So, let them collect something else. How about pebbles? Nope, even rock hounds are squeezed out by big money rock investors. Let's see.....beer cans? Buttons? Yes, buttons are still cheap and won't accrue in value very much, at least not many. People collect all sorts of permanently near worthless things for the fun of the hunt. So the argument is essentially false because it suggests that everything collectible is ruined by commodification and investment hopes when in fact that's not true except for some things, like coins and stamps and rare artworks and the like.
Someone could easily build a wonderful collection of original artworks for free or nearly so, say, under $10 per purchase, and it may be aesthetically pleasing but most likely worthless, forever worthless. wc ----- Original Message ---- From: joseph berg <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, November 25, 2010 5:42:10 PM Subject: Re: "The show also sought to roll back the commercialization and gentrification of graffiti. This is an age when street artists like JR and Britain's Banksy have global recognition and collectors are pouring in money." On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 2:35 AM, Saul Ostrow <[email protected]> wrote: > Actually its the opposite - more and more people speculate in the hopes of > buying cheap and selling dear - in the 80s this manifested itself in people > buying work from graduate students about to graduate > But hasn't art collecting become like coin collecting? (see recent article below): - Long <http://long/> ago, almost all collectors did so for the love of the hobby. They werent really that interested in how much money a coin was worth, but more in achieving completion of a set or the thrill of the hunt. Sadly, nowadays, it seems like everyone, including the younger dealers, are only interested in how much money a coin is worth. Although good for reassurance, certified coins have taken away a lot of the need for coin knowledge. Today, coins are mostly used as an investment vehicle. Unfortunately, the value of many coins has risen to a level where the average wage earner has been priced out of the market. http://honoluluweekly.com/qanda/2010/10/dollars-and-sense/
