The Re-Enchantment of Toy Collecting
The Re-Enchantment of Toy Collecting
Over the last couple of months I have become quite interested in collecting certain action figures and vehicles.
It’s quite surprising the price of certain items when in complete original condition and with the box, with certain things costing between £200 – £800 for a toy car. Whilst on the other side of the scale, you could have a toy car that is in good condition but without the packaging and because of this the toy car will only fetch around £60.
The other day I saw a broken, battered empty Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Corgi Box go for over £37 on eBay. Probably someone wanting to buy the box to add value to their toy car.
Now the costing of buying something like this is very interesting in its own right but the emotional re-enchantment that an old fashioned toy can bring is even more valuable.
Businesses these days have recognised this and part of post-modern marketing is playing on this by marketing goods that remind them of the past. This might be because it reminds people of a simpler time or perhaps a personal attachment to something in their past. Coca Cola still sell glass bottled drinks and BMW have re-launched the mini.
Although newer products try and do this, nothing beats the original item from that day.
Purchasing Nostalgia
My Mum has mentioned in the past that her parents (my grandparents) brought her a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car when she was younger and I could tell that this toy brought back memories of her childhood.
Seeing as it meant so much to her I decided to research on finding the perfect one. I thought that it would still mean well without the original packaging but thought it would mean more if it did. Well in the end I found one! – just the one I wanted, completely original and everything. It cost me almost £200 but was worth every penny when I gave it to her the other week.
After witnessing this I wanted to be greedy and buy myself something from my childhood. I was alarmed at how difficult it was to try and find things even from the 90s! – only being able to find a handful of items.
The one that I especially like was finding a ‘Stretch Armstrong’ in mint condition and with packaging. There was a bit of a bidding war going on but eventually I one it at the cost of almost £60 including postage and packaging. A number of other items include a Tomy Dingbot, Kerplunk board game, action men… etc…
I have now moved onto buying items that I’d like to show my future children. I think that by showing them a physical item from my childhood/life would be a lot more interesting to them. I haven’t thought of anything good as of yet apart from a collection of ‘Cardiff Bus’ models to show them what transport I used to use getting back and for school and college.
My next adventure is trying to find even rarer items that perhaps might not be of any value now but might be in the future. …
