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Volume 2 Issue #2 It's been long enough since I wrote the last WHWN, and I do apologize for that! Seems that if you are a COLLECTIBLES dealer, you do tend to get involved in all aspects of collecting, and we have acquired a very large coin, and vintage spoon collection that we are in the process of liquidating! While some have been forecasting doom and gloom for the FM/DM diecast car market, we just keep on buying and selling models cars! Seems that auction prices have not fallen off further from the current lows and the better cars, (and some of the more COMMON cars!), are actually increasing in value! An interesting PARTIAL list of currently NOT AVAILABLE cars might surprise you as to what MAY NOT be coming back! Most interested collector's have the current list that F.M. has put out relating the cars NOT AVAILABLE. To add to it are the 1925 Rolls Royce, 1929 Bentley Blower Car, 1930 Bugatti, 1932 Cadillac, 1935 Duesenberg, (Remember the 1940 Duesy just WENT AWAY also!), 1936 Bugatti Atalante, 1938 Jaguar, (this should have been RETIRED long ago, one of their oldest models), 1940 Ford CUSTOM pick up, 1949 Buicks, (the hardtop and convertible!), 1949 Regular production Cadillac, 1955 Chevy Wrecker, 1955 Pink/Grey Packard, (this should be back, a real favorite!), 1957 Kit Car Chevy, (I still think this MIGHT be one to watch!), 1967 Karmann Ghia, 1967, 1970 and 1977 regular issue Petty Cars, and the Seagrave Fire Engine! On June 23, F.M. will announce the retirement of 5 models that will be GONE as of the first of the new year! A least one classic, and perhaps a Corvette are rumored to be amongst them, along with a few surprises that you wouldn't think of! Since the last WHWN, some NEW F.M. cars have been released, including a 1957 Corvette in FIBERGLASS, (seems the '63 Glass Vette is such a hit, another is going to be tried), (Please check out e-Bay Item # 1606206064 which just closed), along with a 1/12 scale 1967 "ULTRA" Corvette supposedly due out in Sept.! A 1933 Ford "John Dillinger getaway car", in black, (I guess that the Bonnie & Clyde, and Al Capone cars were a BIG HIT!), and this years Pebble Beach car will be a re-issue of the classic 1939 Maybach in Black and Burgundy. It will have a total mintage of 3500 this year, down from last years slow selling 4500 pieces, but still more then the 3000 it had been for a few years before. (Just a word here about SPECULATING on this issue. In one word DON'T! This is still a LARGE issue for a Limited Edition model, and current economic conditions dictate that NO ONE will get rich with this release! Yes, the first few MIGHT draw over issue price, ((FYI, check out e-Bay Item # 1607738741!!!)), but it seems TO ME that the collector base for F.M. models is LESS then 3500 AVID collectors! You currently see the D4C Packard and last years Pebble Beach car, NOT bringing their issue price! As a collector, it isn't too important as long as you have ONE nice example, but as a speculator, stick with the OLDER more established rarer models to pursue your interests!) I also keep hearing that a black 1959 Caddy 2 door hardtop will be issued, (why WASTE a limited edition of only 5900 for this mold when a regular production model would cost very little), and has a supposed parts # for it (B11ED59). F.M.'s new ALUMINUM bodied Shelby 427SC Cobra will be an unlimited issue, and as I write this, the SIGNED by SHELBY PROTOTYPE has just sold on e-Bay (Item # 1605200963) for a VERY STRONG $3150.00 for Shelby's Children Foundation Charity! The ELVIS 1955 Pink and white 4 dr. Cadillac is about ready for release, and I hear that a NON pink example WILL be released, perhaps before the end of the year! A GREAT pick F.M.! I just don't think you can have too many classic 1950's Cadillacs! The much awaited 1964 Maroon GTO convertible MIGHT be a Christmas offering this year! It already has a part number, (B11ZJ44), and IS the car that really started the MUSCLE CAR CRAZE in '64! The 1970 Trans-Am looks like a 2002 issue at this point in time! This would make a nice regular production car in white, and a L.E. in blue with white stripes, as these were the only 2 colors available in 1970, (to the best of my knowledge!). D.M.'s back taking orders for the Batmobile, and their announcement that the target date is now Nov. 2001, (probably sooner if they are smart, and able to get ads out for a CHRISTMAS rush!). With D.M. concentrating on such things as a 1931 Ford Model A CLOCK with a thermometer and hygrometer as front and rear wheels, a 2000 Ford University of Tennessee Taurus STOCK CAR, Bud Light Formula One Hydroplane w/Trailer, (I kind of like this), and another iteration of the 1978 Zamboni, this time in Philadelphia Flyers colors, there is NO significant offering for us model CAR collectors in the foreseeable future! Much of our current sales have been in the realm of HAND-BUILT models and prototypes! As some collectors advance to a stage where they have acquired ALL of the FM/DM regularly produced models, these ONE OFFS seem to draw much more interest! I found it quite interesting that FM decided to sell off it's HAND MADE PROTOTYPE of the 1998 Corvette Pace Car! (See e-Bay auctions #584112519), which brought $1800.00 to an owner of the REAL Pace Car! Seems this gentleman is collecting EVERYTHING connected with this particular marque! I don't foresee that model being available for a long time! It appears F.M. has seen the light in these one off prototypes, and offered 2 of them at an auction at the Las Vegas D4C club meeting! One was an ORANGE 1998 V.W. color sample, and the other was a really interesting 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL HARDTOP in BLACK! Each sold for over $1000.00,,, (I had asked to be notified if bidding went over that price, but NEVER got the phone call!), and certainly was a good deal for ONE lucky collector who acquired both! Congratulations J.B.! I've heard from quite a few members of the D4C that were present, and it seems F.M. was fairly positive about these rarities adding "Spice" to the diecast car collecting hobby, and that they MIGHT do more small color test runs , etc. to make the hobby more interesting. They could periodically let some color samples go for special auctions, etc., (we see this now on e-Bay where they have auctioned off THREE of these models already!). They were very aware that Danbury Mint DOESN'T do this, (You would think that a smaller company like D.M. would want to SPUR more interest in what was once their #1 line! Now sports memorabilia seems to have taken over!), and they feel that this could be their edge with the hard core collector. KUDOS to F.M. for some FORWARD THINKING from them! Perhaps they DO look and listen to what collectors are saying on the D4C Forum! The American Graffiti Coupe is still bringing controversy over its inordinately large door hinges! A really nice model, you would have thought that they could have done them in the black 32 Ford coupe size! A shame that it is such an EYESORE to most serious collectors! I had been hoping for the matching 1955 Chevy coupe from the movie to be announced, but it appears that F.M. has no such plans! How about a RUNNING FIX on the Deuces hinges on the potential next run? Can't be THAT DIFFICULT to do! Just to give you an idea of some of the more interesting Prototypes and HAND-BUILTs that have recently come to light, I thought I'd show you a sample of some of the F.M. 1973 Mercedes-Benz's that are currently known. The first in a BLACK car! There are perhaps six of these, with and without the hardtop! The one pictured here has the hardtop in place!  The next is a WHITE example with just a removable black convertible top! Although I did this picture in black and white instead of color, the contrast is dramatic, and is one of 6-8 of these made! Of interest is the fact that some of these prototypes have the AMERICAN front end treatment while others have the 2 headlight European configuration!  The last of this grouping is an interesting MILK CHOCOLATE colored hardtop! I currently know of only 2 of these, but other colors do exist such as red and green! Most of these models have been purchased by a customer who has one of the most complete collections of F.M. models out there!  I'm currently cataloging these and perhaps some day put all this information out there for those who are interested in such things! There are probably over a hundred F.M. models known, and new ones being produced each year! Patience is a PRIORITY when it comes to collecting PROTOTYPE models! I bought these 2 1955 Pontiac models almost a year apart, and both came off auctions! What a wonderful and colorful pair to display, (they are currently in a LOCKED showcase when you enter our store), and I like these so much, I doubt that I'd ever sell them! Perhaps 3-4 of each were made! Although I LOVE the turquoise blue, and white mist color combination currently being produced, these 2 are spectacular!  Well friends, I PLAN on getting back to issuing the WHWN at a more orderly interval, and will try to keep you updated on what's going on in the interesting world of FM/DM diecast collecting! With the announcement of what FM will discontinue, and some interesting offerings from some of the BETTER HAND-BUILT modelers out there, the next issue will hopefully add another insight into this particular specialty of our hobby! Regards, Roy Return To www.franklindanbury.com The "WHAT'S HOT, WHAT'S NOT!" Archive |
roy@franklindanbury.com |
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