It wasnt much fun growing up in the 70s. To combine the collectors instinct with a love for Doctor Who meant collecting Target Books and looking enviously at the Hasbro range of Star Wars figures and ships. No collectors trading cards with bubblegum for Doctor Who, only the very limited range or cards and cut outs from Typhoo tea bags or Weetabix promotions. For a limited time, fans were blessed with the small selection of Mego figures by Denys Fisher, but in reality there was a paucity of quality toy products. In the 60s, Dalekmania ensured that there had been some great collectables but as the craze died down, so too did the toys. Significantly, Product Enterprise, who carried the torch for Doctor Who products in the wilderness years, focused on retro, nostalgic pieces such as Dalek Rolykins. Younger fans probably can't appreciate just how amazing it was for their seniors to see whole displays at Toys R Us filled with Doctor Who toys. Its prominence may have dipped in recent years but in the mid 2000s, Doctor Who was everywhere. Pleasingly, the quality of the products on offer since the shows revival has shown a marked improvement on past efforts, too. Even leading franchises are now succumbing to the draw of the Doctor, with the recent announcement of official Doctor Who LEGO. There have, of course, been some notable exceptions, but for the most part the merchandise on offer today is brilliantly crafted. From Dalek dressing gowns to replica Fourth Doctor scarfs, from anniversary stamps to silver and gold proof coins, the world of Doctor Who is a collectors heaven right now and long may it continue.