[Diecast/Models] Airfix kits - investment or not?

[nicanary]

.I believe that I'm typical of men of "a certain age", re-living my youth with collections of 50s toys and mementos of the past.I already knew that old boxed Airfix kits could fetch good money (if they were the right ones) and when I heard a couple of years ago that the French factory was closing down I decided to buy a few. Make that 50 or so.

I had a rationale that the company had no commercial future, what with the superb quality of Japanese kits, and their past economic problems.An investment if kept in a dark cool storage facility!

trouble is, they're still going -what do you think? I'm 61, and don't want the hassle of selling them when I'm 80+.Do I sell them now, and admit my mistake,or hold on a bit longer? Anyone else in the same situation?

[Adam43]

Sounds like a good collection. Jump on the James May publicity and sell.

Of course, like classic cars, you should only buy airfield to use not as a investment.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by nicanary

Do I sell them now, and admit my mistake,or hold on a bit longer? Anyone else in the same situation?

Depends what they are I think - some seem to go for silly money whilst others go for peanuts. The first release of the TSR2 often goes for more than the currently available version on ebay for example (I have a couple of them - I like the TSR2 but I'm struggling to find time to make the damn thing!).

[nicanary]

That's the problem - a lot of them are recent issues. I was thinking long-term.

I do have some 70s red-stripe boxes, but most are probably worth less than I paid.I was sort of morbidly hoping that Airfix would close down for good, and that even the newer kits would increase in value in the end.

I bet (knowing my luck) that I've got all the useless ones.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by nicanary

I bet (knowing my luck) that I've got all the useless ones.

Not all of them - I have some too

I don't think the recent issues are worth any great amount really - although again there are the odd one or two that always seem to fetch big money. I know I've picked up some recent issue Spitfires for my son for not a lot on ebay.

[nicanary]

Do you remember spending hours building and painting them only for your mum to break them when she was doing the dusting?

Best left in the box,I think.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by nicanary

Do you remember spending hours building and painting them only for your mum to break them when she was doing the dusting?

I remember spending hours building and painting them - followed by setting fire to them and launching them from the window The Luftwaffe met its match (or more accurately met some matches).

My son has just started to make the occasional Airfic model - the traditional Spitfire vs Messerschmitt battle is now taking place on a regular basis

[nicanary]

I seem to recall that they burned quite realistically, much slower than you'ld think. A lot of Panzer tanks "brewed" that way in my back garden.

i don't know if it was some chemical in the composition of the plastic that airfix used. What a waste though! Kids, eh? cor.