Matchbox Cars
image from National Toy Hall of Fame
image from AACA Museum
Matchbox cars were first introduced in 1953. These die-cast toys were given the name Matchbox because they were sold in boxes that were of similar size to the boxes in which matches were sold.
Matchbox vehicles were made to look exactly like the "real-life" vehicle. Great effort was put into painting and adding details to the die-cast toy. Die-casting is a method of forcing melted metal into a mold. When the metal has cooled, the mold is opened and the metal has hardened and taken the shape of the mold.
The British die-casting company Lesney Products created a small model of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation coach which sold over a million models.
After this success, the company created a toy version of the Lesney green and red road roller. This toy could fit inside the a matchbox, which is the only way children at the schools could bring toys.
A dump truck and a cement mixer were also created, and the start of Matchbox cars was begun.
Stay warm! See you on Friday!
