Artist Paul Anthony Gustilo and his collection.

If his cars were the real thing and he tries to sell them, he would be a billionaire. But for Paul Anthony Gustilo, his collection of die-cast cars is a treasure far more worthy than gold.

Gustilo, who is also a professional painter, said analogous to paintings, miniature cars which are pieces of art can also exude different emotions based on the onlooker’s point of view.

“In an exhibit, collectors may get to experience a lot of reactions from the audience about his or her display. But most enthusiasts appreciate the color symphony, the designs, and the rarity of the cars,” he said. “Though die-cast artwork is less complex, it is still considered an art because it expresses your feelings.”    

To some, collecting die-cast cars is a fun hobby, but for Gustilo, he treats his collection as a serious artwork because it gives him an extraordinary feeling of contentment.

“For me, my car collection is priceless because it gives me relaxation and at the same time, a source of inspiration to make good paintings,” he enthused. “Whenever I look at them, my creative juices begin to flow freely and that always set my mood to paint,” he added.

Gustilo also admits that whenever he goes abroad for seminars and to meet potential clients for his paintings, he always finds time to visit hobby shops in search of rare collectibles.

“Because of my work, I’ve had the chance to travel to different countries where I found most of my rare pieces. This is my passion, to search every nook and cranny of the world for rare die-cast cars,” he said. 

Since he seriously started collecting toy cars, Gustilo already amassed more than 2,000 of different types and models including his favorites - the muscle and American model cars – and his search continues.