Competition turned into Hobby : My Diecast Car Collection

Toy cars have different values depending on the demographic. Most people know them only as playthings, and a small fraction sees them as prized collectables, known as collectors. I fall into that tiny fraction. It may sound funny and absurd, but the diecast car collecting has a kick to it. 

Diecast cars are made of metal. They can be inspired by fantasy, imaginary design or miniature versions of real-life car models. The miniature version of real-life car models was the most appealing aspect for me. 

Diecast car collecting wasn't something I planned to do. When I was 10, I bought some to mainly play with. And I played a lot. I scuffed them and scratched them and as a kid that's the usual thing. The collector spirit kicked in two years later when I was in class 5. After graduating from class 4, I was assigned to a new section. So I had to make new friends. Luckily, it wasn't that hard. One day, a friend talked about his Hot Wheels (a Mattel-owned company making Diecast cars). I also remembered I had some too. Out of curiosity, I asked him how many he had. He replied that he had 12 of them. From my memory, I tried to recall the number of cars I had. It was 8. It was the start of the competition that resulted in my not-so-huge car collection and a long-lasting friendship. 

The next day, we talked about what models we had. Naturally, miniature versions of real-life cars were prioritized. He had more than me. This sparked an ick in my mind. I had to have more quality cars. So that day, I bought some at a toy shop. Then he also bought some after hearing that I had bought some. This ignited a competitive mindset in both of us. At some point, I proposed the idea of a competition. The competition was about who could collect 100 Hot Wheels first by the end of the year, and he agreed. It was an exciting endeavour for me. Scouring countless shops for rare models and variations. Pinching each other with the finest find we discovered. 

We were so obsessed with it that both of our parents warned us. Still, we didn't stop. Whenever I found a rare model, I felt happy—and it wasn't so expensive back then. 

Surprisingly, I won that competition. By the end of that year, I had around 110 model cars and he could collect around 90 model cars. But that was just the start. From grade 5 until grade 12, I collected well over 100 model cars. I preferred name-brand model cars, so my collection looked like a miniature garage full of muscle cars, sports cars and supercars. I have Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Pagani, Ford Mustang, Nissan, BMW, Porsche and many more. 

Hot Wheels also released countless pieces of movie memorabilia. As a Batman fanatic, I couldn't ignore the irresistible Batmobiles. I also have some Fast and Furious cars, like Dominic Torreto's Black Dodge Challenger and Brian O'Conner's famous Nissan Skyline. I also have the yellow submarine from The Beatles' renowned song " Yellow Submarine." 

At first, when I collected model cars, I didn't know these were called diecast cars; I just knew I was collecting Hot Wheels. Now I know how big the collector craze is. I have more than 200 Hot Wheels in my collection now. But from a collector's perspective, I'm still a beginner. Full-fledged collectors have thousands of cars and have been collecting for more than 10 years, and they don't just collect Hot Wheels; other brands make diecast cars and collect them too. 

To a collector, their collection is not a plaything. They showcase them and take care of them. I also diligently did that. Funnily enough, my friends and family ridiculed me for this. They asked why you buy them if you don't play with them. Making them understand the collector's view was far from possible. 

After 2021, I stopped collecting, or one could say I took a break from it. Because the prices were so high. Now it's very high. But the spirit didn't die off. I keep them on a separate shelf. Whenever I glance at them, the memories attached to them rejuvenate. The vintage Ferrari I bought at a hefty price, the perfect black BMW M3, the neon green Porsche Carrera GT and my favourite collection of Batmobiles—every one of my cars has a separate story behind it. And the friend with whom I did this absurd competition is still my friend. This collection is my comfort and it is priceless.