How two Perth sisters are selling off the largest toy car collection in the southern hemisphere

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The late prominent Perth architect Ralph Drexel once hosted the largest collection of miniature toy cars in the southern hemisphere. Now, his two grand daughters inherited it, plunging them into the hot market of model car collection.

Transcript

00:00One like this sold for $1,900.

00:03We were jumping for joy!

00:07Inheritance can come in many forms.

00:10For Sophie and Rosie, their grandfather's passing gift

00:14took the shape of model cars, about 10,000 of them.

00:20We don't know anything about cars, we don't know anything about models

00:23because it had been such a, like, hidden passion of his.

00:27The pair decided to sell off the collection,

00:29on the condition any profits go to his great-grandchildren.

00:33We knew that some of the things he had were really special,

00:36so that's when we thought, you know what, we can do it ourselves.

00:40We've got 40 further orders to pack today.

00:43The response was overwhelming.

00:45They were inundated with orders.

00:48Let's go.

00:49Oh, that one's worth $300 and it's, you know, it's an exciting time.

00:53Or, you know, we'll be calling each other, like,

00:56oh, my God, did you see how much that one went for?

00:58What attracts buyers to these miniature cars

01:01varies between customers,

01:03whether it's a nostalgia for childhood, a sacred hobby,

01:06or just a love for tiny objects.

01:09So, Gracie's part of my collection.

01:11For Ian Hind, it's the rich history of an iconic 24-hour race in France.

01:17This was an unusual Le Mans winner.

01:19It was a very, very special race.

01:21This was an unusual Le Mans winner.

01:24It was a rotary-powered car.

01:26Despite their size, passing these cars on can bear a heavy burden.

01:31I get phone calls all the time from families of deceased estates

01:33who've inherited collections.

01:35They have no idea what it's worth.

01:37They have no idea where to sell it, how to get started.

01:41And full credit to, you know, to Rosie and Sophie,

01:44because I think what they've done,

01:45for someone who knew very little about the hobby, is, you know, quite amazing.

01:51A big future secured for their children, built on tiny cars.

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