I am starting a diecast collection for my 10 month old son. I want to use it somewhat as an investment for the future as well. I have been debating where to put my money (I only have so much) and I am torn between Greenlight cars/green machines or Hot Wheels. I'm amazed at how much some of the green machines are going for on ebay (and even how much I have paid at times) and yet I realize the Hot Wheels base is much bigger. Is Hot wheels a better choice because of their history? I love the greenlight cars and their limited production, but I worry about greenlight with so many other newcomers (Johnny Lightning, Jada, and others) What do you think the future holds for Greenlight. I think the green machine idea was a brilliant marketing idea and I am fortunate to own about 5. I love the Mustangs. This is my first post to Hobby Talk so i'm hoping some of you veterans in the market can help me out. Thanks.

with the unstable economy I don`t believe any die-cast would even come close to being any sort of investment. Most common type chase cars have dropped a lot in price.Only a few surer rare wl`s have risen in price if you found them years ago.

with the unstable economy I don`t believe any die-cast would even come close to being any sort of investment. Most common type chase cars have dropped a lot in price.Only a few surer rare wl`s have risen in price if you found them years ago.
i agree with travis, it is too difficult to determine what diecast will increase in value years down the road or what company will still be around by then. hotwheels would be a safe bet but the market rises and falls too much to say what will be desired by the collectors of the next generation let alone put a value on them. i would collect what you think your son would like and forget about the investment part of it.

as for the future, there are many companies like greenlight that seem to have a bright future but you never know what the future will hold. i also have to point out that you noted johnny lightning as a newcomer??? johnny lightning has been around for many many years and if anything, they are next in line compared to matchbox and hotwheels as a popular name who have been producing 1/64 diecast for many years. they certainly have been around a lot longer than greenlight but that doesn't mean that they will be desired more than greenlight in the future. who knows what the future holds which is why i feel it is bad to look at diecast as an investment. i would have never thought a time would come that you could get as white lightning for $15 when it used to sell for $150 a year or two ago. :freak:

I agree with what other people have said.

If you are still deciding between Greenlights and Hot Wheels, I would stick with greenlight. Unless you plan to by 95 T-Hunts or something.

If greenlight continues to take off and get more popular, these early green machines may be worth more in the future. However, I would suggest that you do not invest in them. The older Series 1 and 2 GM's will probably retain their value, but will not go up much. They are already so high that only a select few can afford them.

Buy them because they are cool, not because they will be worth more in the future. :thumbsup:

My opinion, never, ever collect diecast as an investment. Collect for fun, buy him HWs so he can rip them open and play with them. Open a college savings plan.

My opinion, never, ever collect diecast as an investment. Collect for fun, buy him HWs so he can rip them open and play with them. Open a college savings plan.
X2...

I have been debating where to put my money (I only have so much) and I am torn between Greenlight cars/green machines or Hot Wheels.
A nice index fund.
Probably not the answer you were looking for, but, as you can tell from everyone's posts - diecast is a shaky investment at best. So, put the money into a nice index fund for the future and get some Hot Wheels for your son in the mean time - he can choose whether to rip them open and play or keep them sealed.

First, welcome to Hobby Talk. Second (I don't know how many times you want to hear it), invest the money somewhere else. I have to agree with what everyone else has said. I have bought many many pieces of diecast over the last 11 years and I will be tickled to break even. You are seeing the new pieces up in value, not pieces that have been held for investment for years. Very Very few pieces go up the longer you hold them. For investment buy stocks when they are low, like now. Enjoy Hobby Talk.

Maybe if Zinc becomes a precious metal someday the value might skyrocket.

Thank you for your advice. I haven't bought a whole lot yet so I am minimally invested. I guess I liked the idea of investing in something that was fun at the same time. I remember when I was little collecting matchbox cars, I would try to keep some in the blister pack for keepsakes and it drove me nuts not being able to rip them open and play with them. I hope my son shows greater restraint and I don't come home someday and find him playing smash up derby with my Green Machines. I have thought about trying to collect all the Hot Wheels Treasure hunts from 96' on. 95' is too expensive. I the meantime I'll just buy him some .97 cent cars and let him rip and run with them.

You could still save cars in packs for him when he gets older just for the sake of collecting.
I have bought one of my nephews a full series of baseball cards each year since he was born. Won't be worth much but I think it is something that will be cool to have when he is older.

:wave: I also agree its not a huge payback, but what I have done for my 5 year old son is everthing I buy at the store, I buy doubles! I let him open one and save in containers the blisters or 5-10 car packs. The Greenlights I buy are for me and the Johnny Lightning's are also for me so they all stay blistered. I am trying to teach my son to respect what is open and and every now and then we open a container and we pass the blisters around and I love to hear him say "Dad that is cool!". It hurts to let him play with the opened 1968-1982 Hot Wheels but I did so they are in played with condition. Main thing have fun with your kids! :woohoo:

When my two daughters were born I bought the full set of Matchbox models in the hobby boxes for the years they were born along with a dealer rotation display case. I hope they will enjoy them but they are not investments. Buy you some $200 in an index market mutual fund and you will do much better.

Investment, Then you definately need to buy redlines they hold there value. No need for mass production like JL's, newer hot wheels, racing champions, and greenlight garage. Not making them anymore and just coming up with the money might be a problem:thumbsup: .

Here could be a start!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v661/sonicsgp1/000_0060.jpg

Well, if you plan to buy diecasts for your son, be sure to buy something he can open and play with. I can't imagine how painful it must be for a kid that can only watch cars in blisters but mustn't play with them.

I'd say Greenlight would probably go out of business before Mattel would. This might cause the GL cars to go up in value since they aren't being produced anymore (if that should happen). But nothing is a sure thing.

Mattel could fold before GL just as we seen a similar David & Goliath story watching the Superbowl.

My opinion, never, ever collect diecast as an investment. Collect for fun, buy him HWs so he can rip them open and play with them. Open a college savings plan.

I agree, put the money that you would spend in a savings account
and buy him HW's to play with. The price is never going to be as much
as it is for the 1st HW's that came out;) to many people collecting
now days to make any money on them:thumbsup: Collect to have fun:thumbsup:

Just my 2 cents:D

Maybe if Zinc becomes a precious metal someday the value might skyrocket.



and only if.....LOL

JL Street Freaks, and all new package JLs are great investments. JL isn't a newer company, the name has been around since 69 and they have been producing and growing since 95. GL is nice, and is like JL except with much less options. GMs and WLs have always been solid, although 03-06 werent good years for JL except for Street Freaks. New Hot Wheels are over produced and lack qaulity. Red Lines and Real Riders are always solid.