How the Daleks and the new Doctor Who can help transform your fortunes

The 15th Doctor Who, played by Ncuti Gatwa, steps into the shoes of the Time Lord for his first adventure on BBC One on Christmas Day – and experts predict the arrival of this 31-year-old Rwandan-Scottish actor will increase the value of time – collectibles for travelers by attracting new fans.

The adventures of Doctor Who began 60 years ago, when the First Doctor – played by William Hartnell – stuck his head out of the Tardis.

Children hid behind the sofa as enemies such as the Daleks and Cybermen first appeared on our TVs. But once the show ended, they were keen for parents to buy them Doctor Who toys and merchandise.

Now adults, many with children or even grandchildren, Doctor Who fans – known as Whovians – crave the memorabilia they grew up with.

Many are swept away by a wave of nostalgia for things that have been lost, broken or coveted as treasures that only the wealthy children of the neighbors could afford.

Younger fans are also joining in, wanting to go back in time to share in the Time Lord's past collectibles. Props from the infamous wobbly sets are also in demand, as enthusiasts are eager to own a piece of science fiction history.

Doctor Who author and collector David Howe says: 'Interest in the time traveler waxes and wanes. But while the previous Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, wasn't a hit with everyone, there are high expectations for this latest incarnation. It will have a knock-on effect on collectibles.”

He adds: 'But while it will breathe new life into the market, it is mainly older pieces – from the early heyday of the 1960s and 1970s – where investments are increasing in value. This is due to the increased rarity and demand for collectibles which are all part of the Time Lord history of the new Doctor Who.”

Hartnell was at the helm from 1963 to 1966, after which Patrick Troughton traveled in the Tardis until 1969. Third regeneration Jon Pertwee arrived in 1970 to boost the Doctor's appeal. But Tom Baker is the most popular doctor for many from 1975 to 1981.

Howe, 60, runs the website Doctor Who Toybox, which hosts thousands of related items – from ice cream containers to full-size Daleks. He also has a private museum at his home in Doncaster.

He says: 'Obviously anything to do with the First Doctor has historical appeal, but it wasn't until he first met the Daleks that interest really started to grow. It is the related merchandise from this era that is most sought after.”

Howe's favorites include the Louis Marx Dalek from the mid-1960s, which cost ten shillings (50p) new in the box and can now fetch £400. There is also a Cowan de Groot Dalek that costs 16 shillings and five old pence (82p). These often fell apart and survivors can cost £800.

Oddities include Dalek soap – which survivors can get for £500 – and Dalek Death Ray popsicle for £2,000.

Howe says: 'The Wall's popsicle is a great example of how investments can be found in the most unlikely places.

A Who's Who of Time Lord classics

Original 1960s Dalek – £35,000

These props rarely come to market. A 1966 example that fought Patrick Troughton sold at auction seven years ago for £32,000. A 1964 Dalek that was once an exhibit at Madame Tussauds fetched £36,000 in 2005.

Tom Baker Scarf – £20,000

The 21-foot scarf worn by the Fourth Doctor became an important part of the Time Lord's image that still resonates with regenerations today. Several scarves have been knitted and one, but with hat and coat, sold for £24,000 in 2007.

Dalek Death Ray popsicle – £2,000

This Wall treat was readily available from the ice cream truck in 1974. Unsurprisingly, there are few survivors – and if you find one in the back of the freezer, you'll have an investment well past its sell-by date.

Signed photo of 'the Master' – £1,000

The Master never succeeds in the battle, but in the signatures, the fellow Gallifreyan ultimately comes out on top – as played by Roger Delgado, who died suddenly in 1973.

Leela action doll – £750

A puppet of the Tom Baker assistant played by Louise Jameson. Without a toy dagger, the model could cost £100.

It is often not the so-called limited editions that make money, but pieces that were once thought to be relatively worthless.'

Doctor Who family games are also increasing in value as parts often become damaged or lost over time. The 1965 Dodge The Daleks board game can sell for £300 if it is complete but has been well played with – or £800 if it is in new condition.

Doctor Who fan and collector Mark Stammers, 58, says the association with Christmas remains strong for him and many other collectors.

Stammers says: 'As a child I received a stocking with a Doctor Who yearbook on Christmas Day. Like many other households in Britain, the intention was to keep quiet for a while as the most important gifts would not be opened until after lunch.'

The first Doctor Who annual was not published until 1965 and cost nine shillings and six old pence (47.5 pence). It can now change hands for £100.

The second Hartnell annual is even more valuable as it came out a few months before he returned to Troughton – and can cost £150. Battered examples written without the price tag sell for £30.

There is also a trilogy of 1960s Dalek annuals: The Dalek Book, The Dalek World and The Dalek Outer Space Book. These can be sold for £100 each.

Stammers says: 'When most people think of Doctor Who, they imagine a man in a hat and scarf: Tom Baker. Occasionally, props from renowned dealers and fans appear. An original scarf worn on set 20 years ago that sold for £2,000 could change hands for £20,000.”

Alexandra Looseley-Saul, who runs The Who Shop in London, says the value of props such as a £1,000 blouse worn by the late Elisabeth Sladen – who played assistant Sarah Jane Smith in the 1970s – has increased over the past decade tripled.

But the biggest bucks still go to an original Dalek from the 1960s, when sink plungers and Morris Minor indicator lights were used as part of the costume that could fetch £35,000. But Looseley-Saul says the store can also get a modern, full Dalek, made under license from the BBC, for £4,000.

Howe says: 'The secret to investing in Doctor Who memorabilia is to have fun. If you like a particular model, chances are others will too. Hopefully a new generation of Doctor Who fans, won over by the latest regeneration, can share in this timeless appeal.”

toby.walne@mailonsunday.co.uk