Actually I had some 55 pieces left from my boyhood in the 50ties-s and early 60ties.
Then in 1996, when internet reached me (or I reached internet) and it all was still relatively tiny, I used a search machine to find Dinky Toys. I got two hits as I remember, one of a person in Florida wanting to sell off some Dinky Toys. We worked out a way to pay him and get the Dinky Toys via my Philips colleagues in the US to The Netherlands.
Sounds like long ago now.
During the following years internet and especially eBay and later Vectis came up and now I have over 600 models.
As I have almost all military Dinky Toys I started to look at airplanes, boats.
Then, because my father had twice a Mercedes and I myself started my car ownership with the famous Beetle of Volkswagen followed by the even famous Ugly Ducky 2CV of Citroen, I also collected some of those models, including non-Dinky Toys.
As I noticed the amount of Bedfords, these too became a collection target.
Then for no reason, also ground movers and related tippers got my attention, for wich I'm still looking. Also kits, which I did not remember of my childhood: I've already all Dinky Toys kits and their originals. Finally a number of oddities completes the collection.
In the meantime also online communities and forums have sprung up, Talkmodeltoys.com is the one I participate.
I joined the DTCA (Dinky Toys Collectors Association) in September 2008.
At www.boland-dinkytoys.com I show my collection.
New arrivals
--50 Ships of the British Navy (1934-41)
Trade Boxes
Trade Boxes
-407 Ford Transit Van 'Kenwood' (1966-69) & Hertz.
-407 Ford Transit Van 'Kenwood' (1966-69) & Hertz.
-407 Ford Transit Van 'Kenwood' (1966-69) & Hertz.
--50 Ships of the British Navy (1934-41)
New arrivals
--50 Ships of the British Navy (1934-41)
New arrivals
--50 Ships of the British Navy (1934-41)
New arrivals
-137 Plymouth Fury Convertible (1963-66)
Ruby Toys the new kid on the block
Ruby Toys the new kid on the block
--23m 'Thunderbolt' Racing Car (1938-1941)
--67a Junkers JU 89 Heavy Bomber (1940-1941)
-066 Bedford Flat Truck (1957-60)
Trade Boxes
-666 Missile Erector Vehicle with Corporal Missile Launcher (1959-64)
--37a and 041 Civilian Motor Cyclist (1937-55)
-666 Missile Erector Vehicle with Corporal Missile Launcher (1959-64)
-666 Missile Erector Vehicle with Corporal Missile Launcher (1959-64)
Trade Boxes
New arrivals
Trade Boxes
Trade Boxes
Trade Boxes
--23a and 220 Racing Car (3rd casting) (1946-56)
Trade Boxes
-666 Missile Erector Vehicle with Corporal Missile Launcher (1959-64)
New arrivals
-666 Missile Erector Vehicle with Corporal Missile Launcher (1959-64)
-666 Missile Erector Vehicle with Corporal Missile Launcher (1959-64)