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If you're interested in starting a collection of antique toy trains, then you are not alone. Toy trains have captivated the imagination of children and adults alike for as long as trains have existed and collecting them for past eras is a favorite pastime for many hobbyists. Collecting Outlook The upside of the popularity of antique toy train collecting is that there are tons of helpful resources available to get you started in building your own collection. The downside is that the number of individuals who find trains fascinating means that trains from different eras are a little harder to come by as a result. Complete Sets and Component Parts The collector must be dedicated to building a collection, as they may need to search for some time in order to build a complete set of any given train model. More often than not, pieces of a collection are available for purchase but entire collections are a little harder to come by. In those instances where a complete set is available on the market, it is usually because a collector who has spent years building his or her own set has decided to part with it for one reason or another. For this reason, auctions and estate sales are excellent resources for finding train sets, as are online auction sites, particularly those dedicated to hobbyist pursuits. These same resources will be useful in locating component parts for rounding out a train set or slowly building a set over time. You can also find pieces and parts for your sets at garage sales, antique stores, flea markets and antique malls, as well as thrift stores and second hand shops. Identifying Antiques Before the 1890s, toy trains were not fashioned to run on tracks. Therefore, those who collect models of trains from prior to this period will need to learn to identify toys by using a range of markers, including the materials from which they were created, any prominent artisan or toy maker's trademarks, and similar features. Books and online resources dedicated to the subject of antique toy trains can be quite useful in the process of identifying vintage train toys. Trains that are made to run on tracks can often be identified by the width, or gauge, of the cars and their wheels, which are set at a standard measure to allow for them to sit securely in and run on custom made tracks. Again, web resources on the subject of toy trains and books published in the topic can be quite helpful in identifying antique toy trains from different time periods in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Manufacturers A serious collector tries hard to become a subject matter expert with regard to their area of interest. It is important that you not only learn about the different designs but also the manufacturers who produced antique toy trains in any given period. This will also help you identify the antique toy trains and component pieces you come across, including their potential value in the collector's market.
Robert Lamond is a toy collector enthusiast who shares his information, tips and resources on toy collecting on his website toycollectinganswers.com. Go here if you would like information on collecting toy guns.
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