The excitement of a new (to me) car collection arriving in the mail...

I've recently been buying collections (or 'lots' in Ebay parlance) of cars, as a way to get around the heavy shipping charges associated with buying individual cars.  I often try to buy them with the case, both as a way to store my endless collection, but also since I love getting my hands on vintage cases (and they essentially come free with the collection vs. costing $10-$30 when buying individually.

By the time the packages arrive I've frequently forgotten the specifics about exactly which cars were included, so its like Christmas, opening up a package, seeing a vintage case, filled with vintage cars from the '60s, '70s and '80s. 

Yes, I invariably end up with lots of duplicate cars, but I never mind that, especially for my favorite models.  I select the nicest duplicates, gradually upgrading my collection with better and better quality cars, and consign the poorer quality or unloved models to a box that I tell myself I will someday sell (though when that day will come is anyone's guess). 

Sometimes the collection I buy is thrilling, filled with high quality good condition cars that fill in gaps in my collection. 

But today's collection wasn't like that...  (sad face).  The condition of the cars was worse than they looked on the internet, with several with bent axles and others with badly scarred paint.  Yes, I got a few that were new to my collection (the superfast transitional greyhound bus, the baja beach buggy), and a few others that are rare (the red and yellow superfast transitional refrigerator truck - but in poor condition and sadly missing its back (and frequently lost) door).  But on the whole it was a disappointing purchase.  At least I got a nice condition vintage 24 car case.  As a kid I had a 48 car version of the same case, until it fell apart and was thrown away.  Not the oldest case I've gotten, nor the best condition, but a nice find nonetheless. 

Happy collecting to all of you fellow collectors out there...  This is John from Matchbox Frenzy, signing off...