Selling your items
If you would like your collection to be considered for sale through our Commission Sale scheme, please contact us with a brief description of what you wish to sell. Collections or single items are welcome! In general, we are interested in scale models and toys in good condition and at least 30 years old. The notes below will guide you. We usually respond within 1 working day, and will email instructions for sending photos. We will assess the photos when received, and, if your items are what we're looking for, we will make you an offer.Commission Sale scheme (UK only)
We will estimate the value of your items, and offer to sell them on your behalf in return for a commission. This is usually 20%, but higher rates may apply to lower value items. If you are happy with the valuation, send or bring the items to us and we will do the rest! Each time a sale is made, we will pay you the selling price less commission; the amount you receive will typically be at least 20-25% greater than if you sold to a dealer, because you are selling direct to the public. Full terms and conditions will be sent to you with our offer, but the main points are:
- Prices will be suggested based on condition and current market values, and emailed to you for approval (and amendment if you wish!) before items are put on sale.
- Your items will be listed on the Tortoys website until they are sold, there's no time limit. However, items that haven't been sold or reserved within 6 months of being listed may be returned to you at your request.
- Payments to you are made by direct transfer to your bank account, usually within one working day of items being sold.
- From time to time we will email you a statement showing unsold items, so you can amend prices if you wish.
- Your items will be kept in a secure, dry, temperature-controlled and insured storage facility while in our care.
We are looking for:
Scale models and toys that were made for children to play with, not for adults to collect. The items we are most interested in are:
- Diecast toy vehicles by Matchbox (except Models of Yesteryear), Dinky, Corgi and others, especially those made before 1984, boxed or unboxed. Models should be in good, excellent or mint condition. See Condition Ratings below.
- Britains Floral Garden, Farm and Zoo items, especially if made before 1980. These include figures, vehicles, trees and buildings.
- Constructional toys made before 1970, especially those from the 50s and 60s. These include Bayko, Arkitex and Meccano, and we prefer these boxed.
- Slot racing vehicles and accessories made before 1970, boxed or unboxed, especially Scalextric and Minic Motorways. However we don't buy Scalextric sets and track because they are too bulky!
- Occasional tinplate vehicles and mechanical toys.
- Old toy catalogues, pre 1980.
Sorry, we're not interested in:
- Collections of Lledo/Days Gone, Corgi Cameo, Oxford Diecast, and later Matchbox Models of Yesteryear (including all those with straw-coloured or red window boxes).
- Heavily worn items with a lot of damage to paintwork and/or parts missing.
- Restored items.
- 'Repro' or 'crafted' boxes.
- Items of recent manufacture that are still available in the shops.
- Items originally made for very young children (under 6).
- Modern character merchandise, e.g, Star Wars, Transformers, Ninja Turtles, Thomas the Tank Engine, McDonalds toys.
- Model railway locos, rolling stock and track.
- Dolls, puppets, soft toys and Beanies.
- Board games and jigsaws.
- Wooden toys.
- Outdoor toys.
- Radio control planes, cars and boats.
- Display cabinets.
Valuations
We don't supply itemised valuations free of charge, because it takes considerable time and effort. If you would like a formal valuation of each item in your collection we will be pleased to quote a price for doing it. This would be refunded in the event of you selling your collection through Tortoys.
Condition ratings
We buy items that are in Good, Excellent or Mint condition, as defined below:
| Mint | As new. There may be slight factory flaws. |
| Excellent | Just one or two very small defects which prevent a Mint ranking, perhaps a very small chip in an inconspicuous place. Box will show signs of having been opened and closed. |
| Good | General chipping but still good enough to display. Box may be creased or slightly torn but is still the right shape and no parts missing. |
| Fair | Extensive chipping, damage to decals or cracked windows, but no parts missing. Box may have flaps missing. |
| Poor | Badly damaged, parts missing, very rusty, and/or repainted. Box badly mutilated. Not suitable for display. |
