Beckett Publications got its start in the sports collectors market in 1984 with Beckett Baseball Card Monthly. Since then, Beckett Publications has added magazines like Beckett Basketball Card Monthly, Beckett Football Card Monthly and Beckett Hockey Card Monthly. This year, Beckett debuted Beckett Hot Toys, a magazine that tracks and reports on trends in the collectible toy world.

And toy collecting isn't just for kids anymore.

Editorial Director Rudy Klancnik told the Dallas Morning News that nostalgia fuels the market among baby boomers. "A lot of us grew up with certain toys," he said. "And when we see them again, we want to have them back." The median age of toy collectors is 37 years old. The collector spends an average of $1,700 annually on toy collectibles. Senior Editor Doug Kale said, "As a new publication covering a growing market, we're not toying around when we say we'll cater to all collectorsincluding all you �older' kids."

Beckett has jumped into this market to provide the best price guides and articles on the latest products and events. Departments include a convention calendar, a resource directory and what's hot in toy collecting. Beckett Hot Toys also features regular columns on toys as varied as action figures, Barbie dolls, Beanie Babies and Star Wars.

As Klancnik put it, "What we've done is take our expertise from sports and our good name to the toy field." That expertise is what placed Beckett Baseball Card Monthly, Beckett Basketball Card Monthly and Beckett Football Card Monthly among the 300 biggest retail sellers in 1997 according to Magazine Retailer. With that kind of expertise and a booming toy collector market, Beckett Hot Toys is sure to follow.