OT: Toy Collecting

Guru

Hey friends,

I know it's totally off topic, but are there any toy collectors here? And if so, are there any forums for those looking to reboot or start a collection of childhood toys?

Last summer I took it upon myself to go through the old storage shed at my parents home in Kentucky. I remember in high school placing all my childhood toys from the 80's and 90's in plastic storage bins to keep them safe. These along with my board games from when I was a kid apparently were stolen by someone who used to live across the street from them a decade ago. They swear they told me, but I'm pretty sure I would remember. They said I could store things there till I one day owned a house. Last summer we bought our first home, so it was time to move things.

I did find some things here and there, but the bulk of what I had is gone. Lots of GI Joe stuff in great condition, Go Bots, He-Man, Lego's, Hot Wheels, Micro Machines (1000's of these), M.A.S.K., Centurions, etc....all gone. I'd love to find a place where I can talk about this stuff and where to find it.

Anyone know of a place like that? Thanks!

LochNESS

Check the local antique shops, Goodwill and Salvation Army. In my experience, most [Atlanta] Goodwill stores don't carry a huge selection of toys but each one is really very different. And the neighborhoods will reflect what is inside. Go to the Goodwill in a nice neighborhood, for example, and you'll find a nicer selection (of everything). Salvation Army tends to have many more toys and even sporting equipment.

Antique shops will be your best bet, however you're going to pay. These stores are filled with items in decent-to-great condition from people who managed to save their items instead of having them lost (which is what happened to MOST of us, which is why they are collectible).

I don't have any G.I. Joe or He-Man any more, either. Silverhawks, TMNT, all those figurines gone... even the DC super hero stuff is mostly gone. The only thing I managed to save over the years was the Legos and some minor stuff like Muppets and random Disneyana.

eBay, although I really hate to say it, may ultimately be your best bet if there are no antique shops nearby.

Ironmanfan

you have to watch "The Toy Hunter" on the Travel Channel.....He hunts down toys from the late 70's and 80's

IMF

Mefer

I collect action figures from the 70s. It's a fun hobby as well. What is better than toys and baseball cards?

bziddy

In the past few years I've sold off my Mego Superheroes, Transformers, GI Joe, and other stuff. I still have all my original Star Wars in boxes scattered about. I also have a bunch of POTF2 MOMC -- like everyone else.

Kid4hof03

I collect the 1970's Gabriel "The Lone Ranger Rides Again" series, my favorite toys from childhood. I also collect beater condition mego super heroes with my 7 year old.

GDM67

<< <i>you have to watch "The Toy Hunter" on the Travel Channel.....He hunts down toys from the late 70's and 80's

IMF >>

I love that show. Until last week, I didn't realize that unopened toys have a TPG service.

Stingray

I have a couple of Mattel Electronics games from the 70's. They were a big part of my younger years, would get a different each Christmas.

Fergman78

I am in the process of selling off a childhood toy collection for a customer of mine. He doesn't do Ebay or anything and was planning a yard sale. I told him bring me what he had and I would sell it for him. We are still in the early stages but I have already sold over $2000 worth of stuff ranging from Mego,Heman,sho-guns,GI-Joe,G-1 Transformers,battlestar Galactica, and various Nintendo games. I still have a ton more to list was there anything in particular you were looking for? Most of his stuff is late 70's through mid 80's. Some newer stuff as well.

jordangretzkyfan

As a child of the late 70's and 80's, I collect Star Wars and G.I. Joe figures still on card in high grade. The top grading company for these items is Action Figure Authority (AFA) and you can find them at www.toygrader.com. As for discussion forums, it might be worth checking out www.rebelscum.com. It is a Star Wars site, but you will find lots of toy collectors there.

Nothing better than talking old Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Garbage Pail Kids and Sportscards. Happy to chat these things anytime!!

Guru

<< <i>you have to watch "The Toy Hunter" on the Travel Channel.....He hunts down toys from the late 70's and 80's

IMF >>



Thx IMF for telling me about this. I had no idea there was such a show. I've already watched all of season 1.

Thanks everyone for the info. I googled to find a forum and think I've found a couple to connect to. As far as what I'm looking for...I'm not sure yet. Still trying to piece together in my mind what I'd like to have. I also need to review what wasn't stolen and go from there. I did have a lot of stuff that other kids didn't, so I'm not sure if I could even identify some of them.

I will tell you that I remember having the Death Star playset and Ewok village. Both stolen. Both complete, but without the box. I was that kid who kept all his toys organized. I hated it when a G.I. Joe was paired up with the wrong weapon or back pack. When I was in high school, I bought some pretty cheap tackle boxes and stored a lot of my stuff in those. They of course walked too.

Ugh...just thinking about it makes me sick. I did the worst thing and looked some of it up on Ebay.

Mefer

<< <i>

<< <i>you have to watch "The Toy Hunter" on the Travel Channel.....He hunts down toys from the late 70's and 80's

IMF >>




I will tell you that I remember having the Death Star playset and Ewok village. Both stolen. Both complete, but without the box. I was that kid who kept all his toys organized. I hated it when a G.I. Joe was paired up with the wrong weapon or back pack. When I was in high school, I bought some pretty cheap tackle boxes and stored a lot of my stuff in those. They of course walked too.

Ugh...just thinking about it makes me sick. I did the worst thing and looked some of it up on Ebay. >>



Ha. I was the same way as a kid. I still have nightmares of a neighborhood kid losing my Han Solo's weapon during a playdate. I was so ready to beat him with a rubber hose at the time. Lol.

Matt

EchoCanyon

Speaking of toys, can anyone remember a game from the 70s that was about Las Vegas hotels?

WhiteTornado

<< <i>Ha. I was the same way as a kid. I still have nightmares of a neighborhood kid losing my Han Solo's weapon during a playdate. I was so ready to beat him with a rubber hose at the time. Lol. >>



If that's what I'm thinking of, it was that teensy laser pistol. That thing was so small. Fortunately, never lost mine. Unfortunately, several years ago my sister decided to take all my old Star Wars figures from our mom's house (where I had been keeping them) and let her son play with them, so they are long gone

digicat

I've been working on selling off my old toys.

Star Wars, He-Man, and Transformers.

I sold off all the He-Man stuff as a lot to someone on Craigslist. I'm trying to move the Star Wars stuff there too.

Transformers in nice condition seem to sell for decent money on Ebay. Heck, even the guns that belonged to certain Transformers seem to sell well by themselves.

Mefer

<< <i>

<< <i>Ha. I was the same way as a kid. I still have nightmares of a neighborhood kid losing my Han Solo's weapon during a playdate. I was so ready to beat him with a rubber hose at the time. Lol. >>



If that's what I'm thinking of, it was that teensy laser pistol. That thing was so small. Fortunately, never lost mine. Unfortunately, several years ago my sister decided to take all my old Star Wars figures from our mom's house (where I had been keeping them) and let her son play with them, so they are long gone >>



Yep. That be the one. On the other hand, if I had not played with the toys as a kid, I would have no connection to them today. It is part of the fun (but rubber hose beating is still on the table ha).

jnorlund

I collect them. Mainly 80's and modern incarnations, etc. Here are a few sites to get you started:

he-man.org
yojoe.com
toyark.com
tfw2005.com
mattycollector.com
action-figures.ca

bziddy

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Ha. I was the same way as a kid. I still have nightmares of a neighborhood kid losing my Han Solo's weapon during a playdate. I was so ready to beat him with a rubber hose at the time. Lol. >>



If that's what I'm thinking of, it was that teensy laser pistol. That thing was so small. Fortunately, never lost mine. Unfortunately, several years ago my sister decided to take all my old Star Wars figures from our mom's house (where I had been keeping them) and let her son play with them, so they are long gone >>



Yep. That be the one. On the other hand, if I had not played with the toys as a kid, I would have no connection to them today. It is part of the fun (but rubber hose beating is still on the table ha). >>



My friend lost Ace's helmet/fishbowl on Christmas Day in a dirtpile (Ace being the pilot of the Skystriker).

The Han Solo gun was huge compared to Princess Leia's gun...sheesh...I swear I'd lose those about 2.5s after opening a new figure.

Mefer

One of my toy collecting focuses is Megos. I had and loved many as a kid. I still remember another friend launching my Captain Kirk and having his leg break at the knee joint. My dad glued it and Kirk never bent that leg again. Knowing what I know now, the plastic was never the best with the Megos but they sure were a lot of fun. He is another friend who should have been beat with a rubber hose. Ha.

edmundfitzgerald

I have a few toys that compliment my card collecting. I enjoy having all my childhood memories in my man cave.
It's not just sports cards.

MikeyP

I collect vintage Star Wars action figures. The three vintage toys on my wish list that I would love to own in mint condition are the LEGO Moon Landing set, the Planet of the Apes Treehouse and the Steve Austin doll. Oops! I meant to say the Six Million Dollar Man 13" action figure.

Mapleleaf

Hot Wheels, Space 1999 and Star Wars for me. Oh, and Matchbox as well. Plus comics. And Model Rockets. That's about it.

BLUEJAYWAY

In the lost but not forgotten dept. My 1/24,1/32 slot cars and accesories along with numerous trophys/ribbons I had won became dislocated in a move between old/new residences. Also had all the Universal/Aurora monster models from the 60's. Were all painted/ assembled. So would'nt be worth as much today as NIB. Gone as well. And not to mention all the 60's cards deposited in the trash by the folks in the 60's. Due to these horror stories of discarded collectibles only made the market boom as much as it did later on.

DM23HOF

Man, I've got an AFA 85 Rumble Ravage on card and a sealed 1982 Stormshadow ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW! Stuff is awesome.

Guru

<< <i>Man, I've got an AFA 85 Rumble Ravage on card and a sealed 1982 Stormshadow ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW! Stuff is awesome. >>



Yeah 'cause that's making us all feel better about our losses.

miwlvrn

<< <i>I collect vintage Star Wars action figures. The three vintage toys on my wish list that I would love to own in mint condition are the LEGO Moon Landing set, the Planet of the Apes Treehouse and the Steve Austin doll. Oops! I meant to say the Six Million Dollar Man 13" action figure. >>



I've got that Moon Landing set, mixed in with all my old legos. My kids play with all my old legos in combination with their new/present-day ones. But if it is that set you're after, it is available for only about $5 right now.

MikeyP

Thanks for the link Miwlvrn. I don't see a ray gun in that pile. Do you? Make sure your kids don't lose yours the way that mine lost mine. I would love to find one in an unopened box.

perkdog

3 things I wish i had from my childhood toy collection - Star Wars figures, Shogun Warriors and Micronauts!

vettfanatic

Here's some photos of my G.I.JOE collection from a few years ago.

Jeff

Guru

OH MY GOD MAGNUM!!!! Holy Crap dude! That is an awesome collection!

MrVintage

Here are a few toys.............

MikeyP

That G.I. Joe collection is incredible.

MikeyP

I always liked Matchbox better than Hot Wheels because of the trucks.