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Pretty much same issue as everyone else - looking to streamline.

Just collect for LIKE and ENJOY sake.

Happy to have restorations or fakes - not too many - as space fillers. Not interested in investment. Childhood memories.
I have recently had restored some of my actual 1950s models (I mean I played with them in the 1950s). Two brothers repainted them in the sixties and the rest were in toybox condition. Now they have pride of place among some mint boxed I paid top dollar for and other mint ones I have kept since the 60s.

Few Dinkys and Corgis. Few Kingsize and Yesteryear - but only what I had as a kid.

Not interested in variations or castings, only memory keepers.
Only Series 1 and 11 - No SF.

Whatever you enjoy!

When I first started collecting Matchbox back in the early 1990's I was only interested in MIB 1-75 Series from the pre-Superfast era. Since that time I have dabbled in MOY and Major Pack. But I decided I much preferred King Size, Service Stations, and Accessory Pack. In the last 15 years I have honed in on collecting King Size and am trying to complete a collection of King Size with every single box type that was available. I still collect all the other stuff that I mentioned but just not as much as King Size. So it is a ever changing. As for yourself or anyone else, just collect what you like. Its your collection and it is for your pleasure, so don't get caught up in what other people collect. As long as your happy with it, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Enjoy!

I only collect models that would have been in a toy shop in 1969, right before the intro of Superfast.
(Then because I was also getting some lots others when located were kept aside)
Once my 1969 display was complete, I wanted one of each regular wheel model made, variations not important.
(bulk lots meant that variations would be found, and since buying is more fun than selling, they stayed)
OK, variations can stay, but only if they can be seen when on display
(pretty much still holds true but...)
Hey, all those boxes I didn't want before are starting to look pretty cool, lets start collecting those too
(This has been difficult because I am a very cheap guy, and a lot of boxes are not)
Now that I have only a few gaps in variations needed, and most of those models were cast of unobtanium, those transitionals look nice.
(So I started a dealer display case of first run supers)
Boy, some of those later Superfasts can be pretty cheap. I bet thats going to be the hot market in a few years. I'd better start getting those too.
(at least the cut off is still "Made in England" right?)
Nope, some newer stuff is being put into storage boxes, just in case there is something extra rare waiting for me someday.

Plus along the way I've collected a bunch of MOY, Kings, Playsets, Cases and some weird stuff like my talking Freddy Kruger and my wind up motorcycle.
Oh, and a small display case of Huskys...and another of Dinky, and Blue box, and Super GTs and.... You know, I might have a problem.

kwakers

It's your turn Oldfart, Many Happy Returns for your special day, hope you treat yourself to a nice Matchbox King Size and if you do, show us a picture, WE INSIST!!!

Happy Birthday my friend

Ghosty.

Happy Birthday James. What are you going to treat yourself to?.

I have also been trying to decide what to keep collecting. I collect but not a completest of all matchbox ranges and eras. I have a nice toyroom but now the cases only have RW and England era superfasts along with garages, gift sets, etc. I have a hall display case of MOY, RW Kings, MB Collectibles, and Major Packs. That leaves a LOT of toys in boxes in closets. It is not so fun to have all those toys out of view.

Should I only keep 3 variations of each model and sell the rest so I can display more types of toys? I doubt I will. It takes enough effort just to try to sell the doubles, extras that I have a few hundred of.

When Mattel closed the NJ design office I spent a lot of effort trying to get a lot of prototypes of the models that were disappearing out of NJ. I have a semi large collection of resin, test shots, and painted resin models of the 1990's era. I figured all of those toy shop employees fired were taking buckets of stuff home and they were. I really enjoy the process of making a toy. A measured design drawing. Creating a large carved model. Making a 1:64 version of the design, etc. Really fun for me. That process is really gone now since most of the Mattel diecast are now designed by CAD and prototypes are just printed with a 3d printer.

Lately I have been looking at my Lesney superfast case and picking a model I don't have many variations of and searching ebay if I can get a couple new ones affordably.

If any of you guys visit the Seattle area drop on by.....

Tom Larson

matchboxtom wrote:
When Mattel closed the NJ design office I spent a lot of effort trying to get a lot of prototypes of the models that were disappearing out of NJ. I have a semi large collection of resin, test shots, and painted resin models of the 1990's era.
.

If any of you guys visit the Seattle area drop on by.....

Tom Larson

Tom,

I am sure the forum would be a better place with some images of this collection you acquired and thanks very much for the open invite, you never know one day a crazy scots man might knock your door looking for some good old Seattle hospitality........that might be an invite toooo far....i drink like a fish!!!

[quote="motorman
Tom,

I am sure the forum would be a better place with some images of this collection you acquired and thanks very much for the open invite, you never know one day a crazy scots man might knock your door looking for some good old Seattle hospitality........that might be an invite toooo far....i drink like a fish!!! [/quote]

I have a couple threads of photos down in the modern matchbox forum of some neat items.

Interesting too read how you all collect. I am mostly like Alex but I also love some of the rw like the cresta, miura, vw1600, beetle and so on.... I also have little interest in trucks and working maschines they are just not that bling, But somehow I have a thing for 32 and 25 petrol tankers, it must be a thing from my childhood.

I use my collection as cash, so if I am in a period of low cash I sell, but I always look for them again when Im up. I have 200-300 models now where 60% are just plain normal ones and the rest are stuff I sell or keep in my collection. I offen have a period where I only look for one special model, I fucus on finding as many different ones in short time

Jazz