Depending on your toy collection, you could be sitting on an absolute gold mine. Whist most of us were bashing our toy cars against walls or throwing are action men out of the window, there were a select few who kept their toys neatly in their boxes. Whilst arguably we had more fun, the collectors have had the last laugh as antique toy prices reach an all time high.
Vectis, one of the biggest toy auction specialists have released figures that show a seven percent increase in the price of vintage toys last year. Even though you might think people would be watching their spending right now, toy sales at action reached a whopping $14 mil last year. According to Vectis the most expensive items to go under the hammer where Victorian rocking horses, vintage Hornby train sets and a couple of Georgian dolls houses. Those people selling the toys had most often inherited them from their great grandparents or found them hidden away in an attic or shed.
Ted Bowers from the Antique Toys Society has also spoken about the rising price of old toys. He argues that there is a serious lack of hand-crafted quality toys being made these days, and instead companies are opting for cheaper, mass-produced items.This means that the traditional products such as tin and wooden toys are becoming even rarer and thus more valuable. Don’t get carried away though he advises.The toy market will keep on growing in strength he suggests, and unlike other markets there are very rarely any dips.So the advice for now is hang on to those old rag dolls, Steiff bears and vintage toy car collection because there is more money to be made from them yet. Also, it’s worth checking the attic or the garage as you just might find a gem you didn’t know you had.