It almost seems against logic to encourage others to collect toys and how to spot good ones.  In one sense, it helps the market by stimulating greater interest in the objects.  On the other hand, why help others to find the very toys I am looking for!? 

Bottom line for anyone that is interested in collecting is to find toys that you enjoy.  Obviously, their economic value is important, but I own many toys that are not considered "collectible" or have any real value for serious collectors.  One type of toy my wife and I collect are tin tricycles.  There are many very interesting ones that have been made over the years and from all over (Japan, Korea, China, Europe).  Older ones have celluloid "riders" which are great to collect.  Some are very rare, like the ones recently sold on EBAY that were made in Japan for the 40's Olympics that never happened due to war.  There are some really great examplese of these in the Kitahara toy museum in Yokohama, south of Tokyo if you ever get the chance to come to Japan.  Amazing collection and anyone not interested in old toys is sure to become interested after seeing his collection (and this is not even his good stuff I was told by the man himself!). 

Many tricycles can sell for between $10 and $50.  They really look great in a cabinet and an inexpensive way to have a great collection of cool, old toys that most kids today would have little interest in playing with (not to mention their fragile nature, sharp edges and probably toxic paint).  Nervous mothers around the world don't get it, but our grandparents certainly do. 

Tin toys represent a very short period of time in history where countries around the world were affected by war, materials costs, politics, etc.  They also represent a time for many countries that were gearing up for bigger things like making cars, computers and durable goods.  Kids in the 40's, 50's and 60's were all wanting for these types of toys.  But today, they are considered junk by most children.  I was showing my 8 year old nephew some of the toys that I own and he showed interest  as I put the batteries in and each toy did their own little thing.  Then he said, let's play with my Nintendo Wii.  Thus is the reality of toys today. 

So when you are shopping for a vintage tin toy, look for things that matter like the lithography, box art, animation action, wind-up or battery, uniqueness, cute-factor, etc.  But most of all, just buy something that you like and will be interested in.