Collecting Diecast Toys - A Hobby For All Ages

Diecast toy vehicles were first produced in Englandfetch extremely high prices.
and the USA in the early 1900s. This was theThe well known Lesney Matchbox cars started
beginning of what was to become one of the mostproduction in England in 1947 and thus began a new
popular toys ever. Diecast toys are now collected bytrend in diecast models. In 1953 Lesney made a
tens of thousands of people, both children and adults,miniature diecast model of Queen Elizabeth's
all over the world.coronation coach complete with horses. This model
The early diecast models were very simple, featuringwas a huge success and more than a million were
just a painted metal body with no interior fittingssold.
whatsoever. They were unfortunately made fromThe Lesney Matchbox cars were produced in huge
low grade cast metal alloys which in most cases didnumbers with 75 different vehicles in each line. This
not stand the test of time. These low quality alloysgave collectors an immense variety of models to
become brittle as they age and gradually deterioratecollect.
and crumble. As a result of this early die cast toysThe Corgi line of diecast vehicles was introduced by
from the first quarter of the twentieth century areMettoy in the 1950s. These were also very
quite scarce today.successful. One of the big reasons for their success
Before very long however these early diecast toywas that these cars had exceptional attention to
makers realised that there was a really good marketinterior fittings. They had detailed interior decor. They
for toy vehicles. Cars, trucks, airplanes miniature farmwere even fitted with clear plastic windows. These
equipment, and many other models, were widelyvery detailed miniatures vehicles were a big hit with
produced by a number of manufacturers. As demandcollectors.
grew the quality of materials used to make the toysIn 1968 Mattel introduced Hot Wheels cars with an
was improved. Increased attention to detail alsoinitial line of 16 vehicles. These early Hotwheels
became the rule as manufacturers vied for morevehicles all had a red line around the side of the tires.
sales.This led to their becoming known to collectors as
In the early 1930s Modelled Miniatures wereRed Line Hot Wheels models. The initial sixteen
introduced. These 1/43 scale miniature vehicles weremodels with which the line began are now known to
designed for use with model train set layouts. Sooncollectors as the "Sweet Sixteen" and are much in
they became popular as a collectible, in their owndemand.
right, and were known as Dinky Toys.Hot wheels vehicles are collected around the world
The height of popularity for Dinky Toy diecast modelby rabid collectors and were a huge success story
vehicles came in the 1950s and 60s. They were afor Mattel. They continue in production at the
fairly basic low detail model but were extremelypresent time.
popular. The flashy big American cars seen on TVThere are now hundreds of different companies
shows, which began in the 1950s, became veryoffering diecast toys to collectors. They are
desirable Dinky Toys and outsold the more staid smallmanufactured in Taiwan, Korea, China, and other
English cars of the time.countries around the world. High quality and attention
Dinky toys were made into the 1970s when theyto detail are a must if a diecast toy is to be a
died out mainly due to the competition from Mattelsuccess as a collectible. Diecast toys made around
Hot Wheels. Vintage Dinky Toys today are a much inthe world are now mostly of very good quality.
demand collectible and some of the scarcer models