I usually attend the toy fairs, taking place at Bolton Wanderer’s football ground (around four times a year).
I’ve been to quite a few, on the basis of seeing what’s about, what’s available and what’s decent value.
I’ve paid extra for the early attendance, I’ve gone around mid-time and tried late attendance, all to see where the best value is.

The main thing I’ve noticed, is a distinct lack of value.
Take my last visit.
Meccano sets, used to go for £15-£20 if complete, £10 if only most parts were in the box.
At the last sale they were asking ridiculous prices, £30 for a set that was only three-quarters full and no screws or nuts. The box was tatty and torn.

Another seller had an older Meccano set from the 1960s, that was complete in a wooden-tray style box.
– How much are you asking for the Meccano set please?
“I’m asking around £800 for it, including the box!”
– Really?
“I’ve been offered over £200 for the wooden tray box on it’s own already!”
– Think I’ll leave it then.

The same sets are listed online websites for under £200.

One thing apparent was that the number of stalls, set up by people having a clear out of old toys/books, was distinctly lacking.
These are the bread & butter of toy fairs, they are the main sources of good value, you can barter with the stall holders, you can bargain on price and you get some real gems come up.
Not this time.
Toy dealers everywhere.

Some of the toy lines they are pushing are not really “vintage” nor are they good value.
Playmobil was mass produced and many sets and pieces have been available online for years, for nominal amounts, affordable to most.
Now, they too have been deemed, “Vintage” and the dealers are pushing up the prices.
Artificially inflated.
£40 for a 1990s set, that is up for sale online for £25 with many sellers, shows a lack of value.

The amount of times I heard, “Yeh they were my old toys I got down from the attic…” yet when I asked if the set was complete, they didn’t seem to know what was in the set.
Now as a child, any toy sets of any kind, I always knew the full contents.
A big loader construction set being a prime example.
despite the toy set belonging to the seller, “For years!” and being recently, “Brought down from the attic…” the seller was completely unaware of THE main content of the set, around twenty black marbles!
The set had just one single marble and it wasn’t even black!
When I pointed this out, he became very sheepish and offered to drop the price by £5 to “Just £25”

Now I know that it’s a trading world out there, profit is their main interest, but value is mine and I don’t appreciate being lied to.

This is happening more and more, both online and in person at the fairs.
There’s another big toy fair on tomorrow, needless to say, I will not be attending tomorrow, or in the foreseeable future, which is a shame.