside them.
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Axman
Member Posts: 442
From: Derbyshire UK
Registered: Mar 2023
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posted 12-17-2023 11:44 AM
Different people collect different things and usually for different reasons, but one thing has remained the same over centuries and that is that the majority of collectors within their field are older than average.*I remember well, in the late 60s as a teenager, being moaned at by a cadre of members of my local philatelic club stating that "stamp collecting was dead, all the collectors were old and dying out, and the younger generations were no longer interested..." - this was sixty+ year-olds whining to a fourteen year old more than fifty years ago! I heard the exact same sentiments being uttered just last week at my local philatelic club meeting!!! The last ushabti maker on the planet probably had good reason to moan about a lack of custom for his business. And then ushabtis were completely unknown to mankind for over a thousand years... but there are now collectors of ushabtis about today, and just like they have been for three hundred years or so, the majority of them are elderly and (due to the generational distribution of wealth which hasn't changed greatly since Akhenaten's time) richer than average. And yes, when we land on the moon again there will be an up-kick in collecting, and a renewed interest in the first (Apollo) era. (*) - there are obvious outliers to this general statement: which is any new 'craze' driven by a young generation, such as cigarette cards in the 1920s, Barbie dolls in the 60s, Pokémon cards in the 90s; and indeed stamp collecting in the 1860s. But once the first generation of a new collecting craze grows older, then the statement becomes true. |
CEKebalo
Member Posts: 36
From: Winnipeg, MB, CA
Registered: Jun 2021
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posted 12-18-2023 09:10 AM
I'm in my late 30's and feel I was late to the party, especially when looking through older posts on cS about autograph shows, events, and encounters. The moments many of you have had over the years with the MGA groups amazes me. I have been very lucky to meet a few wonderful friends through collecting and through cS, however I will never experience the moments many of you have, at events such as Spacefest.I find everything about the MGA era absolutely fascinating. I cannot imagine another era ever living up to what MGA gave to us, unless we actually do make it to Mars. The question of who collects now and whether the hobby will eventually grow or shrink, I feel depends on the accessibility of future astronaut groups, be it Artemis or whatever / whomever comes after them. If there is limited access to future collectibles / memorabilia, how or why would one try to collect? | |
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