How to Collect Toy Cars

Decide what type of cars you want to collect. If you are using these as an investment, be sure to save the original box for each car. If the box is never opened, so much the better.

Go for some of the newer cars in toy stores. The Hot Wheel and Matchbox cars of today may someday be a collector's dream.

Be on the lookout for your next acquisition at all times. It could be at your neighbor's garage sale or a thrift store across town.

Visit toy car collectible shops. You will likely find examples that are very expensive, but you will also find some less expensive, beginning cars. Other memorabilia will be available as well as good sources of advice.

Find highly sought after collectible toy cars by putting out the word that you are a collector. eBay is a good place to search. You will benefit from what others are cleaning out. What one person is tired of, another person is ecstatic to find. Additionally, your name will get around the car collecting community and people will begin to contact you about available cars.

Know the history of toy car collecting. As an example, Corgi (an early toy car manufacturer) was the first to offer the die-cast miniature cars with clear windows. They also made the Batmobile during the commercial success of the 1960's television program. That car will bring up to $800 today.

Realize what the valuable aspects of your cars are. You will need to keep an inventory of the model name, model date, color, condition and copyright date of each of your cars. Keep in mind the scale, number of moving parts, and realistic attributes of the cars. These are important to you as a collector and to anyone who might buy your car later.