Boomers were no different, and their closets, cabinets, and attics are full of the proof.
Here are 12 things boomers own that are worthless today, according to people talking about them on Facebook.
1. Fine China and China Cabinets
Fine china once sat behind glass, saved for holidays and special guests.
Many owners remember being told not to touch it, and the sets stayed perfect because they were barely used.
Younger buyers today see a cabinet full of plates they will never serve dinner on.
The sets cost a fortune new, and now they sell for a fraction of that, if they sell at all.
2. Hummel Figurines
Hummel figurines were once collected with pride, one birthday and holiday gift at a time.
Collectors kept them in cabinets and waited for the value to climb.
That climb never came, and the market is now full of the same little figures.
Resellers say the pieces move for a few dollars, and most buyers pass them by.
3. Beanie Babies
Beanie Babies were supposed to pay for college, or at least a nice vacation.
People bought them in bulk, kept the tags on, and stored them in plastic bins.
The resale market collapsed years ago, and the bins are still sitting in closets.
Fans of the toys say the plush animals are cute, but cute does not pay the rent.
4. Encyclopedia Sets
A full encyclopedia set once filled a whole shelf and marked a home as serious about learning.
Families flipped through the heavy volumes to settle arguments at the dinner table.
Search engines made the whole set obsolete in a few short years.
The books are heavy, hard to move, and almost impossible to give away.
5. VHS Tapes
VHS tapes were made by the millions, and that is exactly the problem.
Almost every home had a shelf of them, and almost every tape was a mass produced copy of a movie anyone can stream now.
A few rare titles still have value, but the everyday tapes do not.
Owners who kept boxes of them say the tapes take up space and the players are long gone.
6. Porcelain Dolls
Porcelain dolls filled curio cabinets and spare bedrooms for decades.
Most of them were mass produced, even the ones that looked fancy and came in a box.
Restoration experts say nine out of ten dolls people bring them are the same common models.
The dolls are pretty to look at, but the resale value is close to nothing.
7. Silverplate Flatware
Silverplate flatware looks like real silver, and that used to be the whole point.
Families polished it for Sunday dinner and kept it in a lined box the rest of the week.
Pawn shops and dealers pay very little for it, because the silver layer is thin and the base metal is not worth much.
Owners say the sets are beautiful, heavy, and almost impossible to sell.
8. Crystal Stemware
Crystal stemware was the wedding gift every couple received, often in sets of eight or twelve.
Waterford and other big names filled cabinets across the country.
Younger couples do not want a cabinet full of glasses they have to hand wash.
Many owners say their children have asked them to throw the sets out.
9. Commemorative Collector Plates
Commemorative plates were sold as investments, with certificates and limited edition numbers.
Franklin Mint plates that cost 25 to 75 dollars new now change hands for 10 to 30 dollars.
The plates were made in huge runs, so the word limited never meant scarce.
Collectors say the plates look lovely on a wall, and that is about all they are worth.
10. Old Computers
Old computers pile up in attics and basements, too slow to use and too heavy to move.
Most of them are worth nothing, and recycling is often the only option.
A small retrocomputing scene keeps a few classic machines alive, and fans love the old keyboards and chunky monitors.
The rest of the machines are e-waste waiting for a trip to the dump.
11. Cassette Tapes
Cassette tapes were the soundtrack of the 80s and 90s, copied, traded, and played until the ribbon wore out.
Fans remember rewinding a tangled tape with a pencil, and making mixtapes for friends.
Streaming made the format pointless for most people, and the tapes now sit in boxes nobody opens.
A few collectors still hunt for rare releases, but the everyday tapes are worth pennies.
12. Fur Coats
Fur coats were once the ultimate luxury gift, kept in cold storage and worn on special nights.
Attitudes toward fur have changed, and younger buyers simply do not want it.
Thrift shops say the coats hang on the rack for months, and many will not take them at all.
Owners who inherited a fur coat often have no idea what to do with it.