We quiz vintage toy collector and popular YouTuber Froggy Flips about how he made his hobby into something much bigger…
STARBURST: What inspired you to create a YouTube channel?
Froggy Flips: I pretty much turned to YouTube for anything I wanted to learn. It’s like having school in your pocket. Need to install a dishwasher? Let me find a YouTube video. Car making a funny sound? I’m sure I can find a YouTube video about it. After a while, I decided I wanted to be on the other side. The next thing I know, I’m watching videos about how to use a camera and how to edit videos. The rest is history!
What was the first thing you started collecting?
I collected guitars when I was younger. But when I got serious about toy collecting, the first thing I tried to do was replicate my childhood Masters of the Universe collection. It turned out that it wasn’t very challenging. Of course, there are very rare MOTU pieces out there but for the most part, you can find the bulk of that line pretty much anywhere. I’m one who likes a challenge and invites a journey, so it wasn’t long before I started going down other rabbit holes.
Do you have anything you kept from your childhood?
Unfortunately, most of my childhood toys were lost in a fire a while back. Not a house fire, so no one was hurt, thankfully. They were all packed away in a garage. Somehow, I do still have what I believe was my first toy ever. It’s a small Monchhichi Monkey in a sailor suit. It’s an absolutely priceless piece to me!
What’s the one thing you used to have that you’re most glad to have re-bought later?
This one is very easy for me! My prized possession as a child was a Galoob Inspector Gadget figure my grandma gave me for Christmas. Even before I considered myself a toy collector, I wanted to track down a pristine example of the ol’ Inspector. It finally happened in late 2023 when I found a beautiful, unused boxed figure at an antique mall a couple towns over. I couldn’t get my wallet out fast enough!
What was your favourite toy when you were growing up?
As much as I loved my Madballs and my Garbage Pail Kids and even my extensive Masters of the Universe collection, the Galoob Inspector Gadget was definitely my favourite toy as a kid.
What’s more important to you: presentability or value?
I make no secret that I’m a huge fan of rare, expensive prestige pieces. But at the end of the day, presentability is actually more important to me. I take a lot of pride in displaying my collection and if something doesn’t look good on the shelf – if it doesn’t bring me joy to look at it – I may as well not even own it. It doesn’t feel real to me until it’s on display with everything else.
Has there ever been a time when you’ve thought “That’s more than I want to pay, but I have to have it?”
More times than I can count! The Madballs candy dispenser was one of those times. I definitely did not want to spend that kind of money on something like that… but I had to have it! I’d say it happens at pretty much every toy show I attend. Just watch any of my videos [laughs]!
You can learn more about Froggy Flip’s collection and watch him buy at toy shows on YouTube/@FroggyFlips. The new edition of STARBURST also sees Froggy Flips wax lyrical about Madballs! On sale now.
