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At 11.5 inches in length, the stunning
This 8-inch Plymouth Fury convertible was made by Ford Sunliner was made by Haji in the
Bandai and is often said to be based on the 1958 model, mid 1950s. In excellent condition, this
Alps made this 8.5-inch long Plymouth Belvedere but Plymouth didn’t make a Fury convertible until rare beast made $1,140 (no box) in a
around 1956-’57. Photo courtesy Vectis Auctions Ltd. 1959. A beautiful toy nonetheless. 2021 Vectis sale. Photo courtesy Vectis Auctions Ltd.

examples of the Marusan Cadillac, with the original box, today regularly cast models. This means that smaller shapes and curves are more
go for $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the color. difficult to replicate; so the larger the roof or door or fender, the more
It was during the 1970s that collector attitudes started changing in smoothly the tinplate sheet will conform to the proper shape.
the toy car world. Cast iron toys were king, along with large pressed By the mid-1960s, the “golden age” of Japanese tin toys was coming
steel toys, and tin toys didn’t get much respect. “People just kind of to a close. Manufacturers were transitioning to making plastic toys, and
shunned the Japanese tin altogether,” Smith told me. “I don’t know even those still making tinplate toy cars began adding features like
whether there was still some resentment from World War II as to why light-up parts and mystery action mechanisms. Collectors today have
people didn’t want to buy this, or [possibly] they thought of it as little interest in these more fanciful toys.
cheap.” Some of what the Japanese makers made was indeed cheap, Not surprisingly, condition is an important consideration for most
with more than a few tinplate cars being misshapen and inaccurate. But collectors. Original condition (meaning near mint to mint) toys are the
many manufacturers began to hit their stride during the 1950s, turning most in-demand and sell for the most dollars. That includes the friction
out tinplate toy cars that were exported in large numbers to the U.S. motors that so many of these toys feature; fully functioning motors are
Many were highly accurate models of Buicks, Dodges, and very desirable due to the difficulty of opening up the toy to effect
Studebakers. It was this combination—a toy car that also was an repairs. The good news is that it’s more difficult to restore and repair
authentic replica of the cars that were seen on the streets every day— tinplate toys than it is die cast toys/models; it seems like the surface of
that collectors began to recognize as being highly desirable. a tinplate car doesn’t accept paint as smoothly as the surface of a die cast
piece, so there are far fewer restored tinplate toys out there than die cast
Driving the Market toys. A good clue to restoration are the tabs that hold the body to the
That desirability translates to healthy prices for the good stuff. baseplate/chassis: if the tabs are damaged (dinged up and/or missing
Original (meaning unrestored) 1950s and early 1960s Japanese tinplate bits of paint), it’s likely they’ve been pried up at some point to allow
models of American cars, when they’re in excellent or better condition, separation of the body and chassis for re-painting or repair. Be aware
generally start in the $150 to $250 range and can run into the also that repro/replacement parts have been made for some Japanese tin
thousands for the rarer examples, especially if the original box is present. toys. These can be hard to spot, so it’s best to handle and examine as
Interestingly, most collectors prefer cars powered by friction motors (or many original toys as you can in order to develop an eye for originality.
by clockwork motors) rather than those that came with remote control
features or that had what’s often Copies and Repros
called “mystery action,” which causes Over the years, several reproduc-
a toy car to move in a haphazard or tions of Japanese tinplate cars have
unpredictable way. been introduced. The best of these
Size makes a difference when it was the “Fifties” line that came out
comes to Japanese tin. Larger toys in the mid and late 1980s. Based in
generally come with higher asking Tokyo, Fifties produced four tinplate
prices; unless it’s a particularly rare models that were roughly 1:18 scale:
toy, a 12-inch Chevrolet will fetch a 1950 Buick (coupe and convertible
more than an 8-inch example (in versions); a 1950 Cadillac (coupe
the same condition, of course). and convertible); a 1953 Chevrolet
In addition, the size of the toy affects Corvette (coupe and convertible);
accuracy. The process of bending and and a 1956 Ford Thunderbird (you
shaping sheets of tinplated steel is less guessed it, coupe and convertible).
precise than the process of pouring Each came in various colors (with
molten metal into molds to make die friction motors, naturally), and the

Haji made this wonderful Ford convertible and travel trailer set in 1961 or so, and it came with a patio table and two chairs.
Note the rear window of the trailer, where Dad is enjoying his vacation, smoking a cigarette and wearing a suit.

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