SHINY THING$ 0143 👾

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Last week, we talked a bit about the The National Sports Card Convention in Cleveland and the $1,000 still-sealed Twinkie from 1976, labeled as “The world’s oldest sealed Twinkie.”

Hours after we posted, it was gone… purchased at the asking price.

We’re in the business of collectibles of all kinds, so the oddball stuff like this is certainly something we come across often. Even so, this one is pretty insane…

In this installment of Shiny Thing$, we go a bit deeper on the true value of Nostalgia, and why for the buyer, that might be the steal of the century.

But first, a word from our friends at Betterment

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So how much is a sealed 50 year old Twinkie worth?

Is it actually worth $1,000?

The market said yes, as it was purchased by friend of Rally, Darren Rovell, who wrote about it in a new article on Cllct.

And we agree… because over everything else, nostalgia is currently the most important commodity on earth. 

It’s romantic, and euphoric, and heartbreaking, and when it’s effective it sweeps over every ounce of you like a rogue wave in calm seas. 

It’s also a creator of value for a generation that grew up in an analog era - a new consumer that has been in the workforce since the mid 2000s and now has the ability to spend their way back to a time that felt far more real.

When it comes to collectibles, nostalgia is especially important. In investing, it might actually matter even more. 

In today's fast-paced, often overwhelming world, a deep-rooted sentimentality for the past has surged into our collective consciousness. The mental time machine that takes us back to significant moments, often intertwined with people we love and experiences we wish lasted longer, is enough to change behavior. And its usually more than enough to make us spend…

The nostalgic wave can be triggered by everyday encounters: a familiar scent, an old song, a childhood photograph, or even the vintage mascot on a Hostess dessert wrapper. These sensory reminders can elicit powerful emotional responses, making us smile at the past and sometimes shed a tear. 

During turbulent times (2020 - 2021 as an example) nostalgia offers a comforting escape, a safe mental retreat that helps us reconnect with our identities and sense of belonging. Factor in something like sports highlights on social media, or a culturally dominant comfort snack like the Twinkie in a familiar package from your childhood, and you have the rare chance to recreate nostalgia in realtime. 

And that’s when you reach for your wallet. 

It’s is not just about reminiscing though. It's a coping mechanism. It’s comfort, even in loss. It allows us to momentarily escape negative emotions like loneliness, anxiety, or sadness. This emotional refuge can make the present more bearable, and give you that psychological breather that often feels like an Olympic sprinter getting smaller and smaller and she bolts into the distance in front of us. 24/7 connectivity via email, text, slack, discord, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Netflix, Spotify, your run club, your job, your rent bill, your family, your life.

It never ends.

But nostalgia can be your moment of peace.

On the other side of endless connectivity, its fosters true connections. Shared cultural memories - like a baseball card from your childhood hero, who was everyone’s childhood hero - creates a communal bond. These shared experiences provide common ground, enhancing our social interactions and sense of community. Hearing others' nostalgic stories can even ignite our own memories, creating a ripple effect of shared sentimentality.

But it needs boundaries…spending $1,000 on a 1976 Twinkie is a bad idea if you’re only doing it for that momentary happiness. It has to be balanced with the reality of the present.

While it can be a pleasant escape, overindulgence leads to romanticizing the past at the expense of the present. One school of thought is that nostalgia can and should be used more as a “tool” than a crutch: using those core memories as reflections to identify what we valued in the past, and applying those insights to improve our current lives, transforming nostalgia from a mere escape into a function of personal growth and fulfillment.

Nostalgia is and always has been a powerful, multifaceted emotion, and today it is probably the single most impactful decision trigger affecting the way we spend our time and money.

It’s currency. 

It connects us to our past, strengthens bonds in the present, and provides hope. Yet, like any currency, it should be used wisely, ensuring it enriches rather than detracts from our present experiences.

Rally is in the business of Nostalgia - in everything we do. We’re constantly on a mission to archive and collect the most important pieces of the past, give you new access in the present, and preserve new memories that matter for the next generation of nostalgists.

Sometimes that’s a jersey off the back of Michael Jordan in his prime. In the future, it might be a Twinkie… who knows. The future is still unwritten, but the past is always whispering in your ear the direction it’s headed.

All you have to do is listen. 

Until Next Week…