Toys versus collectables - What's the difference?

Sometimes collectors can get a bad wrap for buying toys, seen as “big kids” rather than people with  a passion for memorabilia and seriously collecting items of value. These can be a range of interesting items and objects, that could be limited edition items or objects related to favourite films such as movie posters and figurines.  They should not be considered as ‘toys’ but instead items of value which are sought after for many reasons, whether that be as personal memorabilia, a sense of nostalgia, monetary value or if you just like them! 

What is a collectable?  

A collectable is an object which is of interest or value to an individual collector or enthusiast. It’s an item which is sold for a lot more than what it was originally worth due to rarity, popularity and condition. Collectables can be items which were toys, figurines, or dolls which used to be played with, however with time they can become a collectable. Brands have taken this a step further by  creating collectable items as part of their marketing and/ or merchandising such as, Star Wars, Barbie and Toy Story. A collectable item is not treated as a toy but a prized position which has significant personal or monetary value to them. 

What is the appeal of toy collectables? 

The appeal of a collectable is the value which they hold, this can be monetary or personal. Many can see collectables as an investment opportunity, but not all collectables have as high a monetary value as you can be led to believe, this is because there are a range of factors which can affect the value. Others choose to have collectables for a way of expressing part of their personality, for example if an individual has a favourite movie it's a way of connecting to it by owning a rare item or item of memorabilia. Others invest simply because they like the collectable item and it brings them a sense of nostalgia such as, ‘corgi toys’ cars and the James Bond Aston Martin DB5. People may choose an item because they had it as a child and it brings them a sense of joy.

How to value a collectible: 

If you have an item or collection then it’s worth considering the following factors: 

1. How many of them were produced?
2. Is it a limited edition item?
3. How big was the range? 
4. The condition of the item; is it still boxed/ unboxed? Is it damaged?
5. If it has a function or noise, does it still work? 
6. Is there an identifier on the item? Labels, names, codes and number of the range; 

All these factors can all help determine the value as it can provide an accurate depiction of the product, when it was made along with how many were produced at the time.

What are the current trending collectable toys? 

Currently retro gaming is trending as part of toy collectables. This is a collection of rare games and consoles. At PM Antiques Phil has experienced this popularity, and has recently sold a Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k - boxed computer games and console bundle. Retro gaming is a more affordable collectable type as both games and consoles are easily accessible with many individuals selling on ebay or giving them to charity shops as they do not know their potential full value or rarity. But that doesn’t mean that the extremely rare consoles are cheap. 

If you have an item which could be of value and you would like to know more, or if you’re considering buying a collectable please contact Phil Mires at 01932 640113 or email at: phil@pm-antiques.co.uk. He will be happy to help you learn more about the item or talk you through purchasing an item. Additionally, PM antiques have a range of unique toy and model collectables available.