The current global pandemic has affected all of us in different ways. Perhaps you lost a job, were furloughed, or are now working from home for the very first time. For others, the pandemic was more personal. Perhaps you got sick, knew a loved one who did, or owned a business that had to close. According to the CDC, the people most at risk from the disease are individuals with a known or existing health issue and/or older populations. Residing in the great state of Pennsylvania and writing this article at the end of May, the county in which I live (Berks County) is under quarantine until sometime in June. I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones. I currently work from home, and my only inconvenience has been the quarantine itself. I conduct a lot of my collecting activities online, so the things I miss most are dining out and getting a hair cut. We wont discuss the haircut issue because it has been almost three months and counting since I last had one, and I am starting to look like someone who came of age in the 1970s rather than the millennium! Thankfully, I dont have to regularly update my online social media pics at present time. While under quarantine and practicing social distancing, I have reached out to a lot of acquaintances in the antiques and collectibles trade since I had the time to touch base. Most of these interactions were done via text or email, with the occasional phone call. I noted several fascinating conclusions about the attitudes and buying habits of many different collectors and dealers in the trade and how the pandemic affected them. I am writing about this here because I consider these results to not be surprising, but still eye opening. I was always obsessed with the demographics within the antiques and collectibles world. For instance, did you know that the average higher end antique collector and enthusiast is generally over 50 years of age, but the average video game collector is under 29 years of age? This should not come as a surprise, but it fascinates me as to how wrong people are about what makes up these demographics. I once got into a heated debate with a younger collector who told me that traditional antiques were dying. I corrected the young collector and said that the market for traditional antiques does go through boom and bust cycles, but very few antique categories are dying. Younger people cannot afford investment grade antiques or rare coins, but they can afford most video games and other mass-produced pop culture collectibles, with some exceptions (side note: the market for graded vintage video games is in a massive speculative bubble right now, but prices will eventually find their equilibrium point). Ironically, I love when I get messages from my readers telling me that they discovered a love for collecting antiques, coins, firearms, or art while in their 40s, 50s, and, in some cases, their 60s. Going back to my connections while under quarantine, my first contact was a well-known coin dealer with decades of experience in the trade. He knew me from way back, and I needed some advice on a rare coin I was planning on bidding on in the Central States Coin & Currency Auction hosted by Heritage Auctions. Since the show was canceled, the auction was still being held online courtesy of Heritage. The dealer, over the age of 65, lamented that this is the first year he will not be going to any major coin conventions, but did tell me that as soon as they open he will be there, regardless of the risk. For the next 20 minutes, he took the time to educate me about what the trade was like before online bidding and third party grading when people socialized and did business face to face. I was relieved when he told me that he would do me a favor and not bid on the coin I was inquiring about. In the end, I was somewhat surprised that a man at risk from complications of the virus was so eager to get back out to major coin conventions, and, spoiler alert, I did win the bid on that coin but had to pay a premium to get it due to increased online bidding activity as a result of the global quarantines. Many online auctions are quite competitive right now. My next contact was a Canadian friend in his late 30s. He has a passion for pop culture collectibles and loves vintage comic books, vintage toys, and video games. He lamented that he will miss going to flea markets and yard sales, but most of his selling and buying activities are done online. Ironically, as a fairly young man in his prime with no health issues, he said that the risk of contracting the virus meant it would take him awhile before he would venture out to any kind of flea market. My final contact was a lively eccentric man in his 40s who collects, deals, and has a passion for higher end contemporary art. He owns a business in New York City and was forced to close his retail gallery during the lockdown. He confessed that he doesnt actually miss the day-to-day grind of selling to clients directly face to face but misses interacting at auction venues and with up-and-coming artists. His business is still booming online, and he relayed that most of his customers were not directly affected by the economic impact of the virus. He, too, is concerned about contracting the virus and said he is in no hurry to open his retail gallery as a result. He has had an online presence for many years and does quite well via that venue. In conclusion, it doesnt surprise me that most older people who started in the trade decades ago miss the face to face interaction that the antiques and collectibles market offers. It does, however, surprise me that so many younger people around my own age fear contracting the virus. My generation was the first to embrace online buying and selling as a whole. We helped adapt to eBay and Heritage Auctions the minute they became viable platforms. That said, I think it is very important to realize that even with record online auction participation at present time, not everyone prefers to do business via a computer screen and a text message. Perhaps if there is one thing we can learn from all of this is that the next time we meet in person, maybe we shouldnt take that meeting for granted. That just may be the real lesson here. Until next time, please stay safe, and be kind.