How it works

1. Send me photos

Don't clean, sort or identify anything. Just take everything out of boxes and photograph it in groups so I can see it all, including small accessories.

Phone photos in ordinary light are fine. If something looks interesting I might ask for one closer shot, but usually I won't need to.

2. My reply: a firm offer, or an honest no

I look through your photos personally and reply to everyone, and most people hear back within a day. If your toys are right for me, you'll get a firm cash offer with the postage amount broken out, so you can see exactly what covers your Royal Mail costs and what's for the toys. Firm means firm: it's the price I pay, not an opening position.

And if they're not right for me, I'll say so quickly and politely, and where I can I'll point you somewhere better: an auction house, a specialist, or just "keep them, they're lovely". A fair share of my replies are exactly that, and I'd rather send an honest no than an insulting offer.

3. Your decision: no chasing, no pressure

Take your time. Sleep on it, talk to the family, ask me questions. The offer doesn't expire the moment you close the email, and I don't do follow-up nudges. If the answer's no, no hard feelings; you'll not hear from me again unless you get in touch.

4. Packing and posting

Happy with the offer? Pack everything in a sturdy box, bagging loose figures and accessories so they don't get lost, then fill any gaps with scrunched-up paper. Simple packing tips come with every offer, too.

Send it using a tracked Royal Mail service (the postage amount in your offer covers this) and keep your proof of postage. Thousands of collectors post toys to one another every week; packed sensibly, they travel perfectly well.

If you have a very large collection, get in touch first and we'll work out the best way to handle it.

5. Arrival and same-day payment

I'll confirm the day your parcel arrives. Once I've checked everything over (same day, almost always) the money goes to you by bank transfer and I'll let you know it's on its way. No cheques, no vouchers, no waiting for month-end.

One more thing, because it's the question people are too polite to ask: what if the toys aren't quite what the photos showed? My offers already allow for the odd missing part or bit of playwear, so in almost every case I simply pay what I offered. In the rare case something significant is different, I'll explain exactly what, and you choose: a revised offer, or I return everything to you free of charge. Your toys never get stuck in limbo.