My opinion on the price of Danbury Mint's last model

[formula1129]

Danbury has really gifted us with some real Beauties over the years. When they slowed production to a halt, their limited editions were selling for $150. Their latest,(and last) model, the beautiful 1935 Ford Coupe, is listed for $250.00.

I have about 100 or so of them, so if I factor in the extra $100 I spent on this model, that is like adding a single dollar to every other one I bought. Not bad in my book, considering some of the models in my collection are worth at least twice what I paid Danbury Mint for them, and some even more. My Bullitt Charger, for example, one has sold on eBay for $1200.00 (not my personal model)

I had more, but sold off the low-tech stuff (and made a tidy profit doing so), and now only have the models that came from (what I like to call) the Golden Age of diecasting, when models were rid of the dog-leg doors, and went to hinges, photo-etching was a must, and they just got awesome. Models like both the wonderful '54 Cadillacs (hardtop/'vert), the '59 Pontiac, both the '58 Pontiacs(hardtop/'vert), the '57 Cadillacs(hardtop/'vert), all the woody wagons.

The '58 Chryslers. The two '55 Chevy's(hardtop/'vert), the second Gen and '64, '65 Thunderbirds, the beautiful '47, 48 Buicks, and lest we forget the striking '56 Lincoln Premier's (hardtop/'vert), or how about the two Packard Caribbean's (hardtop/'vert), or have we forgotten so fast of the two outstanding '56 Buick's that Danbury gifted us? How about the '49 Olds Rocket coupe, or the '48 Chevy Fleetline?

And those are just some of the jewels from the '50's.

I would be a fool if I forgot to mention the classic '36 Packard that belongs in every diecast collection, or the first Ford fitted with a V8......the 1932 Ford Coupe B., and life wouldn't be so merry if I didn't have my '37 Stude Dictator coupe, and the new '35 Ford fits right in with these stunning vertical grill cars.

I hope I haven't bored anybody yet, because I have yet to mention the Hotrods, like the Little Deuce Coupe, The Ala-Kart, The McMullen Roadster, or the Norm Grabowski's Kookie Kar. I also have all of the under-appreciated pro-street cars.

I also have every Danbury Mint C-3 Corvette, including the Pro-Touring and Owens Corning racer, 13 in total.

And don't let me get started with the muscle-cars, let's just say I have all the good ones. Did Danbury ever make a bad one?

I own all the models listed above, and then some.

I am just trying to make a point here, and that to me, the extra $100 that I spent on the very last Danbury Mint model was well justified.

It will be destined to be a highly collectable model, and I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't jump on it.

I have made that mistake in the past, and ended up paying dearly for it.

Edited March 25, 2014 by formula1129

[Ramfins59]

WOW......!!!!!! That certainly is quite a collection you've got there Ben.

[jerseyjunker1]

FANTASTIC COLLECTION. AND I TOTALLY AGREE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE 35 COUPE SHOULD DO SO AS THEY MAY WISH THEY HAD. JMHO

[cobraman]

Very, very nice collection.

[rmvw guy]

Nice collection, I don't have any but, when I first started seeing advertisements for some of these with 3 or four easy payments, I thought the Danberry Mint cars were way too expensive. Plastic model kits were around $10 or less. Now with plastic models averaging around $20 or so and if you factor in the cost of building one, the DM cars don't seem so far off on price. They have always had very nice quality. I do have two from Franklin Mint a '40 Ford pickup and a '57 Harley Sportster, one from ebay and the other from a swap shop. Still way cheaper than full size.

[High octane]

Wow, that's and awesome collection of "MInts" that you have there Ben. And Ron, it takes quite a bit of work to build a plastic kit to the standards of the Danbury and Franklin Mints with all the working features and excellent finishes. I don't think they're "overpriced" and that most modelers can build Danbury quality for less than what they've asked for their Mints.

[rmvw guy]

Wow, that's and awesome collection of "MInts" that you have there Ben. And Ron, it takes quite a bit of work to build a plastic kit to the standards of the Danbury and Franklin Mints with all the working features and excellent finishes. I don't think they're "overpriced" and that most modelers can build Danbury quality for less than what they've asked for their Mints.

I think you are right Nick.

[Harry P.]

Danbury Mint made (in my opinion) some of the finest diecast models. But to me it seems like price gouging to suddenly jack up the price of their "last" model more than $100 over the "regular" price of most of their models. Obviously they're playing the "last one ever" game... but I'm not going to fall for it.

I have a LOT of DM models... I've been a customer since the "dogleg" hinge days, and I'm really sorry to see it end. But no way am I forking over $250 for that last one. I have a feeling I'll find it for far less soon on ebay.