DIECAST-RELATED BOOKS AND A SPECIAL CORVETTE
Ihave just received my copy of the March 2023 issue. I usually turn to the letters page first. I did not know about the Corgi book on cars, so that is one I will certainly look out for in the future. I have Mike and the Modelmakers, which I found in a second hand book shop a few years ago, but I still need to find those two Matchbox Annuals. The one with the red cover seems far more common than the one with the green cover.
On the subject of models as investments. I am a collector. I am perfectly happy with a Hot Wheels model picked up at a branch of The Warehouse chain (a bit like Woolworths once was) for $3. Especially if it adds to my Star Car collection.
I have just discovered that in 2021, during the dark days of lock-downs, when the shops in New Zealand were shut down for months on end, and there were no new diecasts at all, Hot Wheels released a Barbie Corvette Monster Truck. I missed out. That model is now at the top of my Most Wanted Models list. I know I may be the only collector on the planet who actually wants that model.
I am trying to fill the many gaps in my collection of early Matchbox toys, but that is a slow job. Most of my models are loose, as boxed examples are usually too expensive for me. I am certainly not going to spend £2,000 (about $4,000 NZ) on a single model. I am a collector, with no interest in financial investment, although my models are certainly an investment in enjoyment. Mine is also a working collection, as many of my models have been the subject of articles. A few are older and rarer models, but some of my articles have featured models costing less than a cup of coffee. Both are fun, and that - to me - is the whole point of collecting.
My models, diecasts and plastic kits, have given me so much pleasure over the years. They have also kept me sane, even in the rough times. They are my friends, and are always there to help me escape from the madness of the world.
Paul Brent Adams, New Zealand
ED Many thanks for your take on collecting, Paul. I am always pleased to hear about why people collect and their thoughts on the investment side of things, and I have been known to hunt for the occasional bargain to potentially sell on in the future. That Barbie Corvette is not the sort of thing that I would ordinarily pick up, but I have to confess that I did buy one, although I did pay a little over the odds for it because it is a Treasure Hunt. I have a bit of a thing for Corvettes and also bought the standard version in the Monster Trucks range they make for an interesting comparison (see photo). I've just checked on ebay and an unboxed example of the Barbie version sold in the UK in January for just under £18. Checking listings around the world - there are some incredible three-figure sums being asked for this one if it is still unopened! Good luck with your hunting and I hope you manage to find one at a reasonable price.
Back to the books, that Corgi annual is definitely worth searching for. I had one as a youngster and loved it – long since given away though. I came across another copy a few years ago and snapped it up right away. I’ll keep an eye out for you. And still on the subject of diecast-related books, thanks to your recent email about the other Matchbox annual (you'll see your correspondence in the April issue letters page when your copy arrives), I found one of the green ones on ebay for a nice price. I have to say that it is just as poor with its model references (possibly even worse than the first one), but it is still really nice to have, and looks great alongside its predecessor on my bookshelf. They will make a nice extra section in the book that I'm slowly putting together for the 60th anniversary of Superfast in 2029.