Children Of The 80s Cashing In As Vintage Skateboard Market Booms

2021 truly has become the year of 'alternative investments'.

By this stage, most of us are used to the idea of consumer goods like sneakers, watches and luxury fashion items all being considered not only highly collectible but also surprisingly good investment opportunities. Somewhat harder to wrap one's head around has been the rise of NFTs: an even more abstract sort of investment that's taken this year by storm.

Another emerging asset class that's perhaps a little easier to understand is the rise of collectible skateboards. Skating might be a grungy, accessible sport but the prices that some skate decks command are truly astounding, with the average skater unlikely to be able to afford such hefty price tags. A quick search on eBay, StockX or other online marketplaces will easily unearth collectible skate decks selling for hundreds if not thousands of dollars, well above their original retail prices.

Of course, skate decks from cult brands like Supreme and Palace are hot property, but there's two new types of decks that are increasingly attracting investor's attention: skate decks produced by luxury brands such as Chanel or Louis Vuitton; and discontinued, 'deadstock' (i.e. unused) skate decks from the 80s and 90s from historically significant manufacturers like G&S and Powell Peralta.

[caption id="attachment_303264" align="alignnone" width="920"] L: a vintage Powell Peralta Tommy Guerrero signature board from the 80s, with an asking price of AU $4,587. R: A Supreme x Powell Peralta board from the 90s, going under the hammer with a starting bid of AU$10,000. It even has a unique RFID chip hidden within the deck so you can authenticate your investment. Images: eBay[/caption]

The latter brand, one of the most influential in the growth of skating as a sport and culture, attracts perhaps the most speculation on the market. While the brand has reissued many of its popular retro designs, originals from the 80s and 90s – even pre-skated ones – are easily worth upwards of five figures. These boards have always been reasonably valuable but prices have absolutely skyrocketed in recent years.

But why are collectible skateboards becoming so valuable in 2021? Why are luxury fashion houses making skateboards? Perhaps it's because skateboarding has never been more culturally relevant. The Tokyo Olympics became the first Games to feature skating events. Streetwear continues to have an outsized influence on modern fashion and luxury, and streetwear is deeply influenced by skating. Skating culture and high culture are cheek and jowl right now, and the money is following that.

RELATED: Olympic Athletes Are Now Wearing Luxury Brands When They Compete

Part of it is also just the passage of time. There's a finite amount of deadstock vintage skateboards around – most skaters back in the 80s and 90s weren't buying boards to squirrel away, they were buying them to use (and abuse) them. As skating becomes more popular and boards become rarer, the market gets squeezed at both ends, and prices get driven further up.

Speaking of luxury – check out Italian brand Golden Goose's floating skatepark

 

RELATED: Italian Luxury Brand Creates One Of A Kind Floating Skatepark In Venice

What we're saying is that it's probably a good idea to dig through your attic and see if you've got any old skateboards lying around. They could be worth a packet.

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