Age of Collectors (3 Viewers)

[mwh94]

I'm in teens

 

[erniesstudio]

54 This year ,been collecting since i was 8...ern

 

[OzDigger]

54 This year ,been collecting since i was 8...ern

I had a pretty good rock collection when I was 3, does that count If so, I can say I've been collecting for over forty five years - sweet.

 

[mitch292]

I'm a young 14 and have been collecting since I was 8.

 

[ucla1967]

I am 64 and started collecting 30 mm SAE metal figures when I was 14. Didn't collect again until I was 49 and now have a fairly large collection. BTW, your poll may not accurately reflect the hobby since I can think of four big time collectors who are not on-line. Two are in their eighties (Ed Ruby and Bill Conolly), Neal Crowley in his seventies, and Bob Walker who is my age. Generally, we do tend to be older, white males based on my observations having attended the Chicago and L.A. shows since 1993. But I am very happy to see more younger folks who are interested in the hobby.

 

[Shannon Reuss]

A poll is only as good as the core group it asks the question to. In this case only members of this forum are eligible to answer and even then only a handful of forum members have answered. One "rule" with signing people up for a forum is you are required to ask their birthdate to ensure you do not end up with small children on a forum that is not designed for them. So as the administrator of this forum I know all your birthdates, and with that information I could paint a much more accurate picture of the age of our collectors. However, this is a volunteer poll so we get what people participate with.
Even so, the idea in question was that this hobby was "old" and "dying out" with elderly men as it's bread and butter and that question has been answered. While we do have have older men (and we're thankful we do!), the limited answer on this poll is that most respondents are in their 30s through 50s. Good news for a hobby that I never thought was dying.
So the main thing we have learned from this poll is the hobby is growing and hobbyists of all ages are welcome on Treefrog.
It is also a good reminder when posting to remember we have had quite an influx of younger collectors 14-16 and to keep posts appropriate for all collectors.
Warm regards to you all,

 

[Phalanx Toy Soldier]

My take on this subject...and the specific poll posted here...is just a bit different. Clearly, two things need to be considered...the methodology of the poll itself, and the presumption (on which the poll is based) to be either confirmed or disproved. I'm a bit concerned about each.

Taking the latter first, I want to suggest that the presumption is wrong...or at least misstated. Every conversation I've read, heard, or been a part of has suggested that the toy soldier hobby is PREDOMINANTLY an activity of 'baby boomers'. Not octagenarians, or septagenarians...but those guys born between 1946 and approximately 1970 or so. That would mean, if accurate, it is a hobby dominated by those Between sixty years of age, and those older than 35, with the larger number being from the front end (older) of the range. A general rule of thumb has been oft referred to as the time during which Louis Marx was producing playsets...though of course that would be irrelevant to the large number on this board who are metal collectors. Nonetheless, if one uses the baby boomer standard as the assumption, the view of the poll may be rather different.

And the dismay of so many collectors, worried about the hobby dying out, is that there are VERY FEW folks under 25 participating. Without as many coming into the activity as are leaving it through death, it means big trouble.

As to methodology...there are so many articles and evaluations around the NET about forum 'polls' that no more need be mentioned here. They are amusing, not much else. However, within a particular poll, it is a good thing to examine the methodology, as Shannon did in a very general way. This poll has drawn responses from a tiny fraction of the forum membership, and the number of members, while impressive, is the tiniest part of the toy soldier community.

That said, even using these numbers, and examining the breakout of the percentages, a tiny 10% of the total is under thirty. Given that that equates to SEVEN voters, not much to be garnered there, except that the numbers almost exactly correspond to the baby boomer generation. If manufacturers and dealers had to survive on the patronage of those younger than boomer-age, it would be pretty grim.

If the forum moderator(s) have a breakout of the numbers of registered members by age, or could easily put that together, my large bet is that the numbers would be skewed ever MORE towards higher age.

The gauge I use -- at least the best one I can think of taken by itelf, and apart from any other -- is a quick glance around at OTSN. This is the most effectively done between Wednesday night and Saturday night. Check out the attendees those days. (or if attendance is not possible, then check out each year's photo write up in back PFPC issues. If one can see any kind of optimistic hobby future from the demographic the eye sees there, I'd enjoy reading about it.

I'd very much like to be wrong about this, and I'd sure find it enjoyable to see all the others in the hobby who see the greying of the activity be wrong as well. Since I've put my $$$$ where my hopes are, and have an honest to gosh brick and mortar retail toy soldier store in Eastern Iowa (with no online presence, no website and no eBay selling), I'm counting on a continuation of customer interest for at least a couple more decades. Based on the guys who come into the shop, that is rather a rose-colored glasses optimism, but then what else would I do with my money. (o;

By the way and for the record, I turn 58 in October, began collecting when I was five, never gave up the hobby, and have been selling since 1981, 'legally -- sales tax permit, business registration -- since 1991, and opened the shop up in August of 2001 (talk about unfortunate timing.)

Terry in Iowa
Phalanx Toy Soldiers

 

[ucla1967]

Terry,

I have attended both the OTSN and West Coaster since 1993; in addition, I have sold at the W.C. from my room and at the show for nine years. My observation is that this hobby's core is over whelmingly white, older (i.e., 40s, 50s, 60s, and up) males.

The Southern California Toy Soldier Collectors Society, which we started in March, has 15 members, of whom, 5 are not on-line and are older, white males. The good news is that there seems to be a new, younger group of collectors who seem to have been brought into the hobby by King & Country. Thank you Andy!

 

[OzDigger]

Another thing that should be considered is human vanity and privacy issues. People aren't always honest when listing their birth date on public forums. I know I sometimes just make up a birth date if it is mandatory when registering on a forum, and I usually make myself younger

 

[jazzeum]

Further to Oz's point, may web sites have privacy policies (although I don't know if Treefrog does), which may prevent the information from being given out.

 

[Phalanx Toy Soldier]

Is that possibly true?

Would any privacy policy be so comprehensive as to prohibit the mention of demographics?

Does THIS forum have a policy which would prevent it from noting that 69%, as an example, were fifty or older, and 5% were younger than 20?

Would be very useful to see the breakdown -- completely anonymously of course. Since a poll about exactly that was presented on this forum, slightly more accurate and complete information would be illustrative.

Of course it IS possible-- though it is hard to believe in this day and age when EVERYTHING is broken down into tiny fragments -- that the software used for this forum does NOT do any statistical analysis of the registration information.

Terry in Iowa

 

[Peter Reuss]

I don't think there is any harm in giving out a few statistics, but I have to agree with Phalanx - they are of very limited use. As a person who majored in stats in college, I realize how you can try to use them to say about anything you want.

Of the people who provided a year of birth when they registered (which is less than 25% of all forum members):

8% are under 20
4% are 20-30
33% are 30-40
18% are 40-50
22% are 50-60
15% are over 60

What does this show? Perhaps that those who are 30-40 are most likely to give their age when registering. Maybe it shows that people in that age group are more tech-savvy, and thus more likely to be a part of an internet Forum.

By far the smallest group is the 20-30 crowd. Is it because they have the least disposable income to spend on luxuries? Perhaps. That's part of my theory.

At least on this Forum, it does appear that the hobby does not perfectly fit the 'graying old white male' stereotye, with 45% under the age of 40.

Statistics can only tell part of the story. With elections coming up, we will hear a lot of creative interpretations of them ...

 

[Peter Reuss]

By the way and for the record, I turn 58 in October, began collecting when I was five, never gave up the hobby, and have been selling since 1981, 'legally -- sales tax permit, business registration -- since 1991, and opened the shop up in August of 2001 (talk about unfortunate timing.)

Terry in Iowa
Phalanx Toy Soldiers

Terry - where in Iowa do you have a shop? I never knew there were any Hawkeye toy soldier places! I grew up in Atlantic (on the west side of the state).

Pete (a Hawkeye stuck in Minnesota Gopher land)

 

[Phalanx Toy Soldier]

Peter...

Phalanx Toy Soldiers is in Cedar Rapids, close in on the NE side of town, just off of the Interstate. Eventually there will be a website with directions and a map...and photos. For the present, I give out business cards whenever I have the opportunity, and also provide a telephone number and street address by email.

Check your email for more info.

Terry

 

[OzDigger]

By far the smallest group is the 20-30 crowd. Is it because they have the least disposable income to spend on luxuries? Perhaps. That's part of my theory.

My theory is they have more exciting pursuits, like females

 

[vandilay]

My theory is they have more exciting pursuits, like females

The reality is in your 20,s youve probably got the most disposable income
but as Oz has said females and Bars take the lions share [travel too]

 

[ucla1967]

The reality is in your 20,s youve probably got the most disposable income
but as Oz has said females and Bars take the lions share [travel too]

Let's see, in my 20s I was in the U.S. Army making $99 a month and then I was in college until I was 25 years old. My first job after graduation was for $7,068 per annum as a GS-8 with the U.S. Government. Not much disposable income at all. In fact, I have much more disposable income in my 50s and 60s than I ever dreamed of in my 20s. When I travel in Europe and the Middle East, I used a copy of Europe on $5 a Day. Now those were the good old days.

 

[OzDigger]

Let's see, in my 20s I was in the U.S. Army making $99 a month and then I was in college until I was 25 years old. My first job after graduation was for $7,068 per annum as a GS-8 with the U.S. Government. Not much disposable income at all. In fact, I have much more disposable income in my 50s and 60s than I ever dreamed of in my 20s. When I travel in Europe and the Middle East, I used a copy of Europe on $5 a Day. Now those were the good old days.

I agree. I'm not sure what house prices are like in the US but in Australia most 20-30 y/o's are flat out saving enough for a home deposit and other assets. Years ago most of my money went on rent, cars and entertainment, which included females of course. Therefore I had little spare time and money to devote to collecting stuff.

Now that I no longer pay rent I seem to have more money and spare time, and I find my collecting hobbies get more attention. But I can't wait for my two teenage boys to get their own income as their overseas travel and consumer lifestyles are cutting onto my hobby money. Btw, do kids ever stop asking their parents for money

 

[vandilay]

In my 20,s I had money to spend on cars ,travel ,booze you name it.
Now in my 30,s although i earn more its mortgage ,Kids etc and then
hobbys I,ve no dought I had more disposable income then, I just had
different priorities

 

[OzDigger]

Once that mortgage is out of the way it's easy going. Of course that's easier said than done considering the size of housing loans these days.