Vintage Dinky Toys and Corgi: are they still worth anything?
Many people have a box of old toy cars tucked away in the attic or a cupboard somewhere — Dinky Toys, Corgi or Matchbox from years gone by. The question we regularly receive: are they still worth anything? The honest answer: sometimes a great deal, sometimes almost nothing. It depends on a number of specific factors.
When are vintage models valuable?
Vintage toy cars have value when a combination of conditions is met:
- Original packaging present: a Dinky or Corgi in the original yellow or blue box is two to five times more valuable
- Good condition: original paintwork, no heavy damage, complete
- Early production years: models from the 1950s and 1960s are the scarcest and most sought after
- Popular models: James Bond Aston Martin, Batmobile, classic British cars
- Rare colour variants: some colour schemes were produced in small runs
Dinky Toys vs. Corgi vs. Matchbox
Dinky Toys (British, founded 1934) are generally the most sought after by serious collectors. Early models in good condition fetch the highest prices. Corgi (British, founded 1956) is popular for its TV-related models: James Bond, The Avengers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Matchbox has an active collector market, but prices are typically lower unless it concerns early series.
What do we buy?
Modelcar.com buys vintage Dinky Toys and Corgi when condition and rarity justify it. We are particularly interested in:
- Complete collections from the 1950s and 1960s
- Models with original packaging
- Rare or special editions
- James Bond and film/TV-related Corgi models
Not sure? Send us photos, even if you are not certain what you have. We assess free of charge and fairly.