The Rural Voice, 1990-12, Page 23the sand box with junior. Prices start
at $3 but range up to $1,000 or more
for a rarer make and model. Because
of the increasing cost of collecting, the
young collectors tend to collect the 1/
64 size, while the 1/16 and peddle toys
are mostly the domain of the older and
better financed collectors. It's not rare
for collections to mount up to the
$25,000 into $50,000 range.
Some collectors have a variety of
scale sizes in their collections, while
others stick to one size only, says
Stoltz. Others collect only "one
colour" (brand name) in all sizes.
Some are purists and will collect only
metal die-cast models and won't allow
any plastic into their collections. You
can even collect solid brass editions.
Models are also made from iron,
stamped steel, glass, pewter, and even
cardboard.
Wayne Rumford, 17, a student at
Seaforth and District High School who
lives on a farm near that town, has
been an avid collector for two years.
He estimates his collection at close to
500 models with about 350 of them in
the 1/64 size. The collection is split
evenly between tractors and
implements.
Collecting has become a family
affair at the Rumford home with dad
Gord, and lately, mother Lorraine,
pitching in to help ready the collection
for the many shows they attend every
year. A cousin, Laurie Johnston, who
has been farming in the Glanworth
area for most of his life, has recently
caught the farm toy collection fever.
"The collection got too big for the
house and I had to put my foot down
and they moved it out to a nearby
barn," jokes Lorraine. The family just
recently had a large trailer built that
will serve as a convenient storage
place, making it much easier to go to
shows. "We go to about a dozen
shows a year," says Wayne.
He seldom sells or trade tractors
while at shows. "We go mostly to
show our collection and to see what
other people are collecting." Wayne
also has a fine collection of toy trains
in three gauges started by his father. It
includes several locomotives worth
nearly $1000. He likes to put them on
display at several shows the family
attends each year, and the trains
(Above) As well as farm toys and accessories, ERTL Manufacturing of Dyersville,
Iowa manufactures limited edition "piggy" banks in the form of model trucks.
These models have become hot collectors items and attracted plenty of attention at
the recenty Hensall toy shop forDebbie Eidt of Walkerton. (Below) Bill Ireland of
R. R. 2„ Teeswater and Dan Benninger of R. R. 2, Mildmay, right, chat with
visitors at the recent Hensall Toy Show. Bill is one of the few Canadian
manufacturers of farm toys, and also customizes tractors to a customer's
individual tastes.
DECEMBER 1990 19