Matchbox car collection raises over £80,000 at Stockton auction

The Danny James collection has gone under the hammer in Stockton with his 1,300 matchbox cars selling for over £80,000. Credit: Vectis Auction

A matchbox car collection has sold for over £80,000 at a two-day auction.

Around 1,300 pieces belonging to collector Danny James went under the hammer at the Vectis Auctions House in Stockton.

The collection was sold individually as collectors looked to find the rare models they needed to finish their own sets, with some cars going for four-figure fees.

Mr James has been collecting matchbox cars since he was a child and has carried his passion into adulthood.

Danny James has been collecting matchbox cars since he was a child. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

He admits the auction was a bittersweet moment as he lost some of the models he spent years collecting, despite earning himself thousands of pounds.

"It's been a bit hit and miss but the right cars have made the right money," Mr James told ITV Tyne Tees. "Some of the stars of the show have gone into four-figure numbers.

"It is a split emotion about selling your cars. On one side, you are seeing these prices be achieved which is really exciting and you are happy because you have gained a little bit.

"But there are some that sell for half of what you paid for them so there's a bit of negativity there.

"It's also the personal attachment. Some of these cars I have owned for a long time and they are going now. The cars are here, the sales happening and my collection is being broken up all over the world. So it pulls on the heartstrings."

Few matchbox car collections are as big as Danny James'. Credit: Vectis Auctions

Mr James' collection is a rarity with few collectors able to amass the sheer number of models that he has. The cars will now go all around the globe as part of a number of other collections.

"There aren't many collections around the globe that have this many variations within them," auctioneer Julian Royse said.

"There's not that many people who have the disposable incomes to amass these collections but the interesting thing is it will be split and go all over the globe as people look to fill the gaps in their own collections.

"But it's not that common to find so many models owned by just one individual."

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