Hello to all, I don't have a strong history with Matchbox, so I need some advice on selling a collection.

The story is simple, a buddy is moving his mother into his home. When he was clearing out the old family house, he found his dad's diecast collection.
He knows nothing about toy cars, so he calls me and ask if I can help figure it all out and sell them. Does not really care ( or have any idea) of value, just knows their worth "something"!

He had a truly eclectic collection, and a ton of "odd" brands. Thing like RIO and GRIP as well as Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Ertl, etc. But it looks like the bulk is in the Matchbox. That brings me to my questions.....

1) My instinct is to break the collection up in terms of major brands ( matchbox, Hot Wheels) and let them stand on their on merit. I am afraid that otherwise the whole thing becomes an economy of scale.

Do you think selling the brands separately or as a whole is better ( make that quicker and easier to me, more money to her, that is the balance I am looking for.

2) There are 154 total Matchbox cars. Over 80 are in boxes / packages, including several from the 50's in the boxes. out of that total is 30 1:35 Models Of Yesteryear from 1978. As well as 8 1:43 castings marked Dinky / Matchbox from 1993 in packages and 8 boxed 1:43 cars labeled Matchbox Collectibles from 1995.

Question two, do I keep them all together and sell as 154 pieces, or break up by the three scales ( 1:64 , 1:35 , 1:43 )

I truly look forward to any advice you guys may have. I just don't have a lot of history with this brand, and therefor I don't know the habits of MB collectors. Thanks for any advice in advice.

Sincerely,
Ward

Maximum dollars would be realized by having 154 seperate auctions

Any time you throw cars together, you will not get near the individual prices.

That said, if you have to, I would do by brand and seperate additionally by scale

Go with your instinct in your thoughts compiled in # 1

Mac is correct in his opening statement.

Most MOYs from the late 70s were over done and not much value will be realized...that taking into consideration the past collector just bought at retail with no extreme knowledge of signifacant variations came into play, in other words was he a casual collector, and most likly he was....BUT do buy a version of one of Charlie Macks Matchbox books,,,well worth 30 or so dollars to possibly ferat out a scarce example...

On the early toys (the 50s models) learn the wheel types....silver plastic or silver metel, they are very shiny compared to gray....hold the wheel to your lip, metel will be cold to your lip, plastic will be much warmer, same goes for gray wheels in either plastic or metel....its important as the value between the differing types of wheels can be a 100 dollar model or 500 dollar model.....early boxes empty can be of signifacant value....some go for many hundreds of dollars, they are very important, most mb collectors want mint toys in the proper box, this will yield the most value....common loose models from the 70s will not garner much monies.

If you post a couple of photos showing the 50 small scale Matchbox with their boxes we can help you by pointing out the big bucks items to sell seperately from the bulk of the collection.If there are any Hotwheels redlines they can be seriously big bucks even loose, especially if pink

Thanks for the response guys. Selling a collection is not new for me, but as I stated, I just have never had any real experience with Matchbox. I appreciate your input, and it look like I am on the right path with my plan.

Per the pic request, here is the highlights. There are lots more, but I feel these might be the sweet ones. There are Asian opens, new Collection replicas ( well, 15 years old anyway) German boxes ( including a very cool King Size German bus printed in "west Berlin") and many others. But here are the more interesting ones.

I will list the Dinky / Matchbox 1:35 and the "Oldies But Goodies" MB Collection series (1:43) as two collections. They book well, but will most likely pull $50 to $80 per set based on what I am seeing selling. I suppose all 1:64 will go together.

As per the wheel question, the tractor (#4) and #38 Karrier Refuse Collector (Cleansing Department) is painted metal. The other's are all grey or black plastic.

I have a library full of die cast identification, value guides and reference books. And I see the value of the three main boxed pieces, but again, here is where my lack of Matchbox experience comes from.

With Hot Wheels, I can throw junk redlines to local collectors and get 15 to 20 each! Even 8 to 10 on the bay. This is for cars that are not worth it! ( This collection has 50 older Hot Wheels, 8 are redlines, and of those 4 are great finds in very nice shape) But I have no idea if MB guys value lightly or heavily.

Your talking a collective book value for just 5 cars ( three with boxes) to be well over $500.00. Now what is the real world potential of that number? Half? A quarter? I just don't know. To me, I would give a $100 for all the old ones, just cause I had so many as a child. But is a true MB collector going to find more value then that?

Talk to me.....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4308.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4313.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4296.jpg

Some other ones....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4290.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4287.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4292.jpg

Sell the 50's boxed models individually. Starting bid about $20

The 70's yesteryears as a group. They are nearly worthless

The collectibles and Dinkies you can sell individually with a stating bid of about $5

The older loose pieces can be sold in small groups.

Just my thoughts.

I would suggest selling the 1950s boxed Lesneys on ebay with a worldwide shipping option.Your boxes are excellent, prices in US are way below european levels and the VW van in particular is very collectable.IF it had silver plastic wheels it would be $2-300 peice but even with gray wheels boxed somebody in europe will probably bid $100 for it.The Singer and the refuse truck will also appeal to collectors in England and Australia -once again silver wheels is the big bucks option, gray/metal is common but if decals undamaged then as boxes look very good $50-100 each is likely outside USA if your 10day auction ends sunday, or if you try buy-it-now $100 or make best offer option that will get quick sales if you list the items on ebay.co.uk rather than the US .com to get euro bidders
Of the loose cars, check the plastic color of the sleeve under the tipper back, black is common but if it is another color then the truck should be listed on its own.The yellow Pontiac convertible is also very desirable and in short supply, well worth a separate listing to see what it will fetch.
The newer 1/43 models are all common and difficult to sell in europe, so they are good items to aim at US collectors

Please post the auction info/link here. Sell the loose MB's individually. I like the mustang with the turning wheels. The pink trailer is nice also. These should do well in individual auctions.

Yes, Yes, The MB VW Panel van is sweet as well.

Guys, in looking at the #59 Singer Van, does it look like it is missing the decal placement door lines, I can't quite make it out, if it is, this particular variation would be a very short first run.

Guys, thank you so much. This is the kind of info I so badly needed. I will share all available ideas with the owner, and make my suggestions. I have told him I will be more then happy to sell the cars, as he has no idea what to do, but he will have to say "go" before I can do anything.

A couple of quick items, after reading your post JunkMan, I went and looked at the Singer van, there are placement lines on the door, they just did not show up in the pic.

To SMS88, you raise a whole new issue with the idea of selling in the Europe market. I have never sold overseas, and am not even set up to accept pay-pal. But it sounds like that may be his best opportunity to realize maximum profit. I am just not sure that I am comfortable enough to be the one to do it for him, should he choose to go world wide. Very good advice.

There are tons more cars, and based on the feel I am getting,(thanks for all the emails) I'm guessing the MB portion might see the mid $300 in the states if I broke it down and had good luck with bidders.

If he turns me loose, I will post here so that you guys can see how it turns out.

Thanks again, and if you think of more I need to know, please keep posting. Here are a few more pics just for fun...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4299.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4293.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4300.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4303.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/WilsonRacePhotos/SSCN4302.jpg

Nice berlin bus. That would look great in my VW display.

I have the word from the owner, he says sell. So I will start auction threads and post here on the auction board.

I have had several people contact me about buying some of these cars. The answer is now yes. As long as it is a reasonably offer there yours. Since these are not mine, I can't trade. I will post these first on a sell and swap board, as to give the HT family first shot as a thank you for all your help.

Sincerely,
Ward