Nearly 1,000 Dinky toys amassed over 50 years sell for staggering £146,400 at auction
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A remarkable collection of 995 Dinky toys built up over 50 years has sold for £146,400, with rare Foden trucks among the star lots.
A lifelong passion for collecting Dinky toys has paid off handsomely after almost 1,000 miniature vehicles sold at auction for a staggering £146,400.
The huge collection of 995 die-cast models had been amassed by a private collector over five decades before being put under the hammer at Vectis Auctions in Stockton-on-Tees.
Dating from 1934 onwards, the toys are part of the much-loved Dinky range created by railway modeller Frank Hornby and have become highly sought-after among collectors of vintage toys and models.
Some of the rarest examples sparked fierce competition between bidders, with several models selling for many times their original estimates.
The top-selling lot was a cream and maroon double-decker bus, which eventually fetched £4,655.
Auctioneer Andrew Reed said the overall result had comfortably beaten expectations, with the collection having been estimated to make around £100,000.
He said: “The final sale price far exceeded our estimate of £100,000.
“There was competitive bidding for a number of exceptionally rare Dinky Foden wagons and trucks.”
Among the biggest surprises was a red 501 Foden Type 1 diesel wagon.
The model had been given a guide price of between £120 and £140, but intense bidding sent its final price soaring to £4,655, including the buyer's premium.
Another Foden model also proved far more valuable than anticipated.
A burnt orange Foden Type 2 flat truck with a tailboard had been expected to sell for between £700 and £900.
Instead, it changed hands for £4,165 as collectors battled to secure the sought-after model.
The auction provides another reminder of the enduring appeal of Dinky toys, which have become prized collectibles decades after they were first produced.
Around 1,000 different Dinky models were manufactured during the brand's history, covering everything from cars and buses to lorries and other commercial vehicles.
Production continued until 1980, although manufacturing was interrupted during the Second World War.
For the collector behind the remarkable collection, the sale marks the end of a 50-year journey spent building up a treasure trove of miniature motoring history.
And with individual models achieving thousands of pounds, it appears those tiny vehicles were worth considerably more than pocket money.
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