[Diecast/Models] Has the market for diecasts fallen away?

[Knowlesy]

If I sell my models it'll be alright. I've got just over a hundred, I could feasibly get rid of 70 that I don't really need (it'll be a wrench, but I'll get over it).

Stateside saving will still go ahead as planned. Unless I get the Jag, which I won't. Possibly. Err...

[Craig]

Of course, you could sell a collection like that and be able to afford a trip to Homestead for the Nascar finale, hop across to Vegas for a few days, then down to Bathurst with the profits...

[Knowlesy]

Well, if you're offering.

I was quite unpleasantly surprised at some of the prices of my models on eBay. Some of them were worth a fortune, but the market seems to have slumped.

Prime example, Kimi first point 1/43. That was fetching in a triple figure sum when I got it in 2003 (I got mine for £70 somehow). I kept tabs on one this weekend that ended for £12.50! I should have sold them in 2004-2005, but of course I wanted to keep them at that time...

Now Kimi is floundering, his models will not sell for much I fear.

Anyhow, I am ruining the thread!

[Craig]

Yeah, a number of models which I'd bought in the past are worth considerably less now too

Anyhow, I am ruining the thread!

I fear you are right... but the apparent drop in market prices is an interesting discussion so I will split this off and make it a new thread.

[Knowlesy]

It is of course specific to a drivers fortunes and the significance of a car and it's production run etc...

One set of cars that will probably be lucrative are the Hamilton cars....provided they are manufactured in sensible numbers please Minichamps!

[Craig]

You are probably right. The cars that I was thinking of were BTCC cars. Of course, the fall in their values is in line with the reduction of the series to a club series with delusions of graduer.

I must remember not to check the prices of the Montoya stuff else I'd be opening my wallet once more. Not that there's anything in there, except for receipts, of course.

[Adam43]

The value of diecasts can go down as well as up!
Sell after a good race, buy after a poor race?

You can make a quick profit I guess, but is there a long term future, or is it a general decline?

[Craig]

I think Knowlesy may have a point - those models of mine where the prices have plummted are BTCC cars. The decline in price kinda mirrors the decline of the series to what it currently is - a club racing series with delusions of granduer.

The Le Mans 1:18 market seems to be booming. Unfortunately

[Adam43]

You need to be more out of touch.

[Knowlesy]

I have one of these to sell: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Minichamps-1-1...QQcmdZViewItem

Except I, err, can't bear to sell it. Err...

The Rossi market is a very lucrative one indeed. Shame I only have two of his bikes and Minichamps are showering us with re-releases which destroys everything.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

You need to be more out of touch.

Maybe I'm just too free with the cash and it was me who was propping up the market?

[mountainstar]

When I accidentally ended up with a ebay business back in 1998, the first few years i was selling diecasts as my bread and butter. Eventually by 2002, I had moved completely away from it and stopped selling all together because the market wasn't there any more. Minichamps, for instance, had a great following, but was ruined by snobby uptight collectors.

I think the diecast thing had latched into the whole beanie baby craze of collecting "collectables" for profit. And that fad is long gone.

The other issue was that companies began turning out tons of product sometimes replicating each other with the same model. The market is pretty well flooded.

I'm surprised those Raikkonen models have fallen so much, but then I shouldn't be. Certainly what is popular and what isn't is key when flipping models for profit. I remember in 98,99 anything I could get from europe with j villeneuves name on it, I was flogging to canadians at a nice profit, but it wasn't long before you could barely give the stuff away.

[JAG]

The F1 and WRC diecast market seems to have dropped off, but Le Mans models, particularly high end ones, DTM cars and oddities like Kyosho Ferrari Daytona Comps, historic rally cars etc. seem to retain their value.

It apeears there are fewer specualtors, so models that sell are historically signifanct cars, to car enthusiasts.

F1 cars sell to casual fans, so are linked to drivers fortunes.

[Knowlesy]

I'm not really sure. Any casual fans I know tend to have cheap models.

Any F1 models that sell to casuals are probably Mattel versions mainly. Which lose value the instant they hit the market, well over 50% usually!

Le Mans models do tend to have some more high end versions though which is helpful in the rarity stakes.

[BertMk2]

I think there are certain areas/categories that will always sell well - Le Mans seems to have a dedicated following and those that are interested in the 'here and now' seem to get hooked up in the history of the place too and consequently will buy 'oldtimers' as well as the current cars. Group B rally cars also seem to sell well - again they are iconic cars and have a certain mystique about them. F1 has the mass market following and as noted will follow trends for driver and team popularity.

Super Touring era BTCC has less of a potential market - it doesn't have the mass appeal of F1, it doesn't have the same level of history as Le Mans and it doesn't have the mystique of Group B. The WRC diescast market is suffering as a result of the current WRC situation - limited manufacturers involved, less exposure and consequently a smaller market for models.

[Super Hans]

What’s the market like for obscure low-level Nascar models? Whilst in Canada, I visited a NASCAR store, but was put off by the price of the models. Then, as luck would have it, I visited a shop called Liquidation World, and picked up a dirt-cheap Chad Blount (who?) Busch car. It looks very out of place on my shelf.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

I think there are certain areas/categories that will always sell well - Le Mans seems to have a dedicated following and those that are interested in the 'here and now' seem to get hooked up in the history of the place too and consequently will buy 'oldtimers' as well as the current cars. Group B rally cars also seem to sell well - again they are iconic cars and have a certain mystique about them. F1 has the mass market following and as noted will follow trends for driver and team popularity.

.

That's a great point about Le Mans models, you get hooked on the historics also, in my case cars from the Group C era onwards.

The rally market seems a little stagnent, how many Evo's, Subarus, Focus' etc, can you have in your collection?

It's not like the Group B days when widely differeing cars appeared every year or two.

[Rockmunky]

I'm currently looking at my 1/18 2000 Audi R8.


Bit dusty, needs some TLC... has a broken rear wing too

[Dutton]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Then, as luck would have it, I visited a shop called Liquidation World, and picked up a dirt-cheap Chad Blount (who?) Busch car. It looks very out of place on my shelf.

Thrift stores and pawn stores are always worth a look too. Occasionally, you can come across a gem (in all categories of life).

[luke]

It has on ebay certainly. The CART Autocourse yearbooks whatever condition used to go for loads.. Maybe that was because CART had just ended and everyone wanted to re-live the days.. I couldn't get rid of them for even £2 now its madness.

Certain markets on ebay drop. I could swear diecast wise on ebay it isn't as popular as it once was a few years back...

I expect the Hamilton gear will go well though.. Stock up on that. I have already.

[MikeHoyer]

I've got a couple that seem to sell for more than what I paid for them when I first bought them.

I don't know what the market is like now, as I don't buy models any more, but it would nice to be able to get a reasonable price for some that I have if I ever did decide to sell them (Jackie Stewarts Tyrrell 006 seems to do well). I don't buy just to sell on though.

[luke]

I just buy anything I see on ebay and that I think I can make money on as I buy and sell as I can't currently get a part time job.

I actually made a few quid on a DVD box set that I sold second hand after watching it which was odd as dvds don't go well on ebay at all for sellers.

If you are a seller I think its a bout expanding to new areas which are popular.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by luke

If you are a seller I think its a bout expanding to new areas which are popular.

Exactly. Sometimes selling on ebay is like mining. You find a vein of gold you can exploit and then it's gone and you have to find another vein.

I've had some major victories. A poster I bought for $1 I sold for $125. A silk cut jag booklet for $4 sold for $60. ETC.

[luke]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Exactly. Sometimes selling on ebay is like mining. You find a vein of gold you can exploit and then it's gone and you have to find another vein.

I've had some major victories. A poster I bought for $1 I sold for $125. A silk cut jag booklet for $4 sold for $60. ETC.

Its swings and round abouts from what I have found in my short buying and selling days..

Selling second hand dvds and books you lose money most times unless you see it cheap..

The F1C game for the PC used to go for nearly £100 because it was rare as it's old and you could play so many mods. I sold it for just £45 but I still made £10..It's a game no one wants anymore because r factor has taken over.

Like I said in a pm, adding tobacco decals especially the Senna ones me and friend can get them to go for £150...Trebel the price and you at least always double... That's a good market.. Also getting diecasts signed but you have to take a photo.. I made a 1/3rd on a signed car I bought for the standard price.

[Knowlesy]

Problem with converting models to tobacco and then selling them is you can get a major slap from model manufacturers.