Trenton

About Trenton

Trenton Hall - Founder and Diecast Enthusiast Trenton Hall is the founder and driving force behind Hallsguide. His journey into the world of diecast began as a childhood fascination, evolving into a lifelong passion. What started as a simple online price list for his personal Hot Wheels collection during his college years in 1998 has blossomed into one of the most trusted and comprehensive resources for diecast collectors worldwide. Trenton's vision for Hallsguide was to create more than just a price guide; he wanted to build a community where collectors could connect, share knowledge, and fuel their passion for diecast. His dedication to accuracy, insightful analysis, and engaging content has made Hallsguide a go-to destination for diecast enthusiasts of all levels. When he's not immersed in the world of diecast, Trenton enjoys spending time with family and working full-time as a computer science teacher and cross country & track coach. He believes that the joy of collecting lies not just in acquiring rare treasures but also in the connections forged within a passionate community. Fun Fact: Trenton also founded Diecast Republic in 2021 as a retail diecast store in Texas and found online at www.diecastrepublic.com

GreenLight’s New Product Theme is Front Cover News

This entry was posted in Blog Archives Gallery Posts GreenLight on by

1:64 ‘Zine Machine will feature vehicles off the front cover of your favorite automobile magazines

Indianapolis, IN (September 20, 2011) As a die cast manufacturer known for their authentic replication, GreenLight Collectibles takes pride in being 100% true to scale as well as accurate in all details.  Making sure that these fine and foremost features translate into 1:64th scale relies on a superior knowledge and appreciation of automobiles.

“You have to be a car guy in this industry”, said Russell Hughes; President of GreenLight, “Without the passion for automobile history and proficiency in car specifications you will not be able to span the difference from toy to credible automotive enthusiast collectible.”  The GreenLight staff ensures that they stay up to date with car trends through news sources and more specifically – magazines.   “Car magazines give a variety of opinions, from the engineer to critic to consumer,” mentions Kevin Davey, Founder of GreenLight, “Offering enthusiasts a reference to obscure information builds an overall essential resource for car guys who crave cold hard facts.”

With automobile knowledge as the foundation of GreenLight, the company has created an entire product theme under the GreenLight Entertainment Line that highlights this importance.  ‘Zine Machines will include six cars that have graced the cover of our favorite car magazines throughout the years.
1:64 ‘Zine Machines Series 1 Assortment includes the following:

1964 Chevrolet Chevelle – Super Chevy (March 2009)

1968 Chevrolet Corvette – Hot Rod Magazine (October 1967)

1970 Dodge Challenger – Hot Rod Magazine (March 2011)

1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am – MotorTrend (December 1978)

2006 Ford Shelby GT500 MotorTrend (May 2005)

2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 – Automobile Magazine (June 2005)

An extra set of licensing agreements had to be obtained for the ‘Zine Machines line-up.  Each magazine featured in Series 1 was pursued for the use of their title as well as the specific volume/issue.  The packaging for ‘Zine Machines will include an image of the actual magazine cover above the 1:64 replica of the featured automobile.

These 1:64 die-cast replicas feature detailed engines, real rubber tires, metal body and chassis, detailed graphics, production serialized numbering and are officially licensed by their respective auto manufacturers and Entertainment Titles. The release is scheduled for October/ November 2011 and will be available through official GreenLight official hobby shops and wholesale dealers, as well as at Toys R Us and Meijer.   For more information about GreenLight’s up-coming releases or the other quality collectibles from GreenLight, visit http://www.greenlightcollectibles.com.

GreenLight® Collectibles is a premier manufacturer and marketer of officially licensed, authentic die-cast replica vehicles and automobile enthusiast’s prodcuts. GreenLight die-cast replicas are available in 1:18, 1:24 and 1:64 scale and are officially licensed by General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Group LLC, Carroll Shelby Licensing, Warner Bros® Entertainment Inc and the Chadwick McQueen and The Terry McQueen Testamentary Trust, CBS, Universal Studios, Mecum Auto Auction, IZOD IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Grand-Am Road Racing Association, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Bridgestone Americas and more!

2009 Matchbox Price Guides Added

This entry was posted in Blog Archives Hot Wheels Matchbox on by

The 2009 Matchbox Series price guides are live and online.  I am currently working my way backwards through all the Matchbox years.  The addition of the 2009 Series gives us three complete series of Matchbox in the price guides.  Stay tuned as I continue to update the Hot Wheels Redline Series and add to the Matchbox series.  An update to the 2011 Hot Wheels is on the way as well as I will be adding more variations and updated pricing on those.

Diecast Errors 68

This entry was posted in Blog Archives Gallery Posts Hot Wheels on by

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is:  “How much is this diecast error worth?”  The answer is:  It varies.  Most are worth a couple of dollars more than a non-error although some may approach the $100 mark.  It really depends on the error.  More sought-after castings will command a premium for their errors and common castings will demand less.  One of the more popular errors, lately, has been the no-tampo error.  Some castings, especially muscle cars, just look cleaner with no tampos and these are often popular errors on the secondary market.

Wheel errors are another type of error frequently seen.  These include mismatched wheels or as is often the case, all small wheels or all large wheels, when the back wheels are normally larger.  Here is a recent example of an all-large wheels error found on a Ford GT.  This one sticks out like a sore thumb as the front wheels are way to large on the top car.

Another type of common error is when the car inside doesn’t match the blisterpack.  This Pontiac GTO showed up in on a Treadator card.

I personally think the GTO is a better casting but it’s an interesting piece regardless.

Oftentimes an error will get confused for a variation but they aren’t the same.  A variation is when something on the casting or packaging is intentionally changed.  Variations often carry a higher premium because many people will buy them to complete their sets, or they may try to buy every variation of a certain casting.

Either way, collect what you enjoy and you can’t go wrong.  If you have errors you want to show off or you would like to see what our other members have found, check out the errors thread on our forum.

If you are looking to buy or sell any type of diecast, including errors, visit DiecastMarket.com.  Here you can sell at no risk because there are no listing fees.  And because the low (5%) selling fee beats Ebay and other competitors, buyers don’t have to worry about all the fees being passed onto them as high “shipping and handling.”  Buyers can also take advantage of our “Buy Now” feature with no expiration, effectively giving you a no-cost online storefront.

Hallsguide: First Look (7/18)

This entry was posted in Blog Archives First Look Gallery Posts Hot Wheels on by

A few more New Models and some repaints have hit the shelves this month.  Here is a look at some of the newer releases.

2011 New Model #33 Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X   –  I love this casting.  This is a look back at the history of racing and great automobiles.  Due to it’s unavailability in the US, the Skyline is one of those cars most people can only dream of.  I applaud Mattel’s efforts to bring us lesser-known cars from racing history.

2011 HW Performance Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 – This is a really cool off-road casting.  It began as a Jeep-like offroader and has morphed into the more highway-friendly FJ Cruiser of today.

Thrill Racers – Raceway ’11 Fire-Eater  – I love firetrucks, as does my 2 year-old and this is just a great casting.  It has great details, a great paint job, and the red-rimmed OH5 wheels really set it apart.  I would love to see an entire firetruck series by Hot Wheels in the future.

Keep an eye out for these at your local retail locations or search for them among the ever-growing selection of diecast at DiecastMarket.com.  Show off your latest finds on our forum or see what other collectors are finding.

Matchbox Price Guides Expanding

This entry was posted in Blog Archives Matchbox on by

I started up the Matchbox price guides last month with the 2011 Series.   I am working my way backwards from the current year and today I have added the 2010 Series. Can you guess what will be next?

In researching the secondary market values of Matchbox cars, I made a few observations. First, Matchbox are produced in lower quantities than Hot Wheels. While they are popular, Matchbox is not usually the first brand name you think of when you think of diecast. Hot Wheels is the brand that sticks out to most. Smaller print runs mean less supply, making the more popular models harder to acquire after they have disappeared from the retail stores. Another thing that drives secondary market values of Matchbox is their appeal to so many different people. The 2010 and 2011 series have used the same sub-series: Sports Cars, Heritage Classics, Metro Rides, VIP, Construction, Emergency Response, City Action, Outdoor Sportsman, Desert Endurance, and Jungle Explorers. Every year they have a great selection of European cars, modern compact cars that many people identify with, and a great variety of construction equipment, firetrucks, and rescue vehicles. They also include a fair number of VW makes that are very popular with collectors.

So now, make Hallsguide.com your stop for Hot Wheels and Matchbox collecting information. Stop by our forums to ask questions or share your expertise with other collectors. Browse the selection of Matchbox on the Diecast Market or sell your own items at no risk with no listing fees.