Dinky Diecast Toys – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – British Best

 Dinky Diecast Toy - Thanks to Flicker

There is nothing better than to find a collection of anything in its original condition that has sat in a closet for 20 or more years. That is exactly what happened to me this past weekend in Wisconsin. A gentleman showed me his collection of Dinky toys that had been boxed for at least 20 years, if not more. The large boxes that contained them were packed four and five deep with these little treasures.

If you're not familiar with Dinky toys, they were started by a British firm in 1934 and continued to be made until 2000. The first examples of these little jewels often suffer from metal fatigue because of the composition of the metal and are therefore rarely found in mint condition. Remember, any collectible will bring much more if it is still in the original box. The price of a piece can often be multiplied several times if it has the box. For example, a bus by Dinky that has been played with might fetch $25 while that same piece mint in the box could bring $500. Condition, condition, condition. If you have read my book 31 Steps To Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles, you know that condition is the name of the game, so be sure to deduct the proper amounts for items in less than mint condition and without the box.

The history of the Dinky Toys is a rather long document so I will just link to it for those of you who would like to read more. This company went through several transitions during the years that it was in production, from when they only sold series or sets until later when they sold the individual toys. The toys included miniature cars, trucks, airplanes, ships and many war items. While these little toys started out for children, they soon became the a dream for adult collectors.

Dinky ran into several companies that were after their markets in these toys but they always seemed to survive. After they solved the metal problems of the early years, they seemed to thrive and prosper until their final demise in 2000.

At most garage and house sales, the Dinky toys can be purchased for as little as a quarter to not much over $1.00. When you figure that these miniature items in near mint condition can easily bring $25, they seem to be a no brainier. At the present time there are 3881 active listings on eBay, with the most expensive one over $5400. One of the best things going for you in searching for Dinky toys is that seldom will you find just one. Go Dinky.

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