Toy Collectibles Market -Size, TAM, SAM, Emerging Trends & Investment Opportunity

In the toy industry, collectibles are typically intended for both children and adults. In contrast to traditional toys, the objective of buying these items is financial gain rather than pleasure and play.

Similar to the aftermarket for sneakers, collectibles, toys, and miniatures also exist. A collectible is worth more if there is a lot of excitement surrounding it, such as if it was created by a well-known person, is part of a very successful franchise, or is backed by a prominent figure from pop culture. The price of the item increases dramatically if it is produced in a very limited quantity and comes in a special edition box with a serial number.

The value of a collection is affected by a number of additional elements. Its authenticity, numbers, and condition are taken into account.

One of the easiest ways to determine the value of a collectible is to inspect its condition. Collectors inspect the item’s care and storage practices before purchasing. Most items lose value if they have stains, cracks, tears, dents, or other signs of wear and tear. Moreover, not only is the collector item itself covered by this but everything that comes with it as well, including the box or stand, is also covered by this.

Authenticity is the next important factor. Similar to wearables, it’s becoming far more difficult to differentiate between authentic and counterfeit items. As a result, having a spotless purchasing history will increase the value of the item. The value of the item will be greatly increased when you have the original receipts or obtain them from sites that provide superb authentication services.

Industry Trend

Movies like Marvel, DC, Lions Gate, and others are the main drivers of collectible toys. Since people who played with toys started to reassemble their childhood collections decades ago, the interest in collecting toys has risen. The majority of adults no longer engage with these toys, and their appeal has diminished. The desire for sports cards, comic books, collector cards, and vintage collections is credited with driving this enormous development. The majority of collectibles are in high demand, which drives up their value.

The market expansion for collectible toys is being driven by internet access and digital entertainment content. Through physical and online distribution channels, it is anticipated that the number of toys related to movies and TV shows will increase significantly in the near future.

Additionally, e-commerce and quick urbanization are fueling industry expansion. In recent years, collector toys have made their way into the NFT market. Since 2021, NFTs have been available for purchase on OpenSea, and customers are exchanging them for toys on the TOYMINT website. Sales of toy collectibles will increase during the projected period as more artists enter the toy collectibles market and produce limited-edition art toys.

After becoming well-known as KAWS, Brian Donnelly started exhibiting and selling replicas of his characters. Today, Companion is a prominent part of almost all KAWS miniatures. It is the single item to rule this market in terms of demand and value. Figurines by KAWS start at about $300 USD. A four-foot companion can sell for about $150 on average.

It has been projected that the increasing trend of adults gathering toys has presented a profitable opportunity for businesses across the globe. Moreover, there are increasingly more individuals who gather toys for collectibles around the world. The most well-liked of these treasures are the “limited edition” types. Additionally, the increasing market for customized and improved “limited-edition” collectibles has sparked the development of a distinctively incredible and visually beautiful concept for products in different sizes. It is quite evident that the toy collectibles sector is increasingly growing in its mainstream popularity from the huge number of pop-up businesses that are sprouting up across the globe. As a result, collectors have more opportunities and increased demand.

Demand

Recently, the demand for most collectible toys has significantly skyrocketed due to their increased popularity. Customers’ demands for high-quality materials for toy figurines and cartoons have also significantly changed. Due to a rising trend among customers who are interested in antiques and decorations, different high-quality resins and metals are in demand. The markets for home furnishings and collectibles have crossed in a few different industries, expanding the market for newly produced collectible toys. Investors view this as a significant potential source of funding with enormous potential for return.

Toy manufacturers must seamlessly combine physical and digital play in today’s technology-driven economy if they want to compete in the expanding market for collectible toys. The concepts of toy artists, the limited supply of toys, the calibre of the toys, and the marketing techniques employed by toy makers are other elements that affect the market for collector toys.

Many investors have been drawn to this industry by certain collectable toys’ high rates of return. Lego is one of the active investors in the area of collector toys. Reselling unpacked LEGO sets, for instance, often yields substantial returns for investors, especially for uncommon sets that were built in small quantities or many years ago. Fans of LEGO are nostalgic for sets from 20 to 30 years ago, and their prices have skyrocketed.

Due to subtle alterations made to toys over the years, the global market for toy collectibles is experiencing tremendous growth.

The ability of the newest toy collectibles to set themselves apart from the older models has frequently led to their success. Blind bag toys come in a wide variety, and the ones that have been introduced with the most success have managed to set themselves apart in various ways. For instance, Shopkins was able to set itself apart by offering accessories like model cars and other toys for the doll.

Buyer’s Guide

Streetwear has incorporated toys, demonstrating that they are no longer just “an item for a kid to play with.” The combination of these factors has given the pastime of collecting toys a completely new face. The designer side of things is being overseen by KAWS, and Medicom’s characters for BE@RBRICK are being developed on a daily basis.