Chances are when you were a kid you had a few Corgi, Matchbox, Hotwheels or lesser known brand diecast cars scattered around your room (remember Majorette?), ready at any time for a quick lap of the rug or desktop. And chances are that over time your collection gradually disappeared via destruction (intentional or otherwise), misplacement or simple disinterest as life redirected your focus elsewhere. Many folks leave it at that, but others reconnect later in life to this childhood fascination and re enter the world of scale vehicles, usually with a more deliberate focus.
The original toy cars that we grew up with are often popular collecting subjects if you can track them down, some of which are now quite valuable, especially if they survived intact and boxed. A 1971 purple Oldmobile 442 by Hotwheels can fetch up to $12,000, whilst a 1967 Matchbox Magirus Deutz Crane now goes for around $10,000.
The majority of old, used models can of course be picked up for a few dollars or less at second hand stores and markets, with nostalgia, not investment, often being the main purchasing motivation.
If scale precision and detail drives your hobby, companies such as Burago, AutoArt and BBR Models now produce a huge range of vehicles from the past and present that exhibit a realism in miniature that makes your childhood toys look positively crude. Such examples often include detailed elements accurately replicating alloy and wire wheels, engine bays and interiors, and even seat belt buckles and door handles. Produced in scales ranging from 1/64 to 1/18 prices can start at $20 and rise to $1000 depending on quality and numbers produced.
So whether you’re chasing that long lost childhood1960’s Matchbox Ford GT, trying to fill the gaps in your early production Hotwheels muscle car collection, or simply want a large scale recreation of the latest Lamborghini for your office desk, chances are you’ll find what you’re looking for within the thriving diecast model hobby network.