Fresh out of San Diego Comic Con, the Travel Channel has a new entry into the collectibles-flipping genre called Toy Hunter. The series premieres on The Travel Channel August 15th at 10pm with two half-hour episodes and starts its regular time slot at 9pm the following week. It follows Jordan Hembrough, a more than twenty year collectibles veteran, on his cross-country travels seeking out hidden gems of toys which he can then turn around and sell for a profit. Even after only seeing the first episode, it’s clear that, above all else, it’s the toys from yesteryear that are the stars of this show. More after the jump.
If you’ve ever seen an episode of American Pickers on the History Channel, you’ve seen the template for Toy Hunter. A road-tripper seeks deals on toys and lets the audience know how much he paid for it and how much he will sell it for. Hembrough even has calls to his home base. What is missing from the template is the road-camaraderie/competition between pickers Mike and Frank, as Hembrough hits the byways on his lonesome. Because he doesn’t have a travelling companion, Hembrough is forced to info dump about the toys on the people he’s buying from. This is odd because they’re collectors and already know the hash he’s slinging. Being on the Travel Channel, I’d like to see more about the where’s of his journeys in upcoming episodes.
The first episode spotlights two phenomenal toy finds. The first, a large Alien figure (from the Prometheus sequel) that was produced and subsequently deemed too scary to release for kids. The owner of this piece refused to sell, even though it spends its unseen shelf-life hidden away in a cabinet. The second find was a Star Wars: Return of the Jedi pedal bike modeled after the Speeder Bikes from Endor. A limited-run item, you had to win a statewide raffle to have a go at this. Hembrough is able to make a deal for the bike and even find a potential buyer by episode’s end.
Nerds of all ages rejoice, as this show will clearly hip you to things you didn’t know you were missing out on and leave you with a gut full of want. Ultimately, Toy Hunter will live and die by the unique scores Hembrough is able to produce. Though the formula isn’t new, this is the hook and it got me interested through the Alien and Speeder Bike discoveries.
Robert Downey Jr. Free Falls in Busted Suit in New IRON MAN 3 Poster; Plus Better Quality Super Bowl Spot Teaser
Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns Clarifies His Involvement with Ridley Scott’s New BLADE RUNNER Film
MOON Director Duncan Jones to Helm WORLD OF WARCRAFT Movie; 2015 Release Date Eyed [Update: Johnny Depp Rumored for Lead]
Action Figure Round-Up: MAN OF STEEL’s General Zod, Jor-El, and Superman, Plus IRON MAN 3 Toys Reveal Six Types of Armor
Producer Kathleen Kennedy Explains How She Got J.J. Abrams to Direct STAR WARS: EPISODE VII; Won’t Confirm 2015 Release
Uhhh… really? From the concept, this is anti-fan material. The guy is solely interested in profiting from the cool stuff he scores. There aren’t any true fans/collectors I’ve ever known who did that whom I’ve ever wanted to spend time with. Fail.
The sad part is, the viewing audience will get hipped to these cool toys as valuable, and not for being cool toys.
Hi, just saw your show for the 1st time tonight. Awesome! I would like to know if you collect “Smurfs” collectibles, “Jem” dolls (The Hollograms), and girls Tupperware dishes?
Please respond.
I’m sorry I think think show is soooo fake it’s unreal. Ok First you got a guy that’s trying to be like American Pickers that he even tells one lady he won’t sleep that night if he didn’t give her the full price for the lord of the rings figure he finds. NOT that’s what we do,find cheep make lots of money.
Then if this guy was a REAL collector he would know that is pronounced DARK-SIDE not DARK-SEED. Also what makes me think it’s fake is the lates episode had a Star Wars collector in it who had a Luke with a double telescoping light saber and Jordan ask the collector do you know how rare these are and the collector says no. Now…. I have been collecting seriously for 20 years and I know how rare that was and I never seen one in person. But to own one and not to know and call your self a collector. Then sell it knowing how rare they are. Not real….
I\’m sorry I think think show is soooo fake it\’s unreal. Ok First you got a guy that\’s trying to be like American Pickers that he even tells one lady he won\’t sleep that night if he didn\’t give her the full price for the lord of the rings figure he finds. NOT that\’s what we do,find cheep make lots of money.
Then if this guy was a REAL collector he would know that is pronounced DARK-SIDE not DARK-SEED. Also what makes me think it\’s fake is the lates episode had a Star Wars collector in it who had a Luke with a double telescoping light saber and Jordan ask the collector do you know how rare these are and the collector says no. Now…. I have been collecting seriously for 20 years and I know how rare that was and I never seen one in person. But to own one and not to know and call your self a collector. Then sell it knowing how rare they are. Not real….
I’m really getting tired of these low rollers who can’t make it in their fields. They have to get the backing of a TV show to set up contacts and back them with cash to buy the items. In all the episodes I’ve seen Pickers, Toy Hunter and others they always leave or just walk by the best stuff on the shelves! Why would you buy a common Mr Machine but not even ask how much on a GREEN GHOST GAME?????? 300.00 difference in value?? I have forgotten more about collecting and buying and selling old toys then these half witt will ever know….
I was surprised he quoted the Luke with double telescoping lightsaber so low. There are a few on Ebay now with Buy It Now’s of close to three thousand dollars. I actually have one myself, which I got when I was a kid…no way I’d sell it for the $175 that the guy on the show sold his for. His did, though, have a crooked tip.
This show is real, i do the same thing all the time. It’s the hunt for the toys that drives a true collector, and a true collector knows he can’t have it all. Thats called hoarding.It’s only natural to want to be aound toys all the time, and have it as your job, and make a profit.
Can you believe what the toy hunter said in his last episode. He was selling at 16 years old. Not chasing girls or playing sports but selling toys what a bunch of crap. I have been into buying and selling for 30 years and would never buy a lite brite or pay 2900.00 for a 1959 loose Barbie.
I was told he bought a toy on the show from a guy. The same guy was in
Chicago toy show with the same toy after the show aired. Liar