artiarDepending on your toy collection, you could be sitting on an absolute gold mine. Most of us abused our toys and did really worry too much about their future value, but some people did, and were very careful with theirs. You might say that toys are made to be played with, but with news that vintage toys prices are reaching record levels, its hard not to wish you kept a few aside just to look at.
A record increase of 8% in toy prices at auction was seen last year according to toy valuation experts Vectis. Despite the current economic climate, more than $10mil was spent at auction last year and this does not account for private sales. 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. Vectis have stated that their research tells them that over 80% of the item entered for auction had been inherited from relatives.
Another person who has noted the rise in toy sale prices is Sam Williams from the Toy Collectors Union.
He states that as machines take over more of the toy making work, there are less hand-made items entering the market that can gain value.
This means that the traditional products such as tin and wooden toys are becoming even rarer and thus more valuable.
Selling up right now though is not his advice.
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 classic rag dolls, Steiff bears and vintage toy car collection because there is more money to be made from them yet.
Tags: antique, auction, collectors, toys, valuable