Car buffs could be sat on a diecast goldmine
THOSE toy cars you remember playing with as a child could now be worth a fortune.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of miniature car favourites Hot Wheels and the 65th anniversary of Matchbox, and their values have gone up dramatically over the years.
As with any car, current prices depend on factors such as the make and model. Although toy cars do not automatically suffer depreciation, their value will fall if you fail to take good care of them.
The Matchbox Magirus-Deutz Truck now sells for an impressive £8,513 in orange or tan, a massive 71,684 per cent appreciation since it first hit the road in 1961. The second fastest appreciating Matchbox, the Opel Diplomat, is up 48,487 per cent since 1966 to £4,812. The 1971 Hot Wheels Olds 442 costs a racy £3,372.
Most expensive of all is the ultra-rare rear-loading Volkswagen Microbus Beach Bomb, an unreleased HotWheels prototype whose high centre of gravity made it prone to falling off the track. The most recent valuation put it between £80,000 and £120,000.
Diecast car model valuation expert Neal Giordano said colour also affects price: “Redline Hot Wheels in pink is a premium collectible because it was not the most popular colour among boys and was issued in fewer numbers. Many have been painted over.”
Hardcore collectors put a premium on antique models still in their packaging, especially if they are in excellent condition, Giordano added.