Could the favourite toys of your childhood be worth a fortune under the hammer?
HAVE you got a goldmine of old toys stashed in your attic ready to go under the hammer?
Classic toys can regularly make hundreds, even thousands, of pounds at auction and expert Glen Chapman of C&T Auctions, in Kent, has revealed which old favourites are proving popular.
Transformer toys have been achieving high prices with a Boxed Hasbro G1 Transformers Construction Devastation Set selling for £500 in October - more than three times the estimate.
The purple and green robots from 1985 were in mint condition, having been kept in dry storage for more than 30 years.
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The popularity of Star Wars toys and figurines has continued over the decades, and those from the 1970s are proving particularly lucrative.
In October a 3.75 inch Palitoy Star Wars Death Star Droid Vintage Original Carded Figure sold for an astonishing £900 - six times its estimate.
The death star droid, originally aimed at those aged four and above, was in mint condition.
Tinplate toys have enjoyed enduring popularity at auctions.
They were first made in the mid-19th century from thin sheets of steel plated with tin.
Everything from ships to cars and soldiers were made using the method and the toys continued to be sold widely into the mid-20th century.
In October C&T Auctions sold a Schuco tinplate car for £380.
The light green model with cream and gold fins, red seating and a grey steering wheel was in near mint condition with its original instruction leaflet.
Diecast Toys - made of metal with plastic, rubber of glass details - also prove popular at auction.
Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox toys, a staple of many childhoods, can make a fair amount under the hammer.
A Matchbox 41c Ford GT Racing car had a hammer price of £130 in one of C&T Auctions' sales.
But rarer Matchbox motors have been known to make thousands of pounds - not bad for a pocket money staple.
Dolls, teddy bears and toy soldiers also regularly feature in the auction house's toy sales.
Glen, who has more than 30 years experience in dealing with vintage toys, said that the condition of a toy is key to the amount it will reach in auction - ideally they need to be in near mint condition with their original boxes.
Rarity also adds value - although most buyers will relate to the lots they bid for because they owned, or wanted, the toy as a youngster.
Glen advises first time buyers go to an auction house for advice before placing their childhood toys under the hammer.
A stunning fleet of Ferraris, Rolls Royce, Bentleys… and a Renault Twizzi were auctioned off cheap after being seized from Sheikh owner in December.
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