Whether your passion is the muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s, or whether you're more into classic cars such as the roadster or Model T, toy vehicle manufacturers have got the perfect make and model for you. Choose from diecast cars or trucks designed to perfectly replicate your version of the perfect vehicle.
Toy vehicle options don't stop here, though. Toy boats, buses, and vans are also available. Check out the detail on toy motorcycles and toy helicopters as well. Many children - and even adult collectors - also like to add pressed steel Tonka trucks to their collection as well.
Race cars
For those who prefer NASCAR or Formula 1 racing, a complete line of diecast cars is available, including those raced by the best Indy or LeMans drivers. Several manufacturers are authorized to make authentic replications of NASCAR vehicles, including Racing Champions, Action/Revell, or Team Caliber.
Whether the driver was Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, or Rusty Wallace, these manufacturers are ready to produce the cars behind the legends. Other cars made famous by NASCAR greats, such as Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, and Kevin Harvick, are also available. Promotional vehicles designed for advertising certain merchandise or brand names are sold as well.
Diecast replicas of cars used in the Grand Prix are popular with those who prefer Formula 1 racing instead. Fans of Mario Andretti, Michael Shumacher, or Mark Webber can turn to Hot Wheels or Matchbox for their favorite toy cars. Other manufacturers who produce diecast toy vehicles drive by these great drivers include Exoto, Corgi, and Minichamps.
Those who follow the National Hot Rod Association, or NHRA, can purchasereplica diecast cars such as the pro stock cars or top fuel racers driven by the best drivers. Buy toy cars made by Hot Wheels or Matchbox that are perfect replications of the cars driven by Joe Amato, Larry Dixon, or John Force.
Look for Indy championship cars made popular by Emerson Fittipaldi or A.J. Foyt, or turn to LeMans toy cars. Choose from reproductions of cars made legendary in this famous French race. Buy replicas of Jaguars,Alfa Romeros, Audis, and even Fords that were built to run forever.
Specialized toy vehicles
For those who prefer options other than race cars, a wide assortment of other specialty vehicles is available in diecast replica toys as well. Toy construction equipment, including Caterpillars, toy cement mixers, toy dump trucks, and toy cranes are sold by Tonka and Norscot. These companies also make toy farming equipment, including toy tractors, toy balers, and John Deere replicas.
Many boys, aged 6 to 96, also enjoy playing with or admiring toy emergency vehicles, including toy ambulances, police cars, and, of course, fire trucks. These are made and sold by Dinky, Franklin Mint, Code 3, and other toymakers.
Other service vehicles, such as toy commercial trucks or vans, are also made by Danbury Mint, Hot Wheels, and Johnny Lightning, among others. For those who prefer toy military vehicles, toy Hummers, tanks, or Jeeps are available from Dinky, Corgi, and Micro Machines.
Other specialty vehicles
Nearly any kind of vehicle ever manufactured has been reproduced and sold as a toy. Many people buy their dream car in miniature, enjoying diecast Porsches, diecast BMWs, and diecast Ferraris made by Exoto, Tomica, or Minichamps. Some opt for the muscle cars of the yesteryears, focusing on legendary Trans Am, Pontiac GTO, or Corvette models of decades gone by.
Tuner cars, including those with the most desirable modifications, like the Shelby Mustang, are represented by Micro Machines, Jada, and Hot Wheels. Other popular collectible choices include vehicles made famous in the movies, such as toy Herbie cars, toy replica General Lee cars, or toy Batmobiles.
Some collectors prefer to stick with precision vehicle toys. These models include functional features as well as a detailed interior and exterior. Franklin Mint is a well-known manufacturer of precision vehicles, and Ertl makes the popular John Deere Precision vehicles.
How old is it?
Determining a toy vehicle's age can be difficult, but the material from which it is manufactured often offers many clues. For example, toys made from cast iron, slush, or pressed steel were popular prior to the Second World War These materials weren't available for toy making during the war.
Postwar manufacturers, however, used these materials again, along with plastic, Bakelite, and diecast. One other effect of the war was that replicas became more detailed as a result of better production techniques.
Vintage diecast toy vehicles were produced and sold prior to 1970 by Franklin Mint, Matchbox, Corgi, and many other toymakers. From 1968 to 1980, Hot Wheels produced a special line of vintage cars known as the Red Line.
Today, many modern diecast car models are available, along with airplanes and even diecast boats. Diecast trucks and motorcycles are also popular. Similarly, modern pressed steel vehicles and toys, as well as vintage pressed steel trucks, and cars are popular with collectors. Look for vehicles sold by trusted manufacturers like Tonka, Marx, and Nylint.
Other unique toy vehicles include white metal toy vehicles, which are typically handmade from pewter, and vintage tin scale models. These are fairly accurate reproductions of cars that were made between the early years of the 1900s and the 1970s. Modern tin toy vehicles continue to be manufactured and sold as well.
Prior to World War II, cast iron toy cars were made by Hubley, Dent, or Arcade. Slush, or pot metal vehicles, were also popular during this time and were made by Tootsie Toy, Barclay, and others.
Some vintage plastic toy vehicles were manufactured as well; these were sold by Marx, Revell, and others. Modern plastic toy vehicles, such as Tonka trucks, NASCAR race cars, and military Micro Machines, are still sold today.
Contemporary collectible choices
When buying toy vehicles released after 1990, consider some of these top-quality items. For modern aircraft, consider military aircraft toys, commercial aircraft toys, or rescue aircraft toys. Toy motorcycles, such as Harley Davidson or Orange County Choppers, are also good additions to a modern collection.
Hot Wheels and Corgi also make a quality line of diecast cars that were sold after 1989. Opt for collectibles that use photo-etched techniques for the highest collectible value. These toy vehicles are more detailed than those made from conventional molds.
Different diecast cars are made to different scales, and the scale of the car defines its proportion to that of the original. For example, Hot Wheels diecast cars are manufactured on a 1:64 scale; this means that the replica is 1/64 the size of the original. Different manufacturers use different scales, varying from 1:6 to 1:500.
Add outstanding Hot Wheels to your collection
It's almost impossible to collect all of the thousands, or possibly hundreds of thousands, of Hot Wheels produced. Instead, most collectors focus on certain more popular models. One of these is the Red Line Hot Wheels, which feature a narrow red stripe circling each wheel. In 1993, a replica of this model was issued to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the line's release.
From 1981 to 1986, Real Rider Hot Wheels were sold. This series of four cars contained authentic rubber tires made by Goodyear. The Treasure Hunt Hot Wheels line (issued from 1995 to 1996) features similar wheels, so be sure to check the year of production. These replicas are still in production today.
Another edition of replica cars, the Blue Card Hot Wheels, was released in completely blue packaging between 1989 and 1995. The packages were numbered. Monster Jam Hot Wheels began production in the early 1990s, designed to replicate Monster Trucks, and are still being produced. Other Hot Wheel cars were designed as reproduction of popular NASCAR or NRHA race cars. Formula One cars are also among the hotter collector items.
When considering a purchase, be aware of the terminology. If the car belongs to a new Hot Wheels series that was released since 1998, it should carry a First Edition Hot Wheels classification.
Many collectors feature their Hot Wheels collections on the shelves, while others store them in a special carrying case. Many younger collectors enjoy setting up a race track and racing their collectible cars.
Matchbox choices
Many people prefer collecting diecast Matchbox cars and airplanes instead. These cars were first introduced in 1952, and have since changed markedly. The changes are most obvious in the packaging and marketing information. Some models, such as the sizable 1:43 King Size Matchbox cars are sold primarily for collecting. In 2002, 50th Anniversary Matchbox cars were released to celebrate the line's 50th year of production.
Celebrate classic cars with Matchbox by buying the Matchbox Models of Yesteryear line, and purchase replicas of the earliest cars that feature doors and hoods that open. Or, enjoy collecting replicas of commercial airplanes with Matchbox Sky Busters. These models were first released during the early 1970s.
Superfast Matchbox cars were first released in 1969, designed Superfast wheels that turned on a narrow axle. (These wheels are still used on Matchbox cars today.) Another popular collectible line is that of the Matchbox Challenge Cars, released in 1996. Cars 55 and 70 in this set of 10,000 are especially rare; unlike the other cars, they were never released as individual offers, but only as part of a starter set.
Matchbox model kits are another major line. Released in the 1970s, these featured military vehicles on a scale of 1:72. The series was produced for about ten years.
Top collectible prospects
Like any other collectible, certain types of cars are rarer, more difficult to find, or worth more than other models. Learn a few indicators that a toy car may be worth more to collectors.
First, toy vehicles that are produced as part of a Limited Edition have a set number of vehicles produced. After the last vehicle is made, the mold is destroyed. Smaller runs often are more valuable to collectors than larger production series.
Out of production toy vehicles are those that are no longer being made. The mold is not destroyed, however, so an identical toy car may be released at a later date. This is similar to a retired toy vehicle, which has also stopped production. Usually, however, when a retired toy car is re-issued, the model features different colors or details.
Some cars carry the tag"limited production."Examples of these include Matchbox Challenge Cars or Chase cars. White Lightning cars, manufactured by Johnny Lightning, are also limited production runs. This term describes approximately one percent of the cars in a run.
Some toy vehicles are even sold with papers. Examples of these include Danbury Mint or Franklin Mint. Serious collectors maintain Certificates of Title and Certificates of Authenticity (if available) for the cars in their collection.
Some cars are also more popular based on the region in which they are sold. Sometimes, collectors located in the Midwest will be more interested in classic cars, while those located on the west coast might choose to collect muscle cars instead. This can regionally affect the price of certain collectible cars.
Fresh from the Mint
While many younger collectors prefer to enjoy their collection, serious collectors often retain original packages, as well as any paperwork that came with the toy. They may even store the toy vehicle in its box to keep it in mint condition. This is because mint condition toy vehicles, meaning those in perfect condition, usually have the highest value.
Sometimes toy cars or trucks are collected in their original packages and never removed. These are designated as Mint on Mint card, or MOMC, toy vehicles. Similarly, mint in box toy vehicles can be described as mint condition items that include the package and materials with which they were originally sold.
Sometimes, toy vehicles are collected and never removed from their original packaging. Despite this, however, some packing materials may cause rub marks or chipped paint, or even broken parts. Don't assume that a toy vehicle is in mint condition just because it is still in its original factory packaging.
Car insurance
While even toy cars can't be protected from every possible accident, certain precautions can be taken to ensure the collection will look good for many years. First, if the primary goal of collecting is resale, don't remove the toy vehicles from their original packaging. Alternatively, at the very least, keep them in display cases away from bright sunlight.
For cleaning dirty vehicles, use soft cloths or Q-tips. Wash with small amounts of water and gentle soap if necessary. Don't clean the decals; this will cause them to fade and deteriorate much more quickly.
Whether you're old or young, though, remember: these toy cars were built for play. So don't feel guilty if you have the need to take it out of the box, run the wheels across your hand, and maybe, just maybe, race it across the floor!