How Valuable are Dinky Toys? Are They a Good Investment?

In the 1930s, a small toy company called Dinky Toys started. They started creating diecast modes which were loved by the population. These people are called collectors. These enthusiasts take their collections very seriously. Sometimes, we can see these models in our basement or garage and wonder if they’re expensive and valuable. Furthermore, are these toys a good investment? Let’s find out.

Dinky toys are valuable and a good investment since they have produced models since the 1930s. There are dinky toys that are valuable and are now sold for thousands of dollars, such as the 1961 France Jouet Fj Berliet Tractor, which were sold for GBP 1,560.00 or about $2,115.00.

This blog post will talk about how much you can sell dinky toys these days and if dinky toys are still made.

Are Dinky Toys a good investment?

The most valuable toys now are those which were bought to be played with, and barely one or two survived in good shape.

However, there are dinky toys that were also kept in mint condition, which can fetch thousands of dollars.

So it’s still worth rummaging through the attic for that unwanted present intact in its box from 40 years ago, which might make you rich.

Dinky toys started in the 1930s, so there are lots of old dinky toys available that can fetch a high price provided that they’re well preserved.

One of which is the 1961 France Jouet Fj Berliet Tractor And Big Bertha Canon, which was sold in an auction in 2021 for GBP 1,560.00 or about $2,115.00.

There are many factors that made this cost a lot, but one of which is that this model, when auctioned, is contained in the original box and is well preserved.

Another is the 1963 Meccano Dinky diecast no.298 emergency services which were sold for GBP 870.00 or about $1,180.

The value of Dinky toys has doubled over the past 15 years, making it a better investment than most other investments.

For example, a pre-war Dinky H. G. Loose promotional delivery van sold at Christie’s for £4,600, while Hornby trains and vehicles often bring six figures. Dinky toys that cost three shillings and sixpence 40 years ago could today be valued up to £500.

Toys that are rare and in good condition can attract high prices, although their worth can vary substantially.

Factors determining the price include age, availability if there is a market for a particular piece, and most importantly, condition.

Toys in mint condition with their boxes are pretty valuable, but the same can’t be said for those that have been bashed and abused.

It’s possible to find valuable Dinky Toys at your local toy store, online business pages, Facebook groups, and antique shows, even though there are a plethora of fakes out there.

Collecting toys is a fun pastime, but don’t spend all your time and money on it. Also, do your homework before getting started. Knowing what you’re searching for and having an excellent eye will help you succeed.

If you want a guide on maximizing the price of your models for selling, I made a guide, mainly where you can sell the models and what you need to do to start selling them. You can find it here: Market for Diecast Models.

What is the value of Dinky Toys?

As a general rule, the value of Dinky toys can go from $500 to $2,000. Some exemptions are models with pain flaws due to use but can be sold for about $50-80 and extremely rare and old models that can reach as high as $8,000 in value.

Thanks to the internet, dinky toys collecting has become a global obsession, and some astounding prices have been paid.

A Dinky Supertoys Foden Flat Truck (the code number 903 is crucial to collectors) in very good to outstanding condition fetched $650 at Blue Mountains Town of Blackheath auction.

One of the most well-known French bidders is also a dealer; it went for a handsome price.

An additional 50% of the model’s value comes from the fact that it still has the original box.

Another French bidder purchased a Hudson Sedan with minor paint flaws for about $60. Finally, despite some minor scuffs on the roof, a Plymouth Plaza was sold to the Netherlands for about $120. The original packaging was included with those as well.

At the lowest end of the price range, a good-condition Dinky Supertoys 660 Tank Transporter went for $100.

The NSW buyer stated he would have paid twice as much if the price had been increased.

These amounts may appear overwhelming to non-collectors, but they are significantly less than what Dinky and equivalent diecast toys were selling for roughly ten years ago.

Even in “mint boxed” condition, a TV spinoff toy like the Batmobile was worth $1000 in 2006.

Blue-chip cars like the James Bond Aston-Martins sold for over $2,000 in Britain, while Thunderbirds’ Lady Penelope’s FAB 1 Rolls was worth about $1200 in the box. Both were from James Bond movies.

There was a common rule that only “mint, boxed” were to be purchased at the time.

There is now interest in lower-priced versions, including ones with minor flaws.

For example, in fine condition (except for damage to the windscreen), a popular Jaguar sports car sold for $132. These can be rebuilt, and spare parts are readily available.

What are the most valuable Dinky toys?

Some of the most valuable Dinky toys are the pre-war ‘type 22’ delivery van sold for £35,000 for the whole set. Another is the 1952 maroon No.505 Foden Flat Truck was sold for $15,000 at a UK toy auction in 2009. Another is the French Dinky Toys 553 Peugeot 404 sold for GBP 6,000 or about $8,126.70 in an auction.

At record prices, some of the miniature diecast vehicles made by Dinky Toys are now more expensive than a real car.

A pre-war ‘type 22’ delivery van with the name of London cycling firm W.E. Boyce, originally worth four shillings (20p), sold for £19,975 in 2008, setting a record for a single Dinky toy, while a boxed set of six vans went for £35,000.

A 1952 maroon No.505 Foden Flat Truck with Chains, one of Dinky’s most valuable collectibles, sold for $15,000 at a UK toy auction in 2009.

The toy was in near-perfect condition, right down to the original box it arrived in.

At an auction of “global significance,” a Dinky toy collection of approximately 3,500 toy cars earned £150,000.

Portsmouth resident John Kinchen amassed a collection of cars ranging from 1937 through the 1970s.

In Exmouth, Devon, a Dinky 139 Ford Consul Cortina from South Africa sold for £800.

Piers Motley, the auctioneer, described the collection as “well-known amongst the Dinky world for decades.”

Before the war, Mr. Motley recalled, his father bought Mr. Kinchen a couple of pre-war Dinkies, which kindled his interest in the little cars.

Mr. Motley went on to say that “he went on Blue Peter to promote collecting.”

The collection, which went to Mr. Kinchen’s cousins upon his death, was projected to generate between £140,000 and £200,000.

Do they still make Dinky Toys?

Dinky toys aren’t being made anymore, with no new Dinky castings being made since Matchbox and Mattel bought them. Because of that, Dinky toy’s production completely halted in the year 2000.

The days of British-made toy cars like Dinky Toys were doomed due to shifting trends in the toy industry, worldwide competition, and the shift to low-cost labor in low-wage countries.

The Binns Road factory in Liverpool closed its doors in November 1979 after a series of cost-cutting measures.

Corgi Toys, on the other hand, survived until 1983. As of 1982, Universal International, based in Hong Kong, had acquired Matchbox.

The reign of British-made diecast toy models ended with this event.

The Swiss-French Atlas publishing business reissued various Dinky Toys models in 2008.

They target subscribers in French-speaking nations for sales (France and Belgium).

For the most part, it’s a reproduction of French models from the decades of the 1950s and ’60s. They are produced in China. The models are easily distinguishable. Each model is labeled “Made in China” followed by “Edition ATLAS, © Mattel.”

However, the Italian range ended after 70 issues in July 2019.

While Dinky doesn’t create models anymore, the remaining models kept aging, and the legacy of Dinky toys drove their prices to go up.

What’s Next? Now that you know about Dinky toys how about knowing their main competitor, Corgi toys. Here, you can find more information about Corgi toys: What is Corgi Toys, and Are they still being made?