Ronnie Proctor, owner of Proctor Auctions, spent the day auctioning off 753 lots from the Southland collector’s extensive collection.
Spanning over eight decades, the collector amassed more than 7500 Matchbox cars, starting his collection at the young age of 6 and continuing until his recent passing in his 80s.
Out of the 753 lots, 740 were sold at the auction to either the 20 bidders present on-site or the 555 who participated online from countries such as New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
One of the highlights of the auction was a Volkswagen racer paired with another car that fetched the highest bid of $750, while a few tanks sold for around $600 each.
According to Proctor, the auction attracted a number of avid Matchbox car collectors who were previously unknown in the community.
The collection showcased cars from various eras, ranging from the 1950s to the 2000s, with some rare and valuable pieces that the collector had acquired over his lifetime.
The extensive collection, which was spread throughout every room in the collector’s home, had to be transported from Invercargill to Dunedin in a large truck.
Interestingly, New Zealand and Australia received unique variants of Matchbox cars, unlike the standard black and brown models distributed in the US and UK, which often drew international collectors to this region.
Overall, the auction was a success for both Proctor Auctions and the vendor, showcasing the passion and dedication that went into curating such a remarkable collection.
Contact mark.john@odt.co.nz for more information.
