Die Cast Collectibles

By Christina VanGinkel

Die Cast Collectibles are collected by all ages, genders, and social groups. They are a way for someone who for whatever reason cannot own the real deal, or maybe want a miniature version of one they do own. It is a fun way to collect cars, trucks, cycles, trains, planes, and other specialized vehicles such as the Batmobile from the Batman show and movies. Maybe as a child, you were just taken in by a certain classic car, or maybe your own child has watched a movie, such as The Fast and the Furious, and just has to have some of the vehicles featured in the show (That would be me!), then Die Cast Collectibles may be just what you are looking for.

I was never really sure what a die cast was, just figuring that any toy car was one, then my youngest son watched the movie The Fast and the Furious, and I now know more about these vehicles than I ever would have thought I could know. It all started within minutes of the very first time he watched the movie The Fast and the Furious. Missing it at the theatre, we bought the DVD as soon as it came out, and the rest is history as they say. My son's Uncle, my brother, restores classic autos, and though none of the cars in the movie was a classic, save for one, and that was enough fodder to get him going the next time he talked to his uncle. From there, he started talking about owning a muscle car, and before I knew it, he was begging me for a die cast replica of that very car. Of course, owning just one vehicle, no matter how cool it was, was not enough, and when he saw the replica of the green Honda Civic, of course that needed to come home with him too.

What is so attractive about many of the Die Cast products is that they are suppose to be exact image replicas of the vehicle they are modeled after. Whether 1/12, 1/18, 1/24, 1/32, 1/64, or, one of the other various sizes, if a die cast is well made, there is a lot to like. Sometimes a size is chosen for no other reason then that is what the vehicle you want is being offered in, and other times, people may collect only a specific size. Like any other collectible, there are variations. When my son began collecting, he just made the decision that he liked the slightly larger cars, even though his room space was limited as to where he could display them, because he liked to look at the details. Unlike a typical Hot Wheels, that so many of us think of when we think of a toy vehicle, a Hot Wheel Die Cast, or a Die Cast from another company, may offer doors that open, hoods that open, working steering, removable tops if the car is one that would actually convert to a convertible, official logos and details, and much more. Motors are often detailed in design to as close tot eh real thing as you can get without them actually running, and if it’s a Die Cast replica of a Fast and the Furious car, such as their 1995 Toyota Supra, you might even find a NOS container replicas located in the opening trunk! Now how cool is that?

Die Cast collectibles can run from just a few dollars to hundreds of dollars, depending on the make, model, manufacturer, and degree of detail. Many of them come complete with a protective covering and display base to help protect for what to many, is an actual investment. If you think, you might like to delve into the fascinating world of Die Cast collectibles, be sure to take your time, browse the web, maybe check out a store in person that caters to what too many are considered fine collectibles. If you decide that they are exactly the sort of collectible you have been searching for, be sure you have the room to store whatever size or sizes you decide to collect, as you will quickly learn that it is hard to bring just one home!