One of my many faults (so I’ve been told) is that I collect to many things. I collect Coca-Cola items, UT Vols items, movies, music albums (both vinyl and CD), Jack Daniels items, I even collect film boxes from work because they are a good size to store things in - like my CD’s that I don’t play very often. I have to some small degree collected things that are Volkswagen over the years. I have a belt buckle (that I wore out), a metal print of a vintage VW convertible, and what may be my most unusual VW paraphenalia is a small framed Volkswagen that is made entirely out of brass nuts, bolts, springs, gears and what-not.
Now though I have discovered that I have been bitten by the collecting bug once more! Since becoming a member of the Scenic City Volks Folks I have engaged in the systematic search and recovery at WalMart and a myriad other stores, for Volkswagen toys. Oh, I’m definitely not an expert at it. Used to be I’d go to WalMart and spend hours combing through the discount movie bin. I still do that but now I also spend hours combing through the toy aisles and racks looking for VW toys. I have no idea as to the value of any of the VW toys I purchase other than thier sticker price. I’ve got Johnny Lightning VW’s, Hot Wheels VW’s, Matchbox VW’s. I’ve got metal model VW Samba’s, new beetles, old beetles, collector VW’s - I got lucky and satisfied both my Coca-Cola collecting and VW toy collecting when I bought a Matchbox Collector Series Volkswagen Van.
I realized that I truly was smitten with the collecting bug when after the August Volks Folks meeting I saw a model Herbie in the box sitting on the dash of Herb’s Eurovan. I began to salivate. I immediately started shopping even harder for that same model. Actually two of them because I would have to put it together once I got it to truly enjoy it. Well, I’m still shopping and looking.
Judging from some of the posts I’ve read on the club’s on-line forum, my collecting bug is minor-league compared to others like Herb and Zen. They must have separate houses to store all of thiers!
The hard part about collecting these toys however is that I can’t take them out and play with them. The little boy in me is craving to do so but the adult in me realizes that they have value beyond thier sticker price if they are left unopened. Well at least I hope they will eventually have value beyond the sticker price.
But then I realized that the real collectors are the ones who own and drive the actual thing. One day I hope to be a true collector on par with Zen, Herb, Anthony & Misty, Lamar & Cindy and everyone else in the club who has a stable of Volkswagens. One for every day of the month is my goal! Okay, I’ll settle for one for every day of the week!

- Charlton
a.k.a. “bugz”