A Socratic Dialogue Proving The Worth Of The Franklin Mint Museum (Gone)

Wawa, Pennsylvania

"I propose that The Franklin Mint Museum may be the best museum in the country."

"Surely, Socrates, you must not believe that, for nothing could be further from the truth."

"Let us examine the proposition, then. What is the purpose of a museum? Is it not a place to display those things that one most values and cherishes?"

"No one would argue the contrary, Socrates."

"And then, if we are to judge museums against one another, should we not scale them on their ability to do just so?"

"It is as you say."

"Is there a better way to understand what man values -- what he cherishes and considers important -- than to determine what he collects and what he discards?"

"Socrates, you state the obvious. What man collects he values, and what he discards he does not."

"And the more people who cherish an item, the more beauty it has?"

"That postulate is one I will accept."

"So then pioneer museums, which display the butter churns and rusted branding irons thrown out by their former owners, do not display things of value and therefore cannot be the best museum."

"Yes, yes."

"But a collectible museum, which displays only examples of what people themselves collect and pay for, must be a better museum."

"Certainly, better than a pioneer museum. But there are other museums."

"And a museum that displays only examples of what millions of people collect must the best of all museums, since it displays the most beautiful items: what the most people most cherish."

"I would grant you your argument, Socrates, but this museum displays replicas of originals, not the originals themselves."

"Just so, but it is not the replica which man collects, not the original, and therefore most values?"

"Gaaah! But...but wait! How can you be certain that what the masses collect are truly valuable?"

"Are not the items produced by The Franklin Mint displayed in The Franklin Mint Museum?"

"That is the case."

"Then are not Franklin Mint items, by their very definition, 'museum-quality,' and therefore of great value?"

"You win again, Socrates."

Note: This site is not affiliated with the Franklin Mint, which closed this museum in 2004. Don't send us mail about your collectibles. We can't provide insurance appraisals on Pewter Battle of Waterloo chess sets, or help you replace Canine Companion plates that have mysteriously slipped off the fireplace hearth and smashed to pieces. We won't be a bit of help to you. Honest.