Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i Diecast Collector

NFL legend Tom Brady recently invested in CardVault, a New York City shop devoted entirely to the booming world of trading cards—from rare Pokémon holos to coveted baseball rookies. Since opening, the store has become a hotspot for collectors, investors, and hobbyists, reflecting the skyrocketing value of trading cards in recent years. But on October 20, 2025, CardVault made headlines for a very different reason. Surveillance cameras captured a thief walking out with over $10,000 worth of Pokémon and baseball cards, slipping away before employees realised anything was wrong. According to staff, the suspect attempted to pay using a credit card, but when the transaction was declined, he pretended to complete the purchase using tap-to-pay. In a moment of misdirection, he convinced employees the sale had gone through and calmly exited…

In November 2025, the long-anticipated Collectors Showcase made its debut at London’s iconic Olympia, instantly becoming a highlight of the year for hobbyists and enthusiasts. Marketed as a collectables extravaganza, the event delivered on its promise: if you can collect it, chances are it had a home under Olympia’s vast roof. The showcase brought together a vibrant mix of trading cards, sneakers, comic books, figurines, limited-edition memorabilia, and more. Whether visitors were hunting for a rare Charizard, a vintage pair of Jordans, or a golden-age comic book, the atmosphere buzzed with the excitement of both discovery and nostalgia. Collectors were given the chance not only to buy, sell, and trade, but also to have their most prized items authenticated and graded by industry-leading experts. Several well-known grading companies set up…

If asked to think of a Lamborghini Countach, the LP400 is probably not the model that springs to mind. The later LP400 S, LP500, and 5000 QV models are synonymous with the economic excess of the 1980s, and due to the QV’s status as perhaps the poster boy supercar of the era, the LP400 rather fades into the background. Even the most passionate car fanatic could be forgiven for envisaging a wide arched, big-winged, 5000 QV model, sat on wide Campagnolo“telephone dial” wheels, finished in“Rosso Siviglia” red or (maybe, thanks to The Wolf ofWall Street) “Bianco Polo” white. And that’s exactly what I pictured until I first set eyes on an LP400. The first of the Countach lineage, to me, the LP400 is the purest, most beautiful version of Marcello…

Atypical day at Excalibur Auctions starts with a staff briefing at 9am, where the team chats through their plans and the schedule for the day. By 9:30, everyone is busy sorting items for auction, photographing lots and conducting valuations. The excitement comes from the fact we never know what’s going to come through the door next. Every phone call or email could potentially lead to something like the Stretch Hulk toy we sold recently, or another rare 1930s Superman #1 comic. All enquiries are valuable, and every seller is as important as the next. I’m the main receptionist and administrator, so nine times out of ten it’s my voice you’ll hear when you call with an initial enquiry. Once the basics are covered and the auction process is explained, I…

VOLKSWAGEN 1600TL Production: 1969-73 Catalogue: 1969 (2nd)-73 Box Styles: F, G Always a favourite in the regular wheels ranks, Volkswagen 1600TL made for a great Superfast too. One of the six regular wheeled models to get the upgrade nod in 1969 ahead of the rest of the range, it first appeared as a transitional model in its regular colour and kept its opening doors, before being changed to the marvellous metallic purple you see above. But Lesney wasn't finished yet - when the time came to upgrade to the wider wheels and the body needed modifying accordingly, the VW got a new coat of paint too - in deep metallic pink. HOT ROCKER Production: 1974-78 Catalogue: 1974-78 Box Styles: I, J Hot Rocker is a reworking of No 54 Ford…

In the days before N gauge and Bachmann trains, ‘Farish’ was a big player on the post-war model railways scene. The company was set up to manufacture radio components in 1919. Its founder wasThomas Graham Farish. Evidently, Mr Farish had an eye for the latest opportunities, as the company successfully added related domestic products through the 1920s and 30s. These included electric fires, water pumps, and even lids for vacuum sealing glass jars. They were also one of the first companies to exploit an exciting new material: Bakelite. During the Second World War, the business was largely engaged in military production, their diecasting, general engineering and electronics expertise proving ideal. Such was the case with many toy makers. After the war, these firms were looking for new products, and like…

As a stallholder, I’m often asked about the methods employed in the care and repair of old toys, be they diecast, tinplate or plastic. The questions range from parts availability and feasible projects to just chatting about techniques or materials. I’ve been tinkering with old toys for a fair while, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learnt so far. If you, too, are a seasoned restorer, you may already be well-versed and may possibly want to add to the well of knowledge. If you’re a beginner, you may be wondering where to start, what you’ll need and how to go about it. Firstly, there is no set path, and everyone acquires their own way of doing things. However, it’s a good idea to think about what you want to…

With Tecnomodel, we’re back to resin again as the build basis – but these miniatures, available in three scales (namely 1/12, 1/18 and 1/43) merit inclusion in my index, I feel, because they are simply stunning. Handbuilt and produced in limited numbers, they are certainly not for the impecunious. If F1 is what lights your candle, then this range will be the one to drool over. Techart is another resin contender, this time focussed on Porsche models which are, like the real thing, subject to modification. Thus, if you like your models to be a tad, shall we say, radical, then this line of 1/43 models might be worthy of investigation. But back to diecast… TAKING TO THE TRACK Keen on racing and circuit cars of all types? Then take…

John Leitch tells us about his tasty collection. “Even though I have more than 600 KitKat wrappers stored in five bulging folders, I’ve never pictured myself as a collector, certainly not one of any note… but hey, here I am. I scour the shelves for new variant KitKat coverings; friends post wrappers from abroad, the deal being that they can either scoff the contents or hand them over untouched… and from time to time I check what novelty flavours they have dreamed up in Japan. It kicked off in the 1980s. Having been made redundant from a job in Northumberland after 14 years, we’d landed up in Suffolk, and 18 months on from that, I’d settled down to writing my first novel. That meant getting up before dawn on a…

Welcome, collectors! I hope you all had a wonderful festive season surrounded by friends, family, and a few new additions to your collections. If not, there’s still time, January sales are a great excuse to treat yourself and kick off 2026 as you mean to go on! This month, we’re excited to launch our brand-new restoration series, written by long-time expert Ian McDermott. With more than 40 years of experience restoring model vehicles, Ian will be sharing his knowledge, tips and tricks to help you get hands-on with your own projects. Each month will focus on a different restoration topic, starting in this issue with the essential tools you’ll need to get going. We’re also thrilled to be bringing aircraft back into the mix, with a regular look at some…

GTH held a collector’s sale on 29 October at The Somerset Auction Rooms, with several diecast highlights attracting strong interest from bidders. One of the standout pieces was a pre-war Dinky No.23 racing car. Finished in cream with a green top and nose flash and carrying racing number 6, it came in fair condition and unboxed. Even so, early Dinky models continue to maintain their following, and this example achieved a hammer price of £320. Corgi fans were also treated to a desirable export issue: the No.509 Porsche Targa 911S police car in Rijkspolitie livery. With its crisp white finish and bright fluorescent orange nose stripe, doors and engine cover, the model was offered in excellent condition with a good box and sold for £180. Another strong result came from…

Great Scott! Marty McFly is always associated - and rightly so - with the DMC-12 DeLorean in the ‘Back to the Future’ film trilogy, a car which has been replicated over the years in various scales as well as in kit and modular brick form. Reaching the mid-80s, the hype of the muscle car was waning considerably, with buyers clamouring for the new trend of SUVs and trucks, which were becoming the Kings of Cool. And so, it was right that one vehicle gained a stealth cult status, and with quiet success, and could be seen as somewhat greater than Doc Brown’s Time Machine: McFly’sToyota Hilux SR5, which is seen towards the end of the first and third films. The SR5 was the higher spec version of the Hilux with…

The Ford Escort MKII, in almost standard form Group 1 or in full spec Group 4, served many privateers with great success. For a decade, this was the car of choice for many professional and amateur teams around the UK and continental Europe. A network of independent specialists provided all the help needed to prepare, fine-tune, maintain and repair all the versions used in rallying. Diabolique Motorsport invested heavily in the MKII, entering a maximum of three cars in some events, with a pair of Group 4s and a Group 1 example. When Group B was announced as the replacement to the Group 4, in the early 1980s, Ford Motorsport was not ready to have a car in the stages right away. The first solution was to homologate the MKII…

WHAT GOT YOU INTO SCALE MODEL COLLECTING? My diecast collection started in 2006. I have always loved cars since I was a kid, and I was over the moon when my mum bought me a Hot Wheels model — especially as they were very hard to find in my small hometown of Jayapura. But in 2010, disaster struck when our house was flooded, and around 90% of my collection was destroyed, with only a handful of models surviving. It was heartbreaking — but it didn’t stop me. I began rebuilding year by year, gradually seeing the shelves fill once again. In 2017, I bought my first DSLR camera, and the very first subject I shot was my HotWheels collection, which ended up becoming the start of my visual-arts career. As…

StarWars memorabilia has a way of turning childhood memories into serious investments. From vintage Kenner figures to limited-edition lightsabers and rare prop replicas, the galaxy far, far away has inspired collectors for nearly 50 years. But what happens when a collection like that becomes part of your estate? Recently, I helped a client whose Star Wars collection was valued at £75,000 for probate purposes, and it’s expected to achieve significantly more at auction. Every inch of his home reflected decades of devotion: pristine boxed figures, rare promotional items, even autographed memorabilia. For him, these weren’t just possessions - they were memories, achievements, and part of his identity. But here’s the catch, even the most carefully curated collection can be mishandled or undervalued. Often, families simply don’t realise what they’re looking…

Automata have fascinated people for centuries, even as far back as Ancient Egypt. Varying in complexity from figures moving by hand-turned levers to intricate tableaux and sculptures powered by clockwork, water, gravity or electricity, automata never fail to entertain and amuse. It is known that the Ancient Greeks partially animated statues for use in ceremonies and theatrical productions, while in China there are records of a flying magpie constructed out of wood and bamboo. During the sixteenth century Leonardo da Vinci devised a lion automaton in honour of Louis XII, which advanced forward before opening its chest and pointing to a design of the fleur-de-lys. It became a craze among wealthy people from the seventeenth century onwards with people intent on collecting ever more complex automata. Jacques de Vaucanson created…

On the 16th of November 2025, I, alongside my boyfriend, attended the J & J Fairs toy fair in Spalding, Lincolnshire. It was both of our first times attending a toy fair, and I’m pleased to say I was genuinely, pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. Before going, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I had imagined something quite niche and quiet, perhaps full of very serious collectors poring over items I knew little about, but instead, I found the atmosphere welcoming, lively, and much more engaging than I had anticipated. The fair officially opened at 10am, but we didn’t arrive until around 1pm. I had been a little worried that arriving later in the day would mean we had missed the peak excitement and that the venue would…

Although the spotlight was firmly on full-size tractors and machinery, the show also delivered a strong line-up of new scale models from leading manufacturers, giving miniature farming enthusiasts plenty to get excited about. UNIVERSAL HOBBIES Universal Hobbies produced numerous new and special edition 1:32 scale models for OEMs to sell at the show. At the Claas shop, key models included the Arion 6.190 tractor (89.90 euros) and Jaguar 80 SF forage harvester (119 euros). AGCO licensed both European and US versions of the Fendt 1052Vario tractor, along with the Fendt 516Vario (95 euros), and the 515 Vario with front loader (100 euros). Valtra’s highlight was a titan grey S416 with dual wheels (87 euros). Massey Ferguson offered a 5 M with front loader (81 euros), a 5M.145 (73 euros), an…

Once again, I’ve been photographing a few pieces from my modest Matchbox collection. Their bold, lively colours are a big part of their charm; even after years of enthusiastic play, those vibrant hues still shine through the inevitable wear and tear, and this month, I’ve focused on capturing that colour in all its glory, working to make every shade really pop. To make the models' colours really stand out, I’ve used a simple white (well very light grey) background, keeping the lighting subtle, which hopefully keeps distracting strong shadows to a minimum. While the strongest (yet still subtle) lighting was from above, I also used a small hand torch (with a piece of paper over the bulb to diffuse the light) to provide a bit of lighting from the front…

FAIRS 1 JANUARY • Newark JJ Fairs 01522 880383 4 JANUARY • Walsall Wood Transtar Promotions 01922 643385 • Ashington David Parsons 07742 609865 10 JANUARY • Brentwood J & J Fairs 01522880383 11 JANUARY • York Jim Corr 07504 035955 18 JANUARY • Bromley KRJ Vintage Toy Fairs 07534 939022 • Spalding J & J Fairs 01522 880383 • Newton Abbot Ray Heard 01823 480097 25 JANUARY • Port Sunlight Jackson & Jackson Events 07967 681080 • Lincoln J & J Fairs 01522 880383 31 JANUARY • Musselburgh Jim Corr 07504 035955 1 FEBRUARY • Ashington David Parsons 07742 609865 • Potters Bar Joe Lock 07866 641215 • Kidderminster Tony Oakes 01270 652773 5 FEBRUARY • Theydon Bois Joe Lock 07866 641215 7 FEBRUARY • Ludlow Tony Oakes 01270…

A brand new line of UFC Octagon Fighters collectables has officially launched on Amazon, giving fight-fans a fresh way to engage with their favourite athletes. The series, created through a partnership between UFC and global toy manufacturer PMI, marks the latest step in expanding the UFC’s presence within the rapidly growing kidult and collector markets. As demand for stylised, high-quality action figures continues to rise, UFC is positioning itself increasingly strongly within the collectables space. The new figures offer fans stylised representations of some of the sport’s most recognisable competitors, capturing the personality, energy, and intensity that define the UFC brand. The launch follows the successful release of the mystery UFC Punching Bag Capsules in May 2025, a product that served as a teaser for the full line and generated…

WITH the surge in popularity of modern collectables, even major global brands are embracing the mystery-box trend. One of the latest to join the movement is Pringles, which has launched the“OnceYou Pop” Mystery Box—a playful combination of blind-flavour crisps and limited-edition collectable toys. The release blends nostalgia with current collecting culture, appealing to snack lovers and collectors alike. Each box includes a mystery-flavour can of Pringles, with the exact taste concealed beneath coded packaging. Consumers are encouraged to guess the flavour, share reactions online, and compare theories with other snack enthusiasts. Alongside the crisps, every box contains one of six “Pringamabobs”, small mascot-like bag charms shaped like stacks of Pringles crisps. These quirky items introduce a tactile, toy-based element reminiscent of childhood collectables. The launch has sparked conversation among adults…

WARWICK & Warwick’s Toys, Postcards and Cigarette Cards Auction on 19 November featured a strong range of King & Country model soldiers. One standout lot included Pike and Musket figures alongside theThree Musketeers, which together achieved a hammer price of £525. Looking ahead to their 21 January sale, Warwick & Warwick will be offering a fantastic Star Wars collection that covers collectablee figures, vehicles, sets and statuettes, as well as limited-run items such as the Hasbro HasLab Mos Eisley Cantina set with Deluxe edition add-ons, rarely seen at auction. The sale will also feature a custom-built Chiltern model steam engine. Fully assembled on a wooden base, it includes a single-cylinder beam engine with shaft support, a 3.5-inch copper gas boiler with brass fittings, water tank and feed pump, and a…

Northcord Model Company continues its work on the Alexander ALX400-bodied casting with its latest release, a detailed replica of Dublin Bus’s open-topVolvo B7TL in full DoDublin Hop-on Hop-offTour livery. The model represents fleet number AV93, complete with the bright green design, line-drawn city graphics and bold Hop on, Hop off branding that make the real vehicle so recognisable. Every element of the livery has been recreated, from the anniversary panels to the multilingual tour guide markings. The one-piece casting gives the model clean lines and sharp detailing, while the redesigned blister keeps it secure on the plinth. Limited to 1,008 pieces worldwide. Northcord Model Company Vehicle Alexander ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL Open Top (green) Scale 1:76 Price £59.99 Product no iebus 0008 www.northcordmodelcompany.com NEW LEYLAND PD3 ‘QUEEN MARY’ FROM CORGI Corgi…

Corgi’s Aviation Archive range recently had a new tooling added to it with the launch of the 1:72 scale Martin B-26 Marauder. The first model launched was a D-Day themed example (AA29501), and now a second model has just been released, representing an aircraft of the Mediterranean Theatre. The chosen identity is Martin B-26C-45-MO Marauder 42-107752 Miss Arkansas, as flown by Lt Leo A. Lampman of the 444th Bombardment Squadron, 320th Bombardment Group, 12th US Army Air Force, Decimomannu Airfield, Sardinia, circa summer 1944 (AA29502). B-26 HISTORY The B-26 initially attracted some unwanted nicknames, such as ‘Widow Maker’ and the ‘Flying Coffin’, because of the high number of aircraft lost to crashes due to its tricky handling characteristics. One of these was a high landing speed. It was a high-performance…

After winning the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, the Mini Cooper found newfound fame as a successful (perhaps that should read ‘giant killing’?) rally car. Corgi already had the Mini Cooper tooling, first seen in 1962, and managed to release their first Monte Carlo Mini in February 1964, within weeks of the rally finishing. Each subsequent year, the Mini won the Monte, Corgi produced a new model of the winning ‘works’ car, including the infamous 1996 disqualified winner (disqualified by the French organisers for having illegal headlight bulbs; meaning a Citroen won.) The final of the four different examples they produced was this one from 1967, and is of ‘LBL6D’ and driven by Rauno Aaltonen & Henry Liddon. Corgi’s original Mini casting was produced, like the real car, in Austin and…

Long before HomeVideo players, DVDs, streaming and Blu-ray, the magic of cinema could fit in the palm of your hand. For a generation of movie lovers, Super 8 reels weren’t just celluloid - they were portals to Hollywood, spinning on projectors in living rooms across the world. I was ten when I first threaded a delicate film reel of a classic B-movie onto my Super 8 projector, and that whirring sound still feels like pure nostalgia to me and to other Super 8 film collectors throughout the world. A CHILDHOOD OBSESSION BEGINS My first glimpse into home cinema came in the early 1970s when my parents bought a silent Super 8 projector from a photographic store. Eventually tired of endless holiday reels and wedding films, we decided to rent a…

I sometimes feel that the world is full of unanswerable questions. Take those giganticT-shaped cranes that dominate serious building sites: just how do they set up the counterbalance and add the jib without the whole thing toppling over? Then again, there’s the snowplough driver: how does he get to work? This issue features two toy companies about whom virtually nothing is known, so the above preface is quite apposite. But first, a word about the underlying strand that joins them both. PLUSES AND MINUSES The humble battery, today the mainstay of so much of our world, has a long history, with the first primitive examples seeing the light of day back in 1800, believe it or not. However, like most technology, it would take time before the concept set off…

Nostalgia is a strange thing, isn’t it? After all, when memories are apparently reconstructed by the brain, they’re often an amalgam of things rather than verbatim recollection. This must be how police investigations come to label some witnesses as unreliable. If you think back to your childhood, you may be able to recollect a particular event such as Christmas when you received a particular toy or the times you played with it your toys in the back garden. Now you may remember the garden and the toy but possibly not that particular day. We all fill in these bits to give us a warm glow and complete the picture. I was recently recalling my years in Junior School to a friend. The rainy break times when they brought out what…

The 1:64 diecast space is highly competitive at the moment — and now Majorette enters the fray with its new 1:64 Collection. Traditionally, Majorette has rubbed shoulders with leading brands such as Siku and Mattel’s Hot Wheels and Matchbox and their mainline/basic ranges, but has carved a niche by sticking with real-life licensed castings throughout its Street Cars and Premium line-ups. With six models representing the decades from the 1950s through to the 2000s, each vehicle features a die-cast body, real rubber tyres and clear light lenses. Add quality paint finishes and the trademark Majorette suspension — tramline bars within the chassis running over the axles — and it’s clear that considerable thought has gone into the details. Presentation is another strong point: the stackable display boxes create an instant…