SINGAPORE — For Singapore-based Lau Teck Kheng, his love of toys has now spawned into a thriving business.
Lau started selling vintage figurines with his friends on Sundays in 2005 while working a full-time job as a technician.
“For many of us born in the 1970s, we are not so rich to buy a lot of toys, but now, we are around the 40s mark, and have a bit of cash and so we try to buy back the memories,” he told CNBC.
“When the selling started to gain traction with customers, I decided why not, I will try to do this full-time.”
Since opening his brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Singapore 15 years ago, revenue grew slowly but steadily.
His store, Past Time Collectable, sells collectables from hit franchises such as Ultraman, Macross, Robotech, M.A.S.K and Power Rangers and prices range from as little as $4 to as much as $3,800.
While traditional investments such as stocks and real estate are more common, some people view vintage toys as a unique, fun, and potentially profitable asset class.
The rules of trade
Toy investment for many is often, first and foremost a hobby and a passion.
Figurine collector Dennis Pek has collected more than 2,000 toys in the past two decades.
He has scoured flea markets, online website and auctions, and shops around the world for beloved collectables from his favorite shows.
He told CNBC he only resells to reorganize and update his collection.
“I have probably invested about $80,000 on my collection, but I do it mostly because I love it,” he told CNBC.
“But I guess, the value of these items together, they are worth a lot and they are sort of an asset for the future.”
He believes the value of second-hand toys comes from how well the figurines are preserved, how unique the pieces are — especially sets which had been originally produced in very small quantities.
Collectors often seek items still in their original packaging, with some finding joy in merely owning the box.
“Some people buy the toys, and they don’t even open it up,” explains Lau. “They say they just feel happy to just see the box and have the things inside.”
Trends
Founder and CEO of MINT Museum of Toys, Chang Yang Fa, privately owns more than 50,000 pieces of collectibles, with about 10% of them on display at his museum in central Singapore.
Chang told CNBC about the generational shifts in collecting preferences he has observed. “Different periods collect different things but generally speaking, most of the popular toys are character toys,” he said.
He added that vintage toy collecting first began taking off at the beginning of the 20th century and loyal fans continue to seek out toys from big franchises such as Marvel or Naruto, as well as more “niche” films and shows.
“Like Star Wars or Barbie, people are wanting to buy back memories and that creates demand in the reseller market,” Chang said.
“Also, the [Covid-19] pandemic, where more people worked from home. I believe many wanted to make their working spaces a bit more conducive and so would decorate and buy things like figurines and so on, creating a bit of a trend of kidults buying more toys for themselves.”
Adults, or “kidults,” are a driving force behind the sales growth of new toys.
Data from advisory firm Circana, formerly NPD, found people aged 18 and above accounted for 14% of U.S. toy sales for the 12 months to September 2022 — that metric saw a 19% increase compared to 2021.
“There is a synergy between vintage toys and modern re-launches such as GI Joe, Masters of the Universe, Strawberry Shortcake and so on,” said James Zahn, editor-in-chief of “The Toy Book” and senior editor of “The Toy Insider.”
Zahn said that Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Eternia Playset, which sold for around $100 new in the 1980s, now commands an average of $5,000 in its original box. The product is so sought after that Mattel mounted a crowdfunding campaign last year to produce a new version of it that will ship in 2024.
Correction: This story has been updated with the correct spelling of Lau Teck Kheng’s name.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
