MATCHBOX CAR

Matchbox  car

Matchbox car

If any Toy can claim to rival toy soldiers knights in armour cowboys and Indians it’s the toy car.

In this page we are going to look at Matchbox toys, if you think about it what Matchbox toys have done and many others, is to simply micro-sized a real car.

Matchbox car

Even in the early days this appeal to both young boys and girls to full-grown adults, and in most cases were given as play toys however even in the early years they were sought after by what we know today and call petrol heads.

As our love for cars has evolved over the years today’s models have become more lifelike to meet the needs of collectors.

Matchbox car

Matchbox toys has become synonymous with die-cast cars, although I think more practical in America than anywhere else in the world ,there’s  still is huge collectors market for these vehicles.

 Two years ago a rare model sold at auction for a record $20,000  approximately  £16,000. So it looks like in some cases even dreaming about a super

Matchbox car

car whether it be real or a die-cast model  form  Matchbox can still cost the same.

I have been to many swap meets and specialist toys auctions over the years, both buying and selling and in all cases the most important thing is condition of both vehicle and its packaging its box can play a really important part in both the resale and purchase of the die-cast vehicle as much as 40% of the total vehicles worth is down to the box’s condition.

Matchbox car

There is a huge cottage industry producing spare parts tyres, wheels, stickers transfers. Reproduction boxes, and if you want there’s plenty of people out there who will be willing to spray your Matchbox model in whatever colours you choose.

Prices vary immensely as I have said on condition however if you’re just looking for a toy that you had as a child and it doesn't have to be in mint condition, should be able to pick one up for as little as $10-$20 in played with condition.

I hope you have found this page on  Matchbox car  to be both informative and helpful.

Happy hunting from the collectibles coach 

Pogo Sticks

POGO STICKS

Pogo Sticks

The origins of the pogo stick are uncertain, with similar contraptions appearing ever since the end of the 19^th century, but it was in 1919 that George B  Hansburg paid for the patented for his pogo stick

Hansburg delighted in telling the story of a Burmese girl whose father invented a jump and stick to enable her to safely travel to church.

The girls name was, so Hansburg deal went, was pogo, but however this device got its name, it has proved to be a classic toy.

The first batch of pogo sticks, were made of wood, and rotted their way to the USA from Germany. 

Pogo Sticks

Thankfully, this potential disaster merely prompted Hansburg to develop a more robust pogo stick, and his customers, Gimbel’s department store was happy to play its part as midwife to another classic toy and didn’t cancel the order.

Hansburg never start tinkering with his design.

A new patented application in 1955 promise to create a pogo stick that was not likely to become dangerous even after prolonged use.

Still subject to development, the latest pogo sticks promised to launch you up to 6 feet in the air, the gasoline powered version in the 1960s are hot Rod proved to be every bit as the endless as it sounds and was quickly discontinued.

Pogo Sticks

The  post above shows that with a little foresight and engineering skills have some basic materials can produce a toy ballasted to test of time and is still as popular today as it was when it was invented in 1919.

I hope you found this page on  Pogo Sticks   to be both informative and helpful.

Happy hunting from the collectibles coach.

Airfix Models

Airfix  Models

Airfix  Models

For more than 60 years children and their parents have been glueing small plastic pieces together to produce models of aircraft, ships, military vehicles and cars

.

The fact that ready-made models of all of these can be easily found in toy shops around the world is proof that when it comes to Airfix, the journey is more important than the destination.

Airfix  Models

The first plastic model produced by Airfix, in 1949, was of a Ferguson tractor and it was nothing more than  a  promotional item for Fergusons salespeople.

Finding that it was difficult to fix the pieces of the tractor together well enough for it to stand up to the rigours of being shipped out of the Ferguson officers, the people of Airfix hit on a master stroke.

Airfix  Models

They sent the Airfix models out in pieces, for the staff at Ferguson to put the other themselves. Cottoning on to this intriguing concept, Airfix started to sell models of tractors to the public and in 1952 the first especially produced kit in squarely at the public was released, a 1.72 scale model of the Golden Hind.

That was launched first, the Spitfire remains the darling of the Airfix world.

Airfix  Models

A vast range of Spitfire models has been released since the first, the Mark one in 1953, the Spitfire still remains pride of place in the current Airfix range.

still tempting new generations of children to pick up the tube of glue and get to work and complete the model.

There are still lots of vintage kits out there and they can picked up for as little as $5. the artwork also is collectable with their original proofs still fetching thousands of dollars.

I hope you have found this page  on Airfix Models to be both informative and helpful.

Happy hunting from the collectables coach

Lego toy

Lego Toy

Lego toy

The Lego we know today was invented in 1955 and was adapted from an earlier version of bricks the new bricks could grip each other firmly, yet remained easy to dismantle.

Town plan range was at the heart of the new system, comprising 28 construction sets and eight vehicles.

Lego toy

Today, around 20 billion Lego bricks are produced each year, but the most important thing is how the bricks can fit together, a set of six  Lego bricks can be combined in infinite different ways giving amazing flexibility when it comes to construction.

Lego quickly expanded into different themes, offering castles, spaceships, pirate ships and cities to populate.

 miniature figures appeared in 1978 and they have gone on to become one of the most popular collectable element of the lego world.

Lego toy

The Lego system continues to grow at an amazing rate, with new themes added every year. Popular movie tie-ins such as Star Wars and Harry Potter sets, which rub shoulders alongside creations such as Atlantis and Pocahontas quest.

The Lego story shows no signs of ending any time soon and I can personally vouch for spending many happy hours as a child building and construction with local breaks.

Lego toy

In today’s modern world of apps and computers is refreshing to see that this Toy from the past can still stimulate a child’s imagination.

As I have said above I think Lego will be with us for a long time to come prices have not changed really and kits can still be had for pocket money prices.

I hope you have found this page  on the  Lego toy to be both informative and helpful.

Happy hunting from the collectables coach.

Slinky history

Slinky history

Slinky history

Few toys can boast a CV as colourful as the slinky.

It was the subject of one of the longest running advertising jingles in history.

It has been taken into orbit aboard the space shuttle, has had its own postage stamp and is the official state toy of Pennsylvania.

Slinky history

That’s not bad for a toy that was invented by accident, when engineer Richard James was experimenting with springs and watched with interest when one of his test subjects fell to the floor in a series of steps.

Two years later in 1945, his new toy was demonstrated at Gimbel’s department store.

In Philadelphia the first batch of 400 slinky is sold out in 90 minutes.

Slinky history

Sales have since talked the 300 million mark, the slinky is most famed for its ability to walk down stairs, powered by nothing more than gravity and its own perpetual movement.

It’s not a concept that is easily explained, but when seen in action that is instant.

Slinky history

Spin offs have included the slinky dog, which launched in 1952 and was also featured in the toy story movie and franchise, the slinky train and crazy eyes glasses.

It still shows that in today’s society of electronic toys and gizmos that this basic spring turned into a toy still has a huge following.

Sadly they are not of great value but that’s not to say I would not buy one just for the novelty of watching it going down stairs.

I hope you found this page   Slinky history on to be both informative and helpful.

Happy hunting the collectables coach