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HISTORY Die-cast toys were first produced around the beginning of the 20th century by manufacturers such as Dinky Toys in the United Kingdom and Tootsietoys in the United States . The first models on the market were basic, considered crude by some collectors, consisting of a small car or van without plastic windows. The popularity of die-cast toys only began to really grow from the 1950s, as quality vastly increased. The 1950s also saw people collecting the toys, as opposed to simply opening the box and playing with the toy. As a consequence of this, more companies started to produce die-cast vehicles, namely the Corgi brand produced by Mettoy . Matchbox also began in the 1950s and quickly became so popular that in some parts of the world all die-cast cars came to be known as "Matchbox cars", regardless of manufacturer. In 1968, Hot Wheels was introduced in the United States by Mattel , to counteract the complaint that they had no line of toys for boys to match up with their line of Barbie dolls. Hot Wheels eventually gained an important niche in the die-cast toy market, becoming one of the world's top sellers by the 2000s. During the 1960s and 1970s, major companies began to advertise in large numbers with these toys; when the idea that children can play a large part in a family's decision as far as what product to use came into wide circulation. Companies such as McDonald's , Sears Roebuck , Kodak , among many others, paid the toymakers large amounts of money to have vehicles reproduced and sold with their names and logos. One of the most famous advertisments made during these decades was the American Airlines London Bus , produced by Matchbox, a feat other airlines quickly followed. Die-cast aviation and military models were produced in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Primary among these companies was Dyna Flites . Dyna Flites went bankrupt during the 1990s, but their market share was quickly taken up by a variety of companies, including Schabak, Gemini Jets , Herpa and Dragon Wings. Corgi Cars were bought by Mattel in 1989 In 1994, Mattel bought Matchbox, essentially making Hot Wheels and Matchbox sister brands. The two brands continue to sell under their own names. During this time, NASCAR began to produce a massive number of die-cast racing cars and trucks, painted in the colours of the various racing teams. Racing Champions was contracted by the sports organization, and NASCAR die-cast trucks and cars became popular among collectors. THE MODELS Die-cast toys come in various scales, the most popular ones arguably being the 1:28 and 1:64 (which is the same as the ), and 1:50 scales. Although initially designed for children, the toys became popular as collectors items during the 1950s. Today, die-cast cars and planes are considered to be among the most widely collected items, with many companies set up solely to produce high quality models as collectables. Items such as toy Restaurants and Filling Station s are sometimes sold separately from the cars, to be used as playsets. Toy Raceways are also sold for use with die-cast cars, which have become more complicated in recent years, usually involving loops and complicated curves. Also produced are Luggage bags made specifically for Child ren to be able to travel with their cars. FACTS AND TRIVIA
LIST OF DIE CAST TOY BRANDS
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