Toys From Your Youth And Things To Hang Onto For The Future
Discussion
Being of a certain age, I must have had pretty much every Corgi/Dinky diecast model going, and now some 40 years on you see the crazy prices they're now worth.
You could cry, however my younger self had many happy hours wrecking playing with said toys.
From memory I think I had:
Every Thunderbird toy they made
Captain Scarlet
UFO
Space 1999
Star Trek and so on.
Of course now, you have enterprising companies making their own (presumably) licensed versions at eye boggling prices, Sixteen 12 springs to mind here, especially as they invariably always make the thing or range they're selling in such a way that to get the item you want, you have to get a load of things that you may not...
That said though I decided a few years ago to try and get a few things that were of interest to me, and keep them in good nick and hold onto for the future.
My very modest collection so far consists of the following.
Greenlight 1:64 models of the Mad Max Interceptor and Vanishing Point Challenger (boxed)
Greenlight 1:43 models of the same, in their plastic display boxes.
Walking with Dinosaurs boxed Liopleurodon (apparently rare now)
Matrix 1 Trinity figure boxed
My latest acquisition is this:
This is a mid run model of the UFO Shado mobile 2 in pretty good condition considering it's 40 or so years old, hell it even has the missile.
Best of all though, I got it at a 'walking car boot' sale
'Price for the "tank" said I...
The answer?
£1
Humble beginnings, but space is an issue for me and real life tends to get in the way for getting anything really expensive.
You could cry, however my younger self had many happy hours
From memory I think I had:
Every Thunderbird toy they made
Captain Scarlet
UFO
Space 1999
Star Trek and so on.
Of course now, you have enterprising companies making their own (presumably) licensed versions at eye boggling prices, Sixteen 12 springs to mind here, especially as they invariably always make the thing or range they're selling in such a way that to get the item you want, you have to get a load of things that you may not...
That said though I decided a few years ago to try and get a few things that were of interest to me, and keep them in good nick and hold onto for the future.
My very modest collection so far consists of the following.
Greenlight 1:64 models of the Mad Max Interceptor and Vanishing Point Challenger (boxed)
Greenlight 1:43 models of the same, in their plastic display boxes.
Walking with Dinosaurs boxed Liopleurodon (apparently rare now)
Matrix 1 Trinity figure boxed
My latest acquisition is this:
This is a mid run model of the UFO Shado mobile 2 in pretty good condition considering it's 40 or so years old, hell it even has the missile.
Best of all though, I got it at a 'walking car boot' sale
'Price for the "tank" said I...
The answer?
£1
Humble beginnings, but space is an issue for me and real life tends to get in the way for getting anything really expensive.
Good going, you’d probably have paid £50 for a Shado as good as that at a toy auction.
During lockdown I was buying up scruffy play worn Dinkys on eBay/Gumtree, generally at between £5 & £10 a go. Then just some dismantling and gentle restoration using rattle can paint. On line you will find just about any spare part for any old Dinky or Corgi including decal sets.
With a bit of effort you’ll have something like this :
If you want to really upset yourself google C&T auctions -they have an auction coming up in 2 weeks - take a look at the estimates for some near perfect original Dinky/Corgis.
During lockdown I was buying up scruffy play worn Dinkys on eBay/Gumtree, generally at between £5 & £10 a go. Then just some dismantling and gentle restoration using rattle can paint. On line you will find just about any spare part for any old Dinky or Corgi including decal sets.
With a bit of effort you’ll have something like this :
If you want to really upset yourself google C&T auctions -they have an auction coming up in 2 weeks - take a look at the estimates for some near perfect original Dinky/Corgis.
The original Star Wars stuff of course, however mine was thoroughly played with, not cherished or unopened. All gone in a swap for more Scalextric. I also had at least the first 100 issues of Star Wars Weekly which was launched in the UK about the same time as the movie. We moved house in '81 and they went on the bonfire...
A few of the nicer Dinky/Corgi toys have stayed with me though:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Corgi - complete and nice but no box)
James Bond Aston Martin (silver, as above)
Both the Space 1999 Eagles - transporter and cargo versions (Dinky, nice again)
TOS Star Ship Enterprise (Dinky, still with the "proton torpedoes")
James Bond Esprit Submarine and chasing Jet Ranger (both Corgi, still with the orange missiles)
Thunderbird 2 (Dinky, the later blue one, still with the T4)
I've got the Corgi "60s" Batman stuff too but they are very much worse for wear.
A few of the nicer Dinky/Corgi toys have stayed with me though:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Corgi - complete and nice but no box)
James Bond Aston Martin (silver, as above)
Both the Space 1999 Eagles - transporter and cargo versions (Dinky, nice again)
TOS Star Ship Enterprise (Dinky, still with the "proton torpedoes")
James Bond Esprit Submarine and chasing Jet Ranger (both Corgi, still with the orange missiles)
Thunderbird 2 (Dinky, the later blue one, still with the T4)
I've got the Corgi "60s" Batman stuff too but they are very much worse for wear.
Edited by generationx on Monday 3rd May 10:40
Looks like I picked well with this.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254964027735?hash=item3...
Mine is unopened still in box.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254964027735?hash=item3...
Mine is unopened still in box.
The trick is not to buy the collectors/limited editions as these are bought by collectors who will keep them immaculate. So toy maker makes 1000 now, there will be 1000 mint and boxed ones about in 40 years time .
You need to buy the most popular production one, and put it away, eg the corgi Bond DB5, millions sold most play worn but very very few left in original box not played with.
You need to buy the most popular production one, and put it away, eg the corgi Bond DB5, millions sold most play worn but very very few left in original box not played with.
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Each to their own and all that but I personally find something really sad about unopened toys. Toys are meant to be played with and enjoyed.
Quite right, and I very likely have 'lost' thousands of pounds of value of toys in my childhood, but I had several thousands of hours enjoying playing with them.As I'm (mostly) an adult though these days, I find I don't really tend to play with toys so much now.
I'm now talking about having things as an adult to keep and pass onto descendants and hopefully they'll benefit from it too, just in a different way.
techguyone said:
Looks like I picked well with this.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254964027735?hash=item3...
Mine is unopened still in box.
Don't want to burst your bubble with this - but that's a "Buy it Now" figure rather than a current auction price figure.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254964027735?hash=item3...
Mine is unopened still in box.
Chancers will often put items on at crazy prices hoping for the "mug in a million" to come along...
As mentioned above honest originality is key. Although by no means a rare model the Ferrari on the right of this photo is worth triple the restored version to the left.
Edited by moffspeed on Monday 3rd May 14:36
Apart from the usual Dinky/Corgi/Matchbox stuff I dug out of the loft at my Mums house for restoration, I’ve also salvaged my Vertibird, Matchbox Cascade and Counter Attack, and Airfix Super Flight Deck. Also recently repaired my old ZX Spectrum and tape recorder, Tamiya Frog, original Lego Technical sets (go kart, and the two original car chassis) and Meccano Army Multikit.
Stuff I really regret selling are my MB Star Bird (and base), Matchbox Container Port, and the most painful to think about - Lego Galaxy Explorer.
Stuff I really regret selling are my MB Star Bird (and base), Matchbox Container Port, and the most painful to think about - Lego Galaxy Explorer.
moffspeed said:
Don't want to burst your bubble with this - but that's a "Buy it Now" figure rather than a current auction price figure.
Chancers will often put items on at crazy prices hoping for the "mug in a million" to come along...
Yeah, I have noticed that. I found a Dinky Impala like one I had 30 years ago, for £15 in a charity shop. Similar ones in good nick seem to go for around £15 - £40 on ebay. There is one up at the moment for a BIN of £399.99...Chancers will often put items on at crazy prices hoping for the "mug in a million" to come along...
I now realise as a teen in the 80’s, me and a mate went through about what would be now about £2K worth of his brother’s Star Wars figures with an air rifle.
I’ve kept all my toys which have made it this far, newer stuff I bought for my son over the last 12 years has been boxed up and put in the loft for him to pass it all on. I have a small train set which we’ve not go round to putting together yet, I’m amazed how expensive that stuff is now.
Lego is a no brainer to keep.
I’ve kept all my toys which have made it this far, newer stuff I bought for my son over the last 12 years has been boxed up and put in the loft for him to pass it all on. I have a small train set which we’ve not go round to putting together yet, I’m amazed how expensive that stuff is now.
Lego is a no brainer to keep.
I bought this a few years ago - been after one for ages! Anyone remember these? They have a cartridge that takes a bit of potato in one end and you put a cap (or two) in the other. The explosion fires the potato out, so it is in fact a real 'fire-arm'!
Sadly, the caps I got online are really puny, and even doubled up it's not as powerful as they used to be, but I still love it!
Sadly, the caps I got online are really puny, and even doubled up it's not as powerful as they used to be, but I still love it!
robsa said:
I bought this a few years ago - been after one for ages! Anyone remember these? They have a cartridge that takes a bit of potato in one end and you put a cap (or two) in the other. The explosion fires the potato out, so it is in fact a real 'fire-arm'!
Sadly, the caps I got online are really puny, and even doubled up it's not as powerful as they used to be, but I still love it!
I remember that and had one, also one of these(but in black)Sadly, the caps I got online are really puny, and even doubled up it's not as powerful as they used to be, but I still love it!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spud-Colours-vary-that-sh...
Spud guns were for amateurs. If you really wanted to send your childhood arch enemy to A&E with a realistic chance of inflicting partial blindness upon them then you needed a Sekiden pistol.
Spring action, ammo was plastic pellets, ball bearings or, for the budget conscious, dried peas. They didn’t have a great range but you certainly knew when you copped a shot.
Eventually the guns were banned in our household so I returned to burning pans of paraffin and superheated pressurised steam in my Mamod traction engine.
Spring action, ammo was plastic pellets, ball bearings or, for the budget conscious, dried peas. They didn’t have a great range but you certainly knew when you copped a shot.
Eventually the guns were banned in our household so I returned to burning pans of paraffin and superheated pressurised steam in my Mamod traction engine.
I had loads of the Gerry Anderson stuff including all of the UFO, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90 vehicles, they were passed on to my kid brother who buried some of them in our back garden, I wonder if any of them are still there...!
For Christmas 1970 my Nan bought me this, I've never seen one for sale since but then it wouldn't fit me now....
For Christmas 1970 my Nan bought me this, I've never seen one for sale since but then it wouldn't fit me now....
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