Quick Get in the loft. Dig out those old Hot Wheels cars you had as a kid. They could now be worth a fortune. Even the scratty hand-me-down's from your older brothers and sisters (even your mum and dad's) could be worth thousands.
An American toy fan has started everybody's search after getting his 1969 Hot Wheels car valued on the Antiques Roadshow.
The prototype of the early Volkswagen Microbus Beach Bomb car was given an initial estimated value of £80,000 to £120,000. Although the value is boosted by its excellent condition and rarity.
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While the regular production model of the VW classic is far more common among to toy collectors, the originals attract a hefty amount.
The originals were changed as, being too top-heavy, they would fly off the tracks when going around corners - so they weren't on the shelves for long (you'd think someone would have checked this before rolling them out).
The model, at least 50 years old, was given to its owner by his father, who had been a foreman at the Mattel corporation - the guys who make the Hot Wheels cars.
That man's father told him to store the model carefully as, one day, it could be worth a small fortune. Oh, how right he was!
Selling model cars isn't something new, nor is the price they fetch. In 2010 a 1976 Matchbox toy white 1930 Model 'J' Deusenberg car sold for £4,935 - the full-sized motor cost £3,750 to buy new.
The attic can be a strange place indeed. You never know what is hiding up there. Once you've brushed past the Christmas decorations, your old school books and finally reach your old toys, not only is the nostalgia restored, but real gems could be found.
A gentleman, in the 1960s, picked up a GMT Master Model Rolex for £97 (the equivalent to around £720 today). At the time, it was a month's salary to the poor bloke. But what an investment it turned out to be.
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He rocked up to the Antiques Roadshow expecting nothing more than one grand in all probability. What he actually found was the watch is worth an estimated £52,000-£60,000. Mind-blowing.
He kept the original box, bracelet, and paperwork (which obviously adds to the value) but even without all that it would have been worth a fair whack.
There'll be plenty of loft-hysteria to come following this article, no doubt.
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