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http://www.parentdish.com/2009/03/06/11-year-old-11k-richer-after-selling-happy-meals-collection/ You know all those annoying little toys that come with Happy Meals at McDonald's? If you're like me, you've probably got some rolling around underthe seat of your car right now. Before you fish them out and toss them, you might want to reconsider. As one savvy 11-year-old boy proved yesterday, justbecause the toys are free doesn't mean they're worthless.
Luke Underwood from Notts, England, turned his own Happy Meal collection into a tidy sum of cash when he sold it at auction for an astonishing £8,130(that's over $11,000)! The Mail Online reports his 7,000-piece collection of Mickey D's promotional items -- toys, boxes, posters andmore -- was sold in 300 lots to buyers from around the world, proving the Happy Meal slogan true: Do you believe in magic? Not only did Luke keep hiscollection from gathering dust on a shelf, he did not play with or touch the toys at all. Not once. Many items were in pristine condition inside their originalpackaging, including the only known complete set of the 101 Dalmatians. "This was one of the most unique collections ever to go on the market and theresponse was phenomenal," says Terry Woodcock, owner of the auction house where the sale took place.
It is estimated that 10,000 Happy Meals would have to have been eaten in order to amass such a collection. But before you head out to the drive-through, youshould know that Luke did not eat those meals himself. At the age of seven, he convinced his father to purchase another Happy Meals collection (datingfrom 1990 to 1999) for about $350. Four years later, after the collection began taking over the family home, he was persuaded to part with it.
"I didn't really want to sell it but now I'm planning on saving the money so I can buy something else like this and make some more money,"Luke counters.
If past performance is any indication, Luke should do quite well with his future investment plans. In fact, maybe he could give some advice to the pros on WallStreet.
Luke Underwood from Notts, England, turned his own Happy Meal collection into a tidy sum of cash when he sold it at auction for an astonishing £8,130(that's over $11,000)! The Mail Online reports his 7,000-piece collection of Mickey D's promotional items -- toys, boxes, posters andmore -- was sold in 300 lots to buyers from around the world, proving the Happy Meal slogan true: Do you believe in magic? Not only did Luke keep hiscollection from gathering dust on a shelf, he did not play with or touch the toys at all. Not once. Many items were in pristine condition inside their originalpackaging, including the only known complete set of the 101 Dalmatians. "This was one of the most unique collections ever to go on the market and theresponse was phenomenal," says Terry Woodcock, owner of the auction house where the sale took place.
It is estimated that 10,000 Happy Meals would have to have been eaten in order to amass such a collection. But before you head out to the drive-through, youshould know that Luke did not eat those meals himself. At the age of seven, he convinced his father to purchase another Happy Meals collection (datingfrom 1990 to 1999) for about $350. Four years later, after the collection began taking over the family home, he was persuaded to part with it.
"I didn't really want to sell it but now I'm planning on saving the money so I can buy something else like this and make some more money,"Luke counters.
If past performance is any indication, Luke should do quite well with his future investment plans. In fact, maybe he could give some advice to the pros on WallStreet.