From action figures, model cars, replica movie memorabilia and old playing cards, you never know what you are going to find when Australia’s largest collectable fair opens its doors in Penrith.
One thing that you are certain to find is Mick Fett, or as he is better known, the Australian Darth Vader.
Collecting since the ‘90s, Mr Fett has one of the biggest collections of ‘Star Wars’ memorabilia in the country, with his two-storey home filled with priceless items.
“When the special editions were re-released in the late ‘90s, it rekindled my childhood memories,” he said.
“From there I started with a modest collection, just buying everything I could get my hands on, with it growing into this giant collection, which now takes up the entire house.”
Taking up a table at Penrith’s Collectomania, Mr Fett said that most of the rarer items he had for sale were in fact toys that many people would remember growing up with.
“In Goulburn I found a collection where the parents had hidden away the presents for Christmas and then forgot all about them until 30 years later when they’ve uncovered them all still in their original packaging,” he said.
“I’ve also got a AFA graded Vinyl Cape Jawa, which is $3,000 and it’s just a little figure that was released in the late ‘70s that is so hard to find now because kids threw it out when a newer version came out with a cotton cape.”
With the next fair to be held this Sunday, May 6 at Panthers Pavilion, locals will be able to take a walk down memory lane for just $6.
And with all 280 tables selling out weeks early, organiser of Penrith Collectomania, Lyndsey Evans, said they are expecting crowds of up to 2,000 people.
“I think it works and is so popular because there is such a variety, there is something for everyone as it covers everything and anything under the collectables banner,” he said.
And while he might be running out of storage space, Mr Fett said he was looking forward to growing his hobby and sharing it with his new little princess in the future.
“Leia, my daughter, is six-months-old and I can’t wait until she’s a little bit older and can appreciate the toys,” he said.
Lauren Suttie
Lauren Suttie is the Weekender's General & Community News journalist.