As mentioned in a previous post, I’m forever daydreaming about what I would splash my cash on if I had a financial windfall. It’s just one of my hobbies I guess, making lists of rare or expensive things I would like to deck out my retrocade with. No harm in dreaming is there? Who knows, it may happen one day, whether via a lottery win, beating the odds in Las Vegas, winning on Online Casino Bonus Code sites or perhaps discovering lost treasure using One Eyed Willy’s map, but even if it doesn’t I’m perfectly happy just daydreaming about it. In fact that’s possibly the biggest part of the fun! The hunt and the expectation is often the biggest thrill.

So in this post I’m rekindling a post that I started writing a couple of years ago when the show Toy Hunter was on. I used to love that show. Watching Jordan Hembrough’s expressions as he trampled through boxes in people’s attics and garages. It was just fun to watch, seeing all these toys being brought out (often in very staged situations) and I started making a list of the toys that I would call up Jordan to go hunting for me if I had the retro cash to splash.

I’m not a huge mint-on-card collector to be honest. I prefer to actually enjoy the tactility of playing with something and testing out action features etc. And I really don’t mind having stuff that is second hand and a bit battered. It shows that a toy has had a good life. Often the ‘weathering’ is also a good sign of authenticity. But having said that I do get a buzz from seeing a carded figure. It takes me back to trips to the toy shop when I was 8 years old and seeing aisles and aisles of toys. And I’m a sucker for good card art and card backs. I love all that. So a part of me does enjoy a good carded figure, not for the collector’s value but for the total packaging/purchasing experience and the ephemeral quality of the art. So for this list I’ve mainly gone for rare carded or boxed toys because they’re harder to find. But I have also included a few rarer, non-carded items because I would just be happy getting them in any form.

Here are my current carded items I have hanging in my retrocave.

And here are the priority things that I would ask the Toy Hunter to hunt for me.

Masters of the Universe

This is my priority one. I need a carded He-Man and Skeletor in my life. It’s my favourite toy property and I love the packaging art and overall design. Plus the fact that it looks so cool having the mini comic inside the bubble too.

You can see in my photo above that I have a Trap Jaw but it’s not a vintage one. It’s one of the commemorative reissues. I wouldn’t mind a vintage Trap Jaw. And to round off the MOTU figures I’d go for a Tri-Klops, mainly because they came with the glow in the dark ring which are really hard to get hold of these days.

I’d also push the boat out and go for a boxed Castle Grayskull. Mainly because I just love the box art for that thing. It is absolutely gorgeous artwork by Rudy Obrero.

Transformers

Now I’m moving on to Transformers. I really, really need a boxed G1 Sideswipe. I won’t rest until I get one. But they’re pricey. I’d also see if I could get Optimus Prime, Hound, Soundwave and Ravage. But Sideswipe is the priority.

Star Wars

There is just something so iconic about carded Star Wars figures. The card art isn’t spectacular but it’s very classy. I could easily go crazy with how many Star Wars figures I’d get, but let’s restrain myself to three. I’d probably go for Boba Fett, Chewbacca and the Tie Fighter Pilot. Always loved those guys.

M.A.S.K.

I wouldn’t mind a boxed Hurricane. Again just for the box art.

Rough Riders

You can see from the photo above that I already have a collection of carded Rough Riders. But there are a few that I don’t have yet. Face’s Corvette, Magnum P.I., Street Hawk and The Dukes of Hazzard. I’d love to complete the set and get all of them.

Automan

And now for the really rare ones. The Automan figure, car and the Automan slot car set. The Automan figure comes up fairly often loose. I had two of them at one point. But it’s super rare to find them carded. And the car is almost mythical. I’ve never seen one for sale. Same deal with the slot car racing set. These things are like gold dust so Jordan would certainly earn his commission there!

Thanks to 80skid.com for the Automan photos, although sadly it appears that their site is no longer live. Instead, here’s a link to a great post from The Retroist about Automan toys.

There are several other ones I’d love to get in any form, that I’ve found hard to get online. These ones don’t have to be carded or boxed…

* Penny Racers
* Madballs
* Asterix
* Coke Spinners
* Hot Wheels Crack Ups

I’m sure I’d keep Jordan busy for a while. And these ones above are just the priority ones. There’s more where that came from.