Matchbox Car Collection Expected To Fetch over $1million

Fans and collectors of Matchbox cars are looking forward to this fall with great anticipation. For on September 16th and 17th, Dr. Scott Gillogly's collection of 3,500 Matchbox cars will be auctioned off in Middlesbrough, U.K. by Vectis Auctioneers.

Dr. Gillogly, who had always been a big fan of these miniature life-like cars as a kid, became an avid collector a few decades ago. However, now in his mid-fifties, he thinks its time to sell them and enjoy the money.

The experts at the auction house, who have dubbed the extensive collection, 'a collectors dream come true', believe that the cars will fetch over $1 million USD.

The reason Matchbox cars, especially some of the older ones are so coveted is because there was only a limited supply of each one.

Very early on, the first manufacturers, Lesney Products realized that if produced in limited quantity, they could become collector's items. Accordingly, only 75 cars of each model were made - Mattel, who bought the company, has continued to follow the same strategy.

What makes Dr. Gillogly's collection even more special is some of the really rare models he has got. One that is expected to fetch over $12,000 USD is model # 13, a Dodge tow truck made for British Petroleum.

When Lesney Products made the first batch, they painted the cab and the boom green and the bed yellow. However, BP didn't like the color scheme and they had to reverse it. Because there are not even 75 of the first batch, these trucks are even more precious than normal Matchbox cars. In addition to the cars, the Doctor also has original boxes, which in some cases could fetch more than the car they house.

So if you are an avid Matchbox car fan, plan on heading out to England this fall - for you'll rarely see a collection this great again - unless one person buys it all.

Sources: Essortment.com Daily Mail.Co.Uk, Telegraph.co.uk