'Junk' garage sale toy fetches $800

This "insanely collectable" toy fetched $800 at auction. Photo / supplied

A Whangarei woman who couldn't get rid of an old toy at a garage sale that she was given with a box of junk has sold it for $800 on Trade Me.

Maria Easterbrook was given the Timpo Wild West Collection stagecoach toy - complete with its original box - but said she had no idea of its value.

She tried to pawn the toy off at a garage sale after deeming it wouldn't be suitable for her two-year-old son, but to no avail, so then optimistically listed the toy on Trade Me with a reserve of $10.

A Trade Me spokesman said she later discovered the toy was "insanely collectable" as it was a rare New Zealand-made version of a British toy and Ms Easterbrook went on to sell the toy on Wednesday night to an Auckland-based buyer for a massive $800.

On the listing Ms Easterbrook suggested the toy would "be great as a cake topper, or a table decoration for a cowboy party".

However, an astute toy aficionado informed her that with a value of around $1000, putting the toy on top of a cake was probably not the best idea.

Ms Easterbrook said she later contacted the man who gave her the toy who was "completely shocked" also.

She said it was the man's son's and she was planning on returning him the proceeds of the auction, minus the success fees.

The man said he would donate the money to Purua school, she said, adding "this feels so cool".

NZME. bm