We’re back to the mailbag again this week.
Die Cast and Franklin Mint memories
Q: Greg, do you see the die cast collector model car market returning to strength again? I invested a lot of money in certain die cast cars, both racing and highway style, from Franklin Mint and others. I’m wondering if I made a bad move? Calvin Long, New York, N.Y.
A: Calvin, I did the same as you and I’m sure millions of others did, too. I guess we made a bad move if we bought these products for investing purposes only, but let me explain further.
Turns out the money we paid for certain “die cast car collectibles” are now available for 50-cents on the dollar, and from what I saw today when I checked even as low as 15-cents on the dollar on eBay (depending on model and condition).
Auto and truck die cast models were led by those offered by The Franklin Mint for some 30 years. The mint offered top quality examples like this Checker Taxi Cab in both 1/24 and 1/43 scale with absolute precision. If you collected them for investment, it was a mistake. However, if you collected them for the enjoyment of display in your den, you’re a winner. (Zyla collection)
This reality speaks for itself, as I don’t know how many die cast cars you have, but I have over a hundred of them. Unfortunately just a few might be worth more than I paid for them. As the saying goes, “Caveat Emptor” (let the buyer beware).
A good example of premier die cast is, or should I say was, your mention of The Franklin Mint, then the top producer of quality collectable die cast. Franklin was without a doubt “No. 1” when it came to quality products and I remember they had a nice store at the King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia. It closed many years ago but I was a regular at this store when my family and I stopped while traveling.
Notable is that The Franklin Mint put out more than just die cast cars, with everything from spectacular dolls, medals, HO electric trains and coin sets, and then table games like Monopoly, Clue and Chess sets. All were high dollar items and if you received a gift on your birthday or for Christmas from Franklin Mint, whoever sent it thought highly of you!
The Franklin Mint was known worldwide for its mass-produced “collectibles” and was a marvel of merchandising, conceived by its founder Joseph H. Segel. It was so huge that this writer has probably 50 of its beautiful cars and/or trucks, both Clue and Monopoly games, and three or four of its HO electric trains. I must say that some of Franklin’s limited edition cars are bringing big money, but the average die cast car is not. (Check eBay as they are loaded with Franklin Mint items for sale.)
Model kits, unlike die cast, have enjoyed a renewed interest and kits from yesteryear bring some decent dollars. Back in the heyday companies like Jo-Han, AMT, Monogram and Revell were top manufacturers. Currently, numerous companies produce auto, truck and auto racing kits to increased demand. (Zyla collection)
In fairness, however, I must end with the realization that not everyone bought Franklin Mint’s products solely to make money in the future. They bought them to enjoy and display and in that manner, no one topped The Franklin Mint for delivering unique, high quality products. (Danbury Mint is close and still in business.)
The original Franklin Mint ceased production of medals, coins, and other collectibles early in 2003 and was then sold in 2006 to The Carlyle Group. I found a current The Franklin Mint website, but it is not anything like the original company. However, there are many websites that sell original Franklin Mint merchandise such as eBay and Amazon.
However, the car model kit industry and kits from Monogram, Jo-Han, Revell, and AMT/Ertl, to name a few, have done much better when it comes to collectability. I see kits I built in the 1950s and 1960s doing very well on eBay and many are now in re-release production. So, if you are investing in either of these markets, in my opinion, the unopened model kits seem to do much better down the road.
I’ll end with why I bought many of the Franklin Mint products, and that was to enjoy them. I’m hoping my readers who spent money on them bought them for the same reason.
The Monogram model company released some early dragster and hot rod model kits of which our author built many of them. (Monogram)
‘Car Tunes’ question
Q: Greg, I’m a regular reader from the Spokane area, but I didn’t remember seeing your column on top car songs. I read your articles online these days, and thanks to a site called Muck Rack you can get to view many of them from the past.
I would have voted for a song, which I don’t even know the correct name for, but it was regarding a Nash Rambler being “chased” by a Cadillac, trying to pass. Every so often the Nash driver would sing – Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, his horn went Beep, Beep, Beep!
I had young sons and this played on the car radio and in our house radio all the time and we all just loved it! So it would have gotten my vote! Thanks for all the informative answers you provide for many readers! Grace Nelson, Ephrata, Wash.
A: Grace, thanks for your letter. The column you missed had the song called “Beep Beep,” on the top song list. The group that sang it was called The Playmates and they hailed from Westbury, Conn. Your memory serves you well with one correction, as it was the little Nash Rambler trying to pass the big bad Cadillac throughout the song.
“Beep Beep” is a classic from the ’50s, and one of the best loved for its novelty and “in your face” attitude to the “Caddy” owner. You can hear it on YouTube at your convenience.
The Playmates, from Waterbury, Conn. may have not realized when they cut their fun car song “Beep-Beep” in 1958 that fans would love it. It hit the top chart list all the way up to No. 4 nationally, and to this day is still popular. It sold more than one million copies and was awarded a coveted gold disc. (Roulette Records)
Further, the “Beep Beep” novelty song was on the Billboard Top 40 chart for 12 weeks, went up to No. 4, sold more than one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Thanks to the popularity of “Beep Beep”, American Motors Corporation (AMC) set production and sales records for the Rambler models, much like what the Beach Boys were going to do for the 1962 Chevy 409 and Jan and Dean did for those Super Stock Dodges.
That’s it for this week readers as I’m concentrating on my next, great, muscle car of all time article. Please keep your other questions coming because it looks like at least two more weeks before I add to the Top Muscle Car list. By the way, if you’d like to check out Muck Rack, go to https://muckrack.com/greg-zyla. I never knew about this site until two years ago.
(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader interaction on auto nostalgia, collector cars or motorsports at greg@gregzyla.com).
Be the first to comment on "Collector Car Corner; Collectible die cast, The Franklin Mint, ‘Beep-Beep’ Car Tune"