American Airlines Battery-Operated 707 Astrojet

[Tone]

September 1986. I had been to one or two flea markets. I had browsed through the "Official" Guide to collecting toys a couple years earlier. The newspaper contained an advertisement for a local toy show.

My search for a prop-jet 188 Electra like my long-lost toy had just begun. I came home with this one instead, the only plane on the tables as I recalled. Nikko Gangu brand (Toys Nomura - TN trade mark) 707 with the box. The box lid explains all the standard "actions" these toys performed, and it worked well.

The thing was probably around twenty years old then. That means I have owned it for over half of its life!

[fliegerii]

Hello Tony,

are you able to recall, what you paid for it in 1986?

There is currently a discussion in Germany ongoing about the value increase of tin toys within the last 20 years. It has been observed, that many (not all!) low and medium priced toys did not climb up, some even faded.

Only the high value toys further increased.

Regards,
Chris

[Tone]

I check closing prices for on-line auctions and the prices of toy planes, common and rare and in between, are "all over the place." What sells for a high price one day will be more reasonable the next time. The collectors are willing to pay very high prices for "mint in box" items. Collectors in Japan want US airplanes if they were made in Japan! There is a man in Turkey who overpays for tin jet liners such as this one. Some people who put high starting bids on their toys will have the items "return" for auction week after week.

[Tone]

Seen in the 1967 FAO Schwartz Christmas Wish book !