Whether it's a rare three-wheeled motorcycle that sold for $23,000 or an unopened LEGO set of the Millennium Falcon that can go for as much as $4,500, toy-box treasures are out there waiting to be found.|From Cracker Jack to the Xbox, toys speak volumes about our culture, our past times, and our collections. Picker's Guide: Toys examines why toys have influenced the world's most valuable fine art (Jeff Koons) and have come to dominate the antiques collecting landscape. Toys dominate the mainstream landscape as well; several celebrities collect toys, as well (Rosie O'Donnel, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rod Stewart), The Philippines is currently developing one of the largest toy museums in the world (WOW Toy Museum, Quezon City), and Toy Hunter is one of the most popular reality television shows on the Travel Channel. This book will look at the impact this demand has had on collecting prices and help amateur pickers focus on the most popular collecting genres and target the most valuable examples in each.
This guide will show pickers where to pick the good, better, and best vintage toys for their collection ? no matter what their collecting level ? as well as show how to sell toys for the best money possible. Despite the availability of collectible toys, condition, composition, and era all play a factor in their collectability and value. All of these factors can be highly nuanced and this book aims to show how to understand what collectors look for. It will also touch on the history of toys, look at common fakes and reproductions, and give pickers a working vocabulary to speak and think intelligently about this exciting and varied collecting field.
The book also features advice and tips from some of the most effective and accomplished collectors and sellers in the field. Thousands of people base their livelihood on finding unique toys and reselling them to collectors or businesses. Their skill and techniques were perfected over decades of trial and error, but they are happy to share their knowledge about the market and why they do what they do. |Welcome to Toyland! Whether it's a rare three-wheeled motorcycle that sold for $23,000 or an unopened LEGO set of the Millennium Falcon that can go for as much as $4,500, toy-box treasures are out there waiting to be found. Discover for yourself what veteran collectors know with this hands-on, how-to guide to picking toys, the No. 1 collecting category. Learn what seasoned collectors look for and what they value in this easy-to-follow and indispensable pocket guide. You'll uncover: The best toys to hunt for, including action figures, LEGO sets, model trains, space toys, teddy bears, tin toys, vehicles, oddities, and more Practical strategies from top buyers and sellers Where to find hidden treasures How to flip toys for profit and fun Common fakes and reproductions Whether for pleasure or profit, the Picker's Pocket Guide is a real find.
