Those old toys could help put your kid through college

The Hollywood TV producer and toy collector had plenty of money and little time to talk.

When George McCurley called to let him know someone had brought a Howdy Doody Band toy to the Toy Roadshow, the producer didn’t hesitate.

“That sounds great,” he told McCurley. “I’ll go $5,000 on that. I’ve got to go.”

The producer paid more than five to six times the fair value for the toy, McCurley said.

Since co-founding the Toy Roadshow 10 years ago, McCurley has traveled the country looking for antique and collectible toys. He’s seen collectors pay hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars for toys that people had pulled from closets, basements and attics.

The International Toy Collectors Association’s Toy Roadshow will come to Coeur d’Alene next week. It’s similar to Antiques Roadshow, but the International Toy Collectors Association represents about 5,000 collectors and pays cash on the spot for most toys.

McCurley said many collectors have blind bids on toys they want for their collection in case one is brought in to the Roadshow. The Roadshow Crew also calls other collectors who might be interested in the toys and takes bids.

A Giant Sonic Train Robot made in the 1950s went for $5,000 at one Toy Roadshow.

A Marx Funny Fire Fighters toy with Popeye and Bluto – found in an attic – sold to a Popeye collector for $3,000. A Hot Wheels item has sold for $500 and a Shirley Temple doll collection earned $20,000.

McCurley said the association has collectors who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on toys each year. The membership also includes people like a guy who works at Taco Bell and spends $45 a week on Hot Wheels toys.

Most anything that is over 25 years old is considered collectible, McCurley said. Toys from the 1950s and 1960s are especially hot, he said.

“That stuff is in the attics and basements,” he said. “The baby boomers are going after that era.”

Really early antique toys – 100 years or older – also are very popular among toy collectors, he said.

Collectors are looking for robots and space toys, Hot Wheels (especially ones with red lines on the tires), battery-operated and wind-up toys, Tonka trucks (especially pre-1965), any kinds of cars or dolls, train sets, cast-iron toys, Barbies and G.I. Joes.

The association urges people to bring in toys in any condition, dirty or broken, and advises people not to try to clean or repair toys. If a toy’s in the original packaging, it’s worth more.

McCurley said people often don’t realize how much a toy is worth. He’s seen toys sell for pocket change at yard sales and thrift stores, when collectors would have paid hundreds.

“You might have something that’s really worth something in your closet,” he said.

The Toy Roadshow crew will be at the Best Western Coeur d’Alene Inn, 414 W. Appleway Ave., from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 28 through Oct. 1. The association has set aside $350,000 to buy toys during the four-day event.

Admission is free and first-come, first-served.