Help with collecting

Hi everyone,

I have never been a serious collector Tomy, Trackmaster or Plarail and was hoping that someone could gives me some tips & tricks. Any contributions shall be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Generic.

ok I have been collecting for a couple years and in eBay you search something and then there's listing go through quite a few before you make the decision cause that item later could be there again but for a lower price you never know i sometimes search other names than the specific name example: i was able to get a express coach for £3.00 and in total it was £6.40 because the name was green cream coach and I was lucky I got it cheap as a single one on eBay was £9-10 most of the time so look around before you make the decision.
if we are talking in real life well there's no way to know but if you see something tomy / trackmaster that you find cool get it if its a good price look on 2nd hand places to try and find something another example of this: went to a car bootsale and got a express coach with a broken coupling good thing it was as I only paid £1 it was a bit dirty but nothing water could fix and I replaced the coupling with a spare one and called it a day.
so the moral is look around to see if you find anything and luck too

For Trackmaster, eBay’s definitely your best bet (though it can get rather expensive sometimes). For Plarail, you should probably use Japanese sites like Jauce.

Thanks for the help.

[Super]

Collecting is such a personal thing. In my way of thinking there is no one, definition, to the word. In my way of thinking there are 3 areas of the act. First there is just the regular 'enthusiast' that likes a certain type of toy and purchases what is easily available because its fun. Then there is next area which I place myself in...the person that is not a full blown 'collector' but has a 'collection' of a certain type or line of toy. Then there is the serious collector who actively seeks out and purchases all including the vintage no longer in print items to complete a collection.

Most of us start in the first area and if the interests remain will eventually move up. What type of collector do you want to be? Of course this would also depend on how much time you can spend researching and the amount of cash you can devote. What makes you happy? Personally, I am only after items that bring me joy so I am not a collector because I don't like it all. Be-warned...collecting can be like a drug to some...and find it very hard to quit once started. Can be so rewarding but also can consume ones waking moments.

Coming here is your first step as this is where a lot of us got our start in this amassing hobby. There is so much knowledge and experience here and members always willing to help either in the Forums or in Private Messaging. If it weren't for the help of BPT's I would not have anywhere near the number of items I have acquired over the years. Blessing or curse....hmmm

Thrift store sometimes have hidden gems as well.  I am not a diehard collector but there are certain things I like to collect (coaches, tankers and troublesome trucks).