The Best Vintage Toy Ever!

I’ve often thought about selling segments of my collection. Since the mid seventies, many types of toys or “categories of toys” have past through my hands. At times I made a conscious decision not to collect a category. For example, I once owned a full set of star wars carded “12 back” figures I literally bought on a street corner in Ridgefield Park NJ. I paid $35 for the set in the late 80’s. About 10 years after their issuance in 1978.

A year or two later, I sold the set for a few thousand because I decided I was going to stop collecting “categories” at Star Wars! I don’t regret it because I really didn’t like displaying small figures on cards. I preferred 12 inch figures like the 1964-1969 Hasbro Gi Joes and the ideal Captain Action superhero figures.

At times from 2010 to 2015 I considered selling all of one category like Hess Truck or Slot Cars but the void created in the absence (or loss) of a Star Wars collection reminded me that I would miss the Hess Trucks and a Slot Cars much more than I would enjoy having the money. Not everyone has a choice between toys and money but if one does, you can determine if your a collector or investor by what you keep and what you sell.

But why sell if you don’t need money? There are many reasons to sell, but it is the most difficult thing to do because you have to face the reality that you may never come across another near-mint example at an affordable price. It’s haunting. I remember in my minds-eye trading a Marx Battery Operated Frankenstein for a Japanese Hasbro GI Joe soldier in the late eighties. It took me 30+ years to finally buy one for $1900 when I could buy a mint fully equipped Japanese soldier for about $450.

However, im not disappointed I traded it to a friend of my friend (my friend in the room at the time was Steve of “Toy Hunter”) it’s just that it left a lasting impression of how difficult it is to lose a toy you found in amazing condition and just forget about it. If your a true collector, you never forget a toy. My Frankenstein is the centerpiece of my very small horror collection.

So what’s my Best Vintage Toy Ever? Probably the two dozen mint redline original hot wheels I sold for $18 each at a toy show in the 90’s because I decided I didn’t want to collect hot wheels! One day I will come across a nice original “sweet 16” set of hot wheels and when that day comes I’m going to enjoy meeting the seller to learn why he is selling.

The “transaction” of buying a collection can be exciting, exhausting and expensive. My favorite part of buying is getting it home and stacking it next to my easy chair in front of my TV, and; casually picking up one piece at a time over the course of a week to identify it’s rarity and value, and then deciding which go into my permanent collection.

I hope you still have your Best Vintage Toy Ever and if not, be prepared to act when you see it. My advice is to “Buy what you know or buy what you like and you will never be disappointed!”