The Energon Pub

Anyone collect these charming toys? If so, what do you have? If not, would you want to buy them and what kinds/genre's would you be most interested in?

For those who don't know what they are, as their name implies, they're made of tin and usually come with a key to wind them up. Some have plastic knobs though. Personally I like the keys. Not all tin toys require winding however (ex: a space ship I have has an internal mechanism that activates when the nose is pushed in, at which point it'll stand up as if ready to blast off). They've been around for decades. My grandfather had them growing up xD Sadly they were left behind when he moved as a child And my dad doesn't have his either. Boo! Some of the vintage one go for a nice shiny penny! And they're pretty cool to look at too.

example of modern tin toys:


(ignore Topspin, he's just chillin' with his metal non-Transformer brothers xD)



I've been trying to start a collection. Have 6 at the moment but would love more. Problem is find them :/ All but one of them I got when on vacation and stumbled upon small privately owned toy stores. The single exception was a birthday present a few years ago, which got me in the kick of wanting them... and not being able to afford them (or any collection really) because I was entering college xP

I like to try and handle the toys before I buy so I can get a nice feel for them and really get a good look at their design and details. Same reason I prefer getting Transformers in a store rather than online, though the difference is every tin toy I've bought I was allowed to physically take out of the box (or the clerk took out for me) and tinker with a bit. Gonna have to break that habit though if I want more of these guys. There aren't any small toys stores near me D; It's rather depressing.

You reminded me of this:

Lamo. If I was a kid back then that thing would have either scared the crap out of me or I'd have loved it xD