As a pop culture enthusiast, one of the things I enjoy are commercials. One of my favorites is Progressive’s Dr. Rick series, where he helps people avoid “turning into their parents.” I especially enjoy his deadpan quip: “Nobody cares.”

Those two words aptly describe a shift we’re seeing in the buying trends at antique and personal property auctions.

The market is moving away from traditional antique collecting and toward a more personal approach of buying and collecting. Today’s buyers are often looking for specific items that catch their attention – items that are interesting, beautiful, nostalgic, useful, or simply have a great story behind them.

Perhaps the best part of this type of collecting is that you don’t have to be a serious antique collector, a star baby, or have a large budget, to find something worth bringing home.

Sometimes, you just find something you love. And, well… nobody cares if it fits the traditional definition of an antique.

So, what are buyers looking for?

The answer is…pretty much anything.

We’re seeing buyers gravitate toward items that make them stop scrolling and think, “Oh, I like that.” That might be a piece of furniture, a piece of advertising, a piece of jewelry, a toy, a piece of artwork, or something they remember from their childhood.

Nostalgia is a powerful motivator.

Vintage toys, games, advertising, pop culture memorabilia and other objects from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are attracting buyers who may not consider themselves “collectors” in the traditional sense. They remember these things. They grew up with them. They have a connection to them.

A vintage toy isn’t necessarily being purchased because it is an important collectible. Sometimes it’s being purchased because the buyer had one as a child.

The same thing is happening with household objects and decorative items. A piece of Mid-Century furniture, an unusual lamp, colorful glassware, vintage kitchenware or an old advertising sign may appeal simply because it looks great in someone’s home. It doesn’t have to match a particular collecting category or conform to a particular design philosophy.

Individuality matters, too.

For years, the goal for many homeowners seemed to be creating a perfectly coordinated look. Today, there is much more interest in rooms that feel collected rather than decorated. Buyers are looking for things that have personality—objects that add color, texture, humor, history or a little bit of weirdness.

Things that once were overlooked at auction – a quirky piece of folk art, an unusual piece of pottery, a vintage sign, a collection of old postcards, a taxidermy specimen, a set of cocktail glasses. None of these things necessarily needs to be rare or valuable in the traditional sense.

They just need to be interesting.

Another important factor is usefulness. Buyers aren’t necessarily looking for objects that need to be put behind glass. They want things they can use and enjoy. Furniture gets incorporated into contemporary homes. Vintage textiles become pillows or wall hangings. Old advertising becomes décor. Silver gets used. Jewelry gets worn.

In other words, the distinction between collectible and usable is becoming increasingly blurred.

And then there is the most powerful category of all:

A great story.

An object with a connection to a person, place, business, hobby or moment in history can become much more interesting when you know the story behind it. Sometimes the story is documented. Sometimes it’s something a family has known for generations. And sometimes it’s simply the story that the object itself suggests.

That matters because auctions aren’t just selling things. We’re selling the opportunity to own something that someone else finds meaningful.

What This Means for Sellers

For sellers and their families, this shift is good news.

It means we shouldn’t be too quick to decide that something has no value simply because it isn’t a traditional antique or a recognized collectible.

The old family advertising sign in the garage might appeal to a collector. The costume jewelry tucked away in a drawer might appeal to someone looking for a statement piece. The old toys in the attic might be exactly what someone has been searching for. The furniture that doesn’t fit a traditional antique category might be perfect for someone else’s home.

The value isn’t always obvious from the object itself.

That’s one of the things that makes auctions so interesting. We don’t necessarily know which item will make someone stop scrolling, raise their paddle and say, “That’s the one.”

What This Means for Auctioneers

It also changes the way we approach an auction.

Instead of thinking only in terms of traditional categories and established collectors, we have to think about who might love an item and why.

That means good photography matters. Descriptions matter. Research matters. Knowing the story behind an item matters. So does presenting an item in a way that helps a potential buyer see its possibilities.

An auction catalog shouldn’t just tell someone what something is. Whenever possible, it should help them understand why they might want it.

Because today’s buyer may not be looking for an antique.

They may be looking for something beautiful.

Something useful.

Something nostalgic.

Something unusual.

Something that reminds them of someone.

Or simply something that makes them smile.

And honestly?

Nobody cares what category it belongs in.