You might be surprised.  We all tend to take things for granted when the ones we love are still with us.  Once they're gone things take on a different color.  Often we'd do anything for something that would allow us to feel close to them again.  Heavy I know, but I think about the stuff I have from my Dad that I'll get to pass on to my kids one day.  Most of it is of nominal value monetarily, but its important to me because it was his.  Those items, and the stories that go with them are all my kids will ever know of my dad other than pictures and the odd video.

The value of collector cars is going to go up and down.  That's been happening for decades.  Basically they are a commodity, no different than gold or silver.  I think in the end the intrinsic value never changes, but like any commodity they are in essence a hedge against inflation.  If for example my car is worth twice what it was twenty years ago, that makes sense because everything costs twice as much now.  Long term I think they're a sound investment.  That said, this isn't a hobby we got into to make money.  I often wonder if the people claiming the market is declining are trying to get it to tank.  Like any other market all the money is made in its manipulation.