What do HMKT customers collect?

At HMKT, we have been active in the world of scale model cars since 2005. That’s quite some time already, and over the years we’ve had the pleasure of supplying many collectors with beautiful scale models. In addition to our extensive webshop, we also have a large, well-stocked physical store in Bergeijk, where we’ve welcomed countless collectors.

Although the vast majority of our customers place their orders online, it’s always a real pleasure when collectors visit our physical store, because then we also get to hear the stories behind their collections.

We notice that many collectors try to focus on a single theme, because otherwise the collection can quickly get out of hand. The range of scale models has grown enormously over the past 20 years. Where in the late 1990s there were only a handful of manufacturers, today there are dozens.

For a beginning collector, this abundance can be overwhelming. One scale model is more beautiful than the next, and as a collector you’d like to own them all — but of course, that’s impossible.

For beginner collectors, this blog may be helpful. The following examples from HMKT customers might inspire you to shape your own collection.

• Max Verstappen:
  A hugely popular theme among our collectors is, of course, Max Verstappen. We’ve noticed that his scale models are especially popular with the younger generation, resulting in a large group of new collectors. The range of Max Verstappen models is enormous, with plenty of choice — from standard 1:43 and 1:18 scales to large 1:12 models, and from budget-friendly Bburago models to the more exclusive Minichamps and Spark versions.

• Taxis:
  One of our customers has chosen the unique theme of taxis. Because of frequent work travel around the world, this customer often rides in taxis. Every country has its own iconic taxi types, which eventually became the theme of his collection. From Thailand’s famous tuktuks and the Philippines’ tricycle taxis, to the iconic London taxi, beige German taxis, and the famous yellow cabs of the United States.

• Cars they own(ed):
  Another popular direction is collecting miniature versions of cars one currently owns or has owned. These collectors often don’t closely follow new releases in the model car world but instead search specifically for that one model to complete their personal collection.

• Car brands:
  Many loyal customers have a passion for a particular car brand, such as BMW, Porsche, or Lamborghini. Often, they also choose a specific scale (for example, only 1:43 or 1:18).

• Model brands:
  This collecting theme is most often seen among truck model collectors. For example, WSI Models produces highly detailed miniatures, usually in 1:50 scale. Since the number of manufacturers producing 1:50 truck models is limited, collectors often choose one brand, stay loyal to it, and build their collection around it.

At HMKT, we always strive to offer a varied assortment, so that there’s something to find for every collection.