Invaluable toy car collection sold off at Walvis

A COLLECTION of about 3 000 toy cars garnered over a period of nearly 30 years is selling like ‘hot cakes’ from Bay Auctioneers at Walvis Bay.

The collection that comprises invaluable collectors’ items – some dating back as far as 70 years – has an estimated collectors value of N$600 000, according to toy car maker and collector Zaher Satar, who has been assisting the auctioneers in cataloguing the items over the past two days since they were received.

A single post on the auctioneers’ Facebook page on Tuesday has attracted interest from all over the world, some even calling for the auctioneers to halt the sales because they want to buy the entire set.

“We have already sold nearly 300, and we are selling on first-come first-served basis. Many have shown interest, but don’t come or pay. Others pay immediately, so we keep it out,” Satar told The Namibian while he was helping to wrap some models for a South African buyer.

He said most of the cars are iron-cast, hence good quality. Many had genuine parts – from the upholstery to the engines, with functionality.

“Some of the items we handle with gloves because just grease or sweat can damage the paint and material. This is all about passion,” he explained.

A collector from Walvis Bay recently decided to sell his collection to the auctioneers for unknown reasons. Many of his items also included items from other major collectors he did business with.

“It’s impossible to put a value on this, which is why we say it is invaluable. Value, in such a case, is in the eye of the beholder. Serious collectors or enthusiasts just want the item.

Money does not matter. For one person, one toy will be worth a few dollars, while to another, the same toy will be worth a few hundred dollars,” said Bay Auctioneers’ Quintin Jonck.

Nearly every possible model of real vehicles on the roads today are in this collection – including earthmoving vehicles under the brand of Caterpillar.

Well-known names such as Ferrari, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and many others make up whole collections which can be either bought in full, or individually. There are old classics, bakkies, race cars and trucks. They are going quickly, though.

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