If you have been collecting vintage Matchbox toys for a while, I am sure you will have read or heard about people making and selling fakes.

In fact, I would almost go so far as to say if you have started collecting in the last 10 years and have some rarer versions in your collection, chances are there will be one or two fakes amongst them!

There is only one way to prevent yourself from buying or obtaining a fake. You must educate yourself on all the aspects concerning rare variations. As a buyer, this clearly lays on YOUR shoulders to know what you are looking at and how genuine it is.

Some of the biggest dealers worldwide have sold fakes (some even knowingly!). I know of an ex dealer here in Australia who made fake Ben Franklin #38 Model A Ford Vans and sold them for hundreds, and in a couple of cases over a thousand dollars. The very same dealer would in turn condemn dealers selling fake Model A's! Yep, there are plenty of hypocrites out there!

I have read many times of collectors complaining about the cost of different collecting guides. Many claim they would much rather spend the money on extra models for their collection. However, every serious collector should have at least one good guide showing the variations and models. This is why I wrote “The Definitive Guide to Matchbox Toys 1-75 series 1953-1969” It lists more than 2300 variations, more than any other publication ever written on vintage Matchbox toys! Knowing what casting should have what wheels and axles can save you many hundreds of dollars. And all for an investment of only $39.95! Why do I say “investment”? If you can learn to spot a fake Matchbox toy through using my guide, it could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars! To me, that is an investment!

If you are going to collect vintage Matchbox toys and seek out rare and hard to find variations, you need “The Definitive Guide to Matchbox Toys 1-75 series 1953-1969” and possibly other books. You need to contact other collectors, ask questions, obtain good quality close-up photos of models when you are buying by auction and you must know what to look for and what to lookout for. Anything less and you are destined to become the next owner of a high priced fake.

You can't simply blame the seller of fake and fraudulent Matchbox toys. They are opportunists out to take your money. They prey on naive uneducated buyers looking for a bargain. There are thousands of uneducated Matchbox toy buyers out there! Many think they know what they are buying, when quite frankly they don't have a clue! Can you tell the difference between genuine and reproduction decals, for example? Can you really tell if the axles have been repreened at the ends?

If you do not want to fall prey to these conmen, go to Kmart or Toys R Us and buy all the latest models off the shelf. If you chose to be a serious collector of vintage Matchbox toys and really enjoy your collection and hobby, you must educate yourself using the correct reference materials.

Along with “The Definitive Guide to Matchbox Toys 1-75 series 1953-1969” I have many articles on my web site showing fake Matchbox Toys and what to look for. There are also lots of other articles that expand further on the information in “The Definitive Guide to Matchbox Toys 1-75 series 1953-1969”

So, get educated and informed! It's free for anyone to join. There's even a forum for everyone to participate in. Come and meet lots of new friends and learn all about Matchbox toys, its fun!

By educating yourself on what to buy, you will get far more satisfaction from the hobby knowing full well that your collection is completely genuine and your investment is increasing in value.

Happy Collecting!