How to find Dr Who toys that will soar in value How can fans of the TV show cash in on their memorabilia? Emma Simon finds out. 19 3 0 0 22 Email Original Doctor Who Daleks In 2005 an original Dalek sold at auction for £36,000 Photo: Christopher Jones for the Telegraph Emma Simon By Emma Simon 7:45AM BST 15 Oct 2013 CommentsComment Armed with nothing more than a sink plunger and unable to tackle stairs, the Daleks might seem an unlikely alien threat. But these Doctor Who stalwarts are not only still waging war on our television screens 50 years later, they have become one of the most collectable items associated with the show. In 2005 an original Dalek sold at auction for £36,000; when this same model was sold 20 years previously it went under the hammer for just £4,600. Not all Daleks will fetch such a high price, but many sell for between £15,000 and £20,000. Part of their attraction is the fact that they have become iconic symbols of the show. As Stephanie Connell, head of the entertainment memorabilia department at Bonhams, pointed out, even if youve never been a Doctor Who fan, you probably know what a Dalek looks and sounds like. Ms Connell said that, when it came to valuation, much would depend on the period they are from and the condition they are in. Older models are rarer and therefore more likely to fetch a higher price but, as many of the early props were made on a budget, few pristine examples survive. (The Dalek Supreme that sold for £36,000 had been blown up in an earlier episode and patched up for later appearances.) In contrast, the doctors other arch-enemy, the Cybermen, are not quite so valuable, although they can still fetch a decent price at auction. Bonhams has sold Cybermen costumes for £8,400 and £9,600 in recent years. Related Articles The Dandy edition thats now worth £20,000 25 Nov 2013 Investing in film posters: which have made the most money? 05 Dec 2014 Royal baby memorabilia that has soared in value 14 Jul 2013 The rock memorabilia that has soared in value 03 Jul 2013 Mistakes on stamps that make them worth a fortune 06 Oct 2013 Quiz: how well do you know Doctor Who? 09 Oct 2013 The Cybermen are one of the Doctors most persistent enemies Stephen Griffiths, a lecturer in film, television and radio studies at Staffordshire University, said: The most collectable items are from the late Sixties, when Dalek-mania took off. It is the Daleks that have appeared on screen that fetch the best prices; replicas or toy Daleks dont get anywhere near these prices although there still is a market for these items. You may not have the room, or the inclination, to house a life-size Dalek but there are many other Doctor Who items that have risen in value in recent years. Mr Griffiths said screen presence was key. Items associated with the original series, be it props, costumes, scripts or even costume designs, are the most collectable. He added that Tom Baker appeared to be the most collectable doctor, although items associated with the three earlier doctors – William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee – also fetched a good price. Items associated with particular episodes that were favourites of fans and critics can attract sizeable sums. A headpiece worn by a character (Sharaz Jek) in Peter Davisons final episode, The Caves of Androzani, recently sold for almost £5,000 at auction, despite having an estimated sale price of between £600 and £800. Of course, you need to be a true Whovian (or trawl the websites and fanzines dedicated to the show) to know which episodes are likely to have this additional kudos. Alexandra Looseley-Saul started collecting Doctor Who memorabilia in the early Eighties, and now runs The Who Shop in West Ham, London. She said you rarely saw the same items being sold more than once. Most were originally owned by production staff before being sold to fans and collectors. People who buy them tend to hang onto them. They want a piece of the series and they are in no rush to sell. She said prices had been boosted by the shows return, and the fact that there were serious collectors both here and in America. In 2010 Bonhams held a dedicated Doctor Who auction which included a number of lots associated with more recent series, plus the Torchwood and Sarah Jane spin-offs. Ms Connell said: We sold one of David Tennants costumes for £5,000, while a suit worn by Matt Smith in an episode screened the previous year sold for £2,625. Are people buying these items now hoping to see the same kind of appreciation in value that has happened to props from the Hartnell and Baker years? Ms Connell said it was difficult to tell. She said most items were bought by fans who wanted to own a piece of the show, rather than make money from it. There are now far more of these items available, which may be a brake on future price rises. Many of the Doctor Who items that are due to appear in Bonhams latest entertainment auction, which will be held on December 18, are being sold by the BBC, which appears to have finally realised the value of items associated with the show. Ms Connell added: There is now an established market for sci-fi memorabilia. Doctor Who props and costumes may not fetch the huge sums that we see with some key Star Wars and Star Trek memorabilia but it is a show that has wide appeal. We have eight-year-olds and 80-year-olds looking around the auction house when we have Doctor Who sales. Whether you are buying from an auction house, a specialist shop or a private buyer, two factors are key: provenance and condition. Alexandra Looseley-Saul, who runs The Who Shop, said: If you can verify that an item appeared on screen, then this is likely to appeal to collectors. If it was worn or connected to one of the main actors or assistants, this will add to its value. She added that Tom Baker shines head and shoulders above the rest. But Stephen Griffiths, a lecturer in film studies, pointed out that some collectors focused on one particular doctor or era. People need to check such verification carefully, though. William Hartnell signatures are particularly sought after, especially on BBC postcards. But a lot of fakes exist, as his wife, Heather, used to sign on his behalf later in his life. Similarly, rarity has pushed up the price of autographs by Roger Delgado, the first actor to play the Master, who died in a car crash in Turkey in 1973, at the height of his popularity. Verified autographs can fetch between £800 and £1,000. As well as props from the series, toys and merchandise from the Sixties and Seventies also have some value to collectors, provided that they are in mint condition. As with other toys, those that are in original boxes command a higher value. Mr Griffiths said: The BBC didnt realise the series marketing potential at first, so only a relatively limited number of items were produced. He added that a Scorpion Automotives 1964 blue dalek playsuit, for example, in its original TARDIS box would be worth around £5,000 today. The factory that was manufacturing them burnt down, so few made it into the shops. Similarly, a Seventies Denys Fisher Tom Baker-era action figure, with Leela (the Doctors savage assistant, played by Louise Jameson), would be worth between £400 and £500 today, if still in its box. But dont expect anything with a Dr Who logo to make money. Mr Griffiths said: Its best to stay clear of toys or merchandise that has been mass produced in recent times. Many fans are collecting these, and keeping them in good condition, so it is unlikely they will appreciate in value. Ms Looseley-Saul added: We sell a lot of what I would call pocket money stuff for the kids. They like to buy it but it is unlikely to be collectable in future. However, there is a market for high-quality items where only a very limited number are produced. She said she recently bought a limited edition sonic screwdriver for $200 (£125) in the US, which she says buyers are already offering to buy for $500. Dr Who items at auction Dalek Supreme: £36,000 (from Destiny of the Daleks, 1979, and Revelation of the Daleks, 1984) Cyberman costume: £9,600 (featured in two episodes in the Eighties) Captain Jacks (Torchwood) Range Rover: £18,000 Auton head mask: £5,145 (from Terror of the Autons, 1971) Scorpion Automotives 1964 blue dalek playsuit: £5,000 David Tennant suit: £5,040 (worn in Christmas special) Waitress outfit worn by Kylie Minogue: £3,120 The Malus head mask: £,3000 (from Eighties episode The Awakening) Magma Beast costume: £1,560 (1984) Kroll costumes: £780 (1978) Sea Devil costume: £2,040 (1984) What to look out for when buying memorabilia Whether you are buying from an auction house, a specialist shop or a private buyer, two factors are key: provenance and condition. Alexandra Looseley-Saul, who runs The Who Shop, said: “If you can verify that an item appeared on screen, then this is likely to appeal to collectors. If it was worn or connected to one of the main actors or assistants, this will add to its value. ” She added that Tom Baker “shines head and shoulders above the rest”. But Stephen Griffiths, a lecturer in film studies, pointed out that some collectors focused on one particular doctor or era. People need to check such verification carefully, though. William Hartnell signatures are particularly sought after, especially on BBC postcards. But a lot of fakes exist, as his wife, Heather, used to “sign” on his behalf later in his life. Similarly, rarity has pushed up the price of autographs by Roger Delgado, the first actor to play the Master, who died in a car crash in Turkey in 1973, at the height of his popularity. Verified autographs can fetch between £800 and £1,000. As well as props from the series, toys and merchandise from the Sixties and Seventies also have some value to collectors, provided that they are in mint condition. As with other toys, those that are in original boxes command a higher value. Mr Griffiths said: “The BBC didn’t realise the series’ marketing potential at first, so only a relatively limited number of items were produced.” He added that a Scorpion Automotives 1964 blue dalek playsuit, for example, in its original TARDIS box would be worth around £5,000 today. The factory that was manufacturing them burnt down, so few made it into the shops. Similarly, a Seventies Denys Fisher Tom Baker-era action figure, with Leela (the Doctor’s savage assistant, played by Louise Jameson), would be worth between £400 and £500 today, if still in its box. But don’t expect anything with a Dr Who logo to make money. Mr Griffiths said: “It’s best to stay clear of toys or merchandise that has been mass produced in recent times. Many fans are collecting these, and keeping them in good condition, so it is unlikely they will appreciate in value.” Ms Looseley-Saul added: “We sell a lot of what I would call pocket money stuff for the kids. They like to buy it but it is unlikely to be collectable in future. However, there is a market for high-quality items where only a very limited number are produced.” She said she recently bought a limited edition sonic screwdriver for $200 (£125) in the US, which she says buyers are already offering to buy for $500 Lance Meenach
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