The Thrill of the Hunt
One of the questions I get asked the most is, "Where do you find all of these toys?"
The answer is... just about everywhere.
Op shops, Facebook Marketplace, Trade Me, auctions, private collections—you never really know where the next great find will come from. That's part of what makes it so exciting.
People often imagine every sourcing trip ends with a car full of incredible vintage toys, but the reality is a little different. Sometimes I come home with almost nothing. It can be disappointing, but that's just part of the hunt.
The funny thing is, it only takes one great find to completely turn the day around.
Sometimes you walk into a place and can almost feel that there's something special waiting to be found. Other times, it comes down to experience. A quick glance at a shelf or the corner of a box is often all it takes for a trained eye to spot something that most people would walk straight past.
Of course, I've had the opposite happen too. If I'm in a rush and don't look properly, I've definitely missed things over the years. Every collector has.
One of my favourite finds of all time was a boxed 1980s Strawberry Shortcake Strawberryland Deluxe Miniature Peach Blush. It wasn't mint, but it was still an incredible piece and eventually found a new home for $7,000.
Another favourite was a beautiful pink Foley tea set that sold for $400. It's not always about the highest value, though. Some finds are memorable simply because they're so unexpected or because you know exactly how much they'll mean to the right person.
People often ask how often I come home empty-handed.
Honestly, not very often. I'd say only around 10% of my sourcing trips end without finding something worth bringing home. Even if it's just one item, there's usually an opportunity if you're willing to look.
When I'm out hunting, my eyes are always drawn to older toys from the '80s and '90s. Those are the ones that make me stop and take a closer look, especially if I know they're something my customers would love to see again.
That's probably the biggest difference between sourcing for myself and sourcing for PPW.
Yes, I still get excited by the hunt, but these days I'm often thinking about someone else. I'll spot a toy and immediately think, "I know exactly who's been looking for this."
That's a pretty special feeling.
The hunt isn't really about finding valuable toys.
It's about the excitement of discovering something unexpected, the temptation to keep everything for yourself... and then the joy of passing those treasures on to someone who's been searching for them.
That's what keeps me coming back, and I don't think that'll ever change.
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What has been your favourite op shop, garage sale or marketplace find? I'd love to hear your story in the comments.