Frankly Nerd News #9 (Plus Two Top 10 Lists That Will Blow Your Mind) I’m not here to just tell you what the most expensive collectibles are, I’d like to get a little bit into why they become so expensive. Collecting has always lived at the crossroads of nostalgia, culture, and investment — but in the last decade, the collectibles market has transformed into a global powerhouse. Comics, trading cards, toys, coins, and even stamps have shattered auction records, proving that f

Frankly Nerd News #8 Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I’m not here to pretend like television didn’t always influence collecting, but it’s undeniable that streaming has changed and accelerated everything. Streaming didn’t just change how we watch TV — it changed how we connect . And in the world of collectibles, connection is everything. At Toyrat, we’ve watched this shift unfold across our community: a show drops on Friday, and by Monday the comments are full of people hunting

Frankly Nerd News #7 Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I’m not here to be a psychologist, I just play one on TV. If you understood that reference you might (hopefully) like this next part. Every collector remembers their first grail, that first object they covet so much that they’re willing to go above and beyond to get it. My first grail is a bit unorthodox. It was a Popeye doll, hand-sewn by my lovely and talented mother. I was a young kindergartner who loved Popeye and was mo

Frankly Nerd News #6 10 Rare Toys You Might Actually Own (Check Your Attic!) Hidden treasures from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s that could be worth real money Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I’m not here to talk about pieces that most of us have no chance of ever owning. Not every valuable toy is a five figure prototype locked away in a collector’s vault. Some of them are sitting in old toy chests, thrift stores, or your parents’ basement — quietly gaining value while gatheri

Frankly Nerd News #5 The Top 10 Rarest Toys Ever Made A Collector’s Guide to the Holy Grails of Pop Culture Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I’m not here to play around with the word “rare”. In this case, we’re talking pieces that most of us will never see with our own eyes, let alone own such a treasure. That list “Top 10 Rare Toys You Might Own” will be coming next time! Some toys are rare because they were prototypes. Some because they were mistakes. And some because they we

Frankly Nerd News #4 Custom Figures vs. Licensed Toys: Creativity Meets Collectibility Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I'm not here to try to claim that one side of this topic is better than the other. They're both great, but even more than that, any kind of collecting is what you make of it. What it makes you feel, the joy it gives you, and the satisfaction you feel when you finally get that grail you've been searching for. Collecting toys isn’t just about shelves full of fig

Frankly Nerd News #3 Digital vs. Physical Collecting Which Side of the Shelf Are You On? Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I'm not here to pass judgement on how anyone collects what they love. The important things are the feelings you get while engaging with your collection. It's not more or less "valid" depending on the format you prefer. Collecting has always been about passion, nostalgia, and the thrill of the hunt. But in today’s geek culture, the battlefield has expanded

Frankly Nerd News #2 The Evolving Face Of Media Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I'm not here to argue specifics about the current state of comic books. I've seen stories saying comic book sales are in the toilet and other stories saying that comic book sales are stronger than ever. I don't own stock in Disney or Warner Bros. Discovery or any of the other companies so I'm not particularly invested in sales figures. What I know for sure is that sales aren't what they were in 199

Frankly Nerd News #1 The Trump Who Stole Christmas? Tariffs and Toys: Let Suffer the Little Children Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here. I'm not here to get political. I want to make that very clear. I'm sure that all of you don't want to read a political screed and frankly (no pun intended), I don't want to write one. We’re here to talk about toys- and why this holiday season, your favorite collectibles might be harder to find, pricier than expected, or stuck in shipping limbo. T