Vintage toy nets $156,000 at auction: Why was it so valuable?
Share and Follow

(WJW) – A rare collection of antique toys and trains earned more than $2.5 million at an auction in late May, with the highest-valued toy going for $156,000.

The collection came from world-renowned antique dealer Tom Sage Sr., of Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to a press release from Morphy Auctions. Sage had started collecting Lionel trains in the 1960s, his obituary explained, and his collection grew to include tin toys, mechanical banks, and boats.

“He had an eye for the finest things and only kept an item if it was in excellent condition,” per his obituary in The Morning Call.

The collection was available May 29 through Pennsylvania-based Morphy Auctions and included nearly 300 items. The item that fetched the single highest price was a 1904 Ferris Wheel made by the revered German firm Marklin.

This Marklin Ferris Wheel, circa-1904, is one of only a handful known to exist. (Morphy Auctions)

“One of only three or four of its type known to exist, it was likely the nicest of that elite handful of survivors, retaining its six original gondolas, attractive stained glass, and original figures,” read the release. “It had passed down through the family of a gentleman who worked for a Brooklyn department store and had received the toy when the business closed down sometime before World War I. Its auction ride concluded at a buoyant $156,000.”

A clockwork-powered Marklin toy boat and a detailed Marklin limousine were also highly coveted items, going for $79,950 and $72,000, respectively, at auction.

“Part II” of the toy lot is going up for bid with Morphy Auctions in October.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Gaza Peace Negotiations Continue on War’s Second Anniversary

CAIRO – Peace talks between Israel and Hamas were resuming at an…

Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri Discuss Romance, Deception, and University Life in ‘After the Hunt’

VENICE – Andrew Garfield would like everyone to know about his gesticulating.…

‘Urbana Business Marks a Century and Looks Forward to the Next 100 Years’

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — A Central Illinois business celebrated a milestone over…

Key Information on Former LSU Receiver Kyren Lacy and the Latest Video Release of a Fatal Highway Crash

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana state police have released video evidence in…

Labor Report Highlights Steady Job Growth and Rising Prices in the South

ATLANTA () — A new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics…

Trump confirms Diddy asked for a pardon

(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump has confirmed that Sean “Diddy” Combs had…

Paralympian Transforms Challenges into Gold Medal Success

DAVENPORT, Iowa — If Kevin McKee’s gold medals could talk, they would…

Are your kids always saying '6-7?' Here's what it means

(NEXSTAR) — Just when you thought your children had moved on from…