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November 20, 2003
9:34 AM EST (1434 GMT)
Die-cast replicas have proven to be the signature collectibles of the NASCAR memorabilia craze. From the serious collector to the casual race fan, everybody loves die-cast. So, we weren't surprised that most of our questions deal with these miniature reproductions.
We posed this week's round of inquiries to David Wilson, of Des Moines, Iowa. David has been collecting all types of die-cast since the mid-1960s. He is a former die-cast dealer who is now content to enjoy his hobby as "just a collector." You can bet he has a firm finger on the pulse of the market. Here are David's observations about some of your favorite collectibles:
Q: I have an Action 1:18 scale Dale Earnhardt No. 3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 25th Anniversary 1999 Monte Carlo. I also have a Goodwrench Service Plus 1:24 crystal car. I would like to know the value of these cars. -- Mike Mandres
A: The collectible value of each car lies in the $100-150 range. You'll see each sell for considerably less on the internet, particularly the crystal car.
Q: I would like to know if you could tell me the value of a Racing Champions Richard Petty car with stand. The car is a 1980s vintage Pontiac. I'm not sure what year. -- SEPA
A: It's impossible to make a precise appraisal without knowing exactly what year the car is. And in fact, Racing Champions didn't produce any Petty cars in the 1980s, although the company did produce some '80s vintage Pontiacs a few years ago as part of its commemoration of the Petty Family's 50 years in NASCAR. Based on what most Petty cars are worth on the secondary market, I'd say the collectible value of your car is in the $8-18 range.
Q: I have a Talladega Win car of Dale Earnhardt Jr. that he signed this year at the race. It's a 1:24 scale Action car in perfect condition. How much is it worth? -- Brian
A: With the signature, the collectible value of this car is probably $100-125.
Q: In 2000, during Darrell Waltrip's Victory Tour, Kmart put out a special edition car in the 1:24 scale It is manufactured by Racing Champions and is enclosed in a case and connected to the bottom. This car was put out by only Kmart that year and has NASCAR 500 Big Kmart. It is No. 66. Can you tell me the value? -- Ben Spence
A: This was a tough car to get. Only 500 were produced, and you couldn't buy them outright. You had to earn points by making purchases at Kmart. You seldom see these cars anywhere, and it is very rare that you see one for sale. In my opinion, this car is worth $100-125 if it's worth a dime. You may find it for less, but this is a real collectible piece.
Q: I have a 1:18 scale Winner's Circle Dale Earnhardt No. 3 No Bull car. It was released in 2002. It was the last win for Earnhardt in 2000. Can you put a value on it? -- Mark D.
A: Cars released after Earnhardt's death don't seem to command as much value as those released before the accident. And, of course, Winner's Circle cars are mass produced. Based on those two facts, I'd place the collectible value at $50-60.
Q: I have a 1997, Racing Champions 1:64 scale Rick Mast No. 75 Remington die-cast car. When you push down on it it emits a racing engine sound. I am looking for more of these but cannot seem to locate any. I assume that they have discontinued production of these, but with the huge interest in NASCAR, I couldn't see how they could go wrong in bringing them back if indeed that is the case.
Getting on to the question, would you have any idea where I could find more of these specific cars? I have tried numerous manufacturers including contacting Racing Champions themselves, however they sent me a form letter e-mail response. You guys/gals are doing a terrific job with the site. Keep up the good work. -- Kenneth Schwart
A: For whatever reasons. this type of car has just never caught on with the buying public -- at least not in a big way. Your best bet is to search the internet, particularly on line auction sites like eBay. You may also want to try local die-cast and toys shows, and even flea markets.
Q: I was wondering if you can help me with a Dale Earnhardt question. I'm buying a 1956 Ford Victoria K-2 car from ebay for a friend. I was wondering which car would be worth more -- the all pink or the one with the apricot roof. -- Joshsmommy
A: The all pink car is considerably more valuable. By some accounts it is worth twice as much as its counterpart.
Q: I have a 1996 Revell HO Dale Earnhardt Through The Years diecast train still in the box. Can you tell me what its worth? -- Kelsey
A: Earnhardt train sets have always been popular and carry pretty strong appraisals. The value of this train is likely in the $75-125 range -- probably pretty close to $100.
Q: My wife has the Team Caliber 1989 Davey Allison Ford Thunderbird (Black/White/Gold), two 1999 Action Kenny Irwin cars (one Texaco Havoline, the other is the special edition Joker car), the 2000 Havoline Revell No. 28 Ricky Rudd car (autographed on hood) and the 2002 Action No. 28 Rudd. All of these are in mint condition in display cases, the boxes are in the garage in perfect condition as well. What kind of value are we looking at? -- John Cork
A: Most of these cars are still readily available, so they haven't shown a huge appreciation in value. I saw one of the Davey Allison cars sold on eBay last week for $49.99. But in terms of collectibility, I'd place the value at $80-100. The collectible value of the Irwin cars are pretty close -- around $75 for the standard paint scheme and $100 for the Joker car. The autographed 2000 Rudd car is probably worth $80-90. The 2002 Rudd car is likely worth $60-75.
Q: I have a 2001 Sterling Marlin 1:24 Racing Champion Chase The Race Collectors Series die-cast replica. It is still in its original package. Can you tell me the value of it? -- Allan Keyes
A: Kind of a "garden variety" die-cast here. It should bring $20 -- 25 on the secondary market.
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