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MyNameIsMatt2 writes: “Do you like cars? I LOVE them, and that is one reason I got into Diecast Car collecting. Diecast Cars are things like Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning, Green Light, Matchbox, etc. They are pretty much any miniature car that is made of Diecast metal.”

• Find a forum related to Diecast. I have found some really good ones, and some really bad ones. Finding a forum dedicated to Diecast is one of the most important tips I will share with you. Talking among fellow collectors and playing “Show and Tell” can be an extremely good experience, and can even fuel your love of Diecast even more. But make sure you find a good forum or community, because you don’t want to be stuck in a community of haters and idiots.
• Know your abbreviations and phrases. All you need to do is go onto a Diecast forum and casually ask what an abbreviation or phrase means when you see it. Knowing these is a very helpful way of getting your point across while also saving space. For example, HW means Hot Wheel. Chase Car means a rare car that collectors *chase* after. JL is Johnny Lightning, etc.
• Get to know your chase cars. Just about every Diecast company has its own chase car, whether it be a certain model and make, color, or just a series. Also know how much they are worth. For example, Hot Wheels’ chase car is called a Treasure Hunt, and they are typically worth $1-30, and come about 2 per case of 72, depending on what type of Treasure Hunt it is. Green Light’s chase car is called a Green Machine (any car with a metallic green paint), and are typically worth anywhere from $30-250, and come about 2% out of a run of 5,000. Knowing your chase cars can be the difference between selling them for $30 when you should have gotten $500, and it can also be useful when trading online.
• Know your vintage cars and how much they are worth. If you go antique shopping, sometimes you could find old Diecast cars. If you see one, you need to know how much it is worth, so you get a good deal. For example, Old Hot Wheels are called Red Lines (RL’s) because of the red line around the middle of the tires. These cars, in mint condition, can be worth anywhere from $30-$15,000, and knowing what it is worth can save you from getting a bad deal. Believe it or not, a collector spent $85,000 on a single Red Line a few years ago, because it was a prototype, pink, red line, and is probably among the rarer things on the planet. Collectors believe there were only around 5 made. Imagine selling someone an old car at a garage sale, and then realizing you could have sold it for hundreds more.
• Attend local Diecast shows. I go to one every month in Dallas, and the prices and people there are wonderful. They are nice, and it is great talking to someone that shares my love of diecast.
• Bonus tip! When at a Diecast show, stay from the early morning until it closes. In the morning, you might find a certain car that is in high demand, and you might have only that chance to buy it. And, if you stay until closing, the dealers will be wanting to get rid of their stock, and will lower their prices, or be in the mood to cut them back.

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Diecast Car Collecting