There are many places to find collectible diecast models, one of the most obvious will be on auction sites like eBay. Here you will find thousands of models from around the world, some in impeccable box and others in worn condition.

Some collectors will only buy the best model they can find and the better the condition, the more valuable the item will be. Examples in mint boxes will always be more valuable and the box alone can command a very high price, another important point to remember is to find a model that is complete with any extras, such as a driver or spare wheel, also any internal packages or brochures. Make your model a solid investment, the more complete and original, the more valuable your find will be.

In addition to auction sites, another great place to find collectible models is toy fairs, which are held throughout the year in the UK and details can be found in local newspapers. At toy fairs you will find collectors and dealers selling new and old models, one of the advantages of buying at a fair is that very often the vendors are open to bargains so this can be a great place to go. pick up a bargain.

Antique toy specialists such as Vectis Toy Auctions also hold auctions regularly throughout the year and are a great source for quality models that are well photographed and honestly described so you can be sure of getting a good investment. quality. With Vectis you can bid by post or email and also bid live online, always remember that there is a commission to pay in addition to your winning bid, as well as shipping and packaging costs.

As with all antiques and collectibles, there is always the risk of a counterfeit being sold. This is no different when buying collectible diecast toys. Some repainted models are done very well and this can be a low cost way to add another model to your collection that may be out of your price range, of course a repainted model in a good reproduction box will never appreciate its value as an original, but the price difference will be considerable. So the rule of thumb with repaints is that if the seller is honest, it is a repaint model or a reproduction box and he is happy to buy it for display alongside the rest of his collection, then that is fine, but it will never be as good as an investment. as original model in mint box.

Obviously, if you are shopping at a toy fair or can attend an auction preview, you will have the opportunity to study the model more carefully before buying or bidding, with online sites you will have to rely on good close-up photos and Accurate descriptions as well as always checking seller feedback ratings.

Remember that most toy sellers and die casting enthusiasts are honest people who will want to protect their good reputations, but always beware of the dishonest seller trying to pass off a reproduction as an original.

Spotting a repaint or reproduction box is truly an experience, so start by buying your first model from a reputable die-cast toy dealer, once you’ve handled the real item, you will soon be able to tell the difference between an original and a fake model.

With boxes, these are typically low-quality card stock scanned copies and tend to look a bit too glossy or even faded than a corgi factory printed box.

Cars have generally been disassembled by drilling the original rivets and then removing the pieces to bare metal, priming and repainting the model as close to the original color as possible. Once painted, the model will be reassembled with new rivets that tend to be new shiny aluminum, this is one of the tell-tale signs that the model has been repainted. The paint tone or even a color that was never used at the Corgi factory is another clue, also look for missing parts like the plastic windows or the interior of the car.