By Chris Robertson

Collecting die-cast toy trucks is among the most popular hobbies for kids of all ages. For those who are considering starting a die-cast toy truck collection, or for those who are searching for a gift for a toy truck enthusiast, here are some points to consider.

Types of Die-cast Vehicles

If you’ve accumulated a few die-cast toy trucks and are considering expanding your collection, you should consider whether your interests are confined exclusiveky to toy trucks or if you also want to collect, for example, die-cast cars.

Some people like to specialize, while others have a broader interest in die-cast vehicles. It’s best to decide ahead of time what your collection will encompass before you wind up with 3,000 toys, only 100 of which really thrill you. You definitely don’t want to create a toy truck city and then decide only motor city classics will do.

Brands of Toy Trucks

Again, it’s time to ask yourself a question: Do you want to limit your collection to a single brand of collectible die-cast toy trucks, or do you enjoy collecting all brands of toy trucks? If you’re giving a die-cast toy truck as a gift, it’s important to learn whether or not the collector in your life has a brand preference. Perhaps he or she collects only Sunstar toy trucks, First Gear toy trucks, Caterpillar (also known as “CAT”) toy trucks, New Ray toy trucks, or Tonkin toy trucks. If so, make sure you purchase a die-cast toy truck that will fit his or her collection.

Scales of Toy Trucks

Similar to model trains, die-cast toy trucks and cars come in a variety of scales. Typically, the scales are as follows: 1:18, 1:24, 1:43, and 1:64. Some people prefer to collect only one scale, while others’ hobbies incorporate collecting a variety of scales.

Cataloging a Collection

One of the challenges that many collectors face — particularly after they’ve been collecting die-cast toy trucks for several years — is that they don’t remember exactly what they have. Collectors have come up with a variety of methods for cataloging their collections. The earlier you start cataloging, the better off you’ll be. If you’re looking for a gift for your favorite collector, supplying him or her with the tools necessary to catalog his or her collection is a great idea.

One idea for cataloging is to buy a “milk crate” type of box and color-coded folders at an office supply store. You can create a folder for each item in your collection, and include receipts, photos, the owner’s registration, and so forth in the folder. If you have a variety of types of die-cast toy trucks, you can use color-coded folders to separate them by type. Another method of cataloging is to buy one or more binders and sheet protectors, and create one sheet for each item in your collection, and keep them together in a binder.

Collecting die-cast toy trucks is fun and rewarding. Adding to your collection, receiving toy trucks as gifts, and trading or selling items from your collection can provide you with hours of enjoyment.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, an Internet marketing company.

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