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-----Antiques – Books – Collectibles -----
Toy Collectibles:
“Old is Good! Good is Better!”
By Ray deThy
One of the fastest upward moving values in the antiques and collectibles trade is vintage toys. The obvious
reason is that any item that is in exceptional condition and is scarce or rare, escalates in value as time passes. A
toy has the potential for being the “poster boy” of collectibles in this regard because it was purchased and given
to a child who in most cases was not prone to taking exceptional care of it. Thus the combination of the
relatively inexpensive nature of a toy combined with it being in the possession of a less than fastidious young
human being produces the perfect formula for the toy being in great condition.
This scarcity in fine condition is the basis for the almost obscene value of toys produced in the early part of the
20th century. Many that were produced in cheap and fragile form have achieved the highest relative values.
Example: During this time, German toymakers produced miniature figures and vehicles that are called “penny
toys” because that’s what customers paid for them. One cent in the 1910’s was not an insignificant amount, but
their toys were skillfully made of lithographed tin and frequently had moving parts such as wheels or moving
arms, etc. They were no more than an inch or two in height and/or width. Though they were attractive, they
were very fragile and were easily damaged or destroyed. Today, it is not uncommon to have a choice piece in
“as new” condition to sell for up to $500. or more.
Of course, many toys were made of more sturdy materials and in larger forms, but that doesn’t preclude them
from reaching incredibly high values. It still holds, however that the better the condition of a toy that was sold
for the purpose of being played with, regardless of its construction, is going to be valued higher than ones that
show greater wear regardless of their age.
The standard for how much wear, damage or restoration will affect toy prices tends to be different for each
material from which the toys were produced.
Types of Toy Material and Their Relationship to Collectability:
There are basically five materials used in toy making: tin; cast iron; pressed steel; plastic; and, miscellaneous
(wood/paper/rubber , etc.). The definition of what is collectible quality standards for each of these differ
significantly. A precautionary note for the reader—what follows is generally accurate for each of the types, but
know that there have been many exceptions as to why a specific specimen might reach an astronomic value.
Tin Toys: were plentifully made during the 1860-1960 period—initially by German and French firms followed
by U.S. companies such as Marx and subsequently by the Japanese firms, well into the 1960’s. Tin toys come
in two broad varieties, hand painted and lithographed. Notwithstanding that all toys must be in excellent
“working” condition, the surface standards for materials used to make toys are different. Because tin is flimsy,
paint will tend to flake-off the exterior surface(because of its flexing nature) even when there’s no damage to
the tin. Painted tin can, therefore, be professionally restored with little impact on value. Printed color
lithographed tin shows the decorative image as a result of a print bonded to the tin, and any loss detracts from
collectible value and retouching or in-painting the loss is a no-no and will substantially decrease the value (see
today’s Value & Tip).
Cast Iron Toys: were the rage from the 1860’s until the 1940’s. The early toys were a spin-off of tool maker
companies who had the casting and finishing skills that were easily adapted to add toys to their production
lines. Even later companies who specialized in cast iron toys usually had other subsidiary non-toy products.
Primary types of cast iron toys were banks (both still and mechanical) and all types of transportation units—
farm wagons, cars, planes and ships. The pieces were finely finished to a smooth finish and hand painted. The
highest values are attached to items that retain the highest percentage of original paint. Iron is, of course,
generally non-destructible, but the paint was not “fired” in any way, so rough children’s treatment that chipped
away paint severely reduces value, e.g. a toy that has 95% or more original paint and valued at $500 would see
that value fall to $100 or less (or even be unsalable) with 50% or less paint. Repainting or in-paint touchup is
not to be done and will generally make most pieces unacceptable as collectibles.
Pressed Steel Toys: were made and sold in large numbers from 1920 to the 1950’s. This was the hey-day of
“Buddy L,” Keystone,” and “Tonka,” among other toy lines that made these toys very popular. They were very
sturdy and could be produced in large sizes that were rideable. This captured the desire of young kids who
were able to use the toys to simulate adult behavior by pretending that the toys were “real” cars, fire engines,
etc. Murray and other companies even made pedal cards that a child could sit inside and actually drive. Unlike
most other toys that were made by foreign as well as local companies, the steel units were primarily U.S. made.
Pressed steel toys are much more structurally solid than other toys and any significant wear to the original paint
surface substantially reduces their value.
Retouching the surfaces or repainting steel toys should never be done if it is the owner’s wish to maintain the
item as a collectible. If rust is present, it is acceptable to deter any further oxidation, but sanding or other means
of reducing it is not useful for the item’s collectability.
This column is the PART ONE of a series that will deal with toy and doll collectibles. Because of the breadth
of the toy and doll category, a single column of acceptable length for publication would have been so condensed
as to be useless. The subsequent issues will try to cover the novice collector’s concerns about toys and dolls in
a general but more useful way and explain in some detail the reason that multiple collectors’ interest in a single
toy can increase its value exponentially.
VALUES & TIPS
VALUE
Today’s item for valuation is a 1930 Marx “Rocket Racer” lithographed tin windup toy. This 12”toy was made to capture the excitement that accompanied the advent of auto racing at that time.
It was very well made with a wind-up mechanism and a “start/stop” lever. The lithographed surface is 95%
original and there is no surface damage. The value of this racer is $425.
TIP
If this were not a race car but rather, a regular domestic automobile type of the period, the value would be in
the $150. to $200. range.
REASON ?: This toy appeals to the Marx toy collector, the race car collector and the wind-up toy collector.
The result is more volume of interest, higher demand and substantially higher price.
Copyright © 2008
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