Lesney Matchbox Toy Cars – The Original

The enthusiastic collecting of small diecast cars all began with one company back in 1953. With a simple conception of a toy car for his young daughter, Jack Odell of Lesney Products kicked off a completely original brand of toys and collectibles that are still as popular today as they were over fifty years ago. Regrettably, Lesney Products, the original, designer of the Matchbox diecast car, is no longer in business but Lesney Series Matchbox toy cars from its day remain greatly hunted after.

From their birth, Lesney Series Matchbox toy cars ruled the miniature diecast industry. When originally introduced, they were untouchable. Lesney Products was the very first producer to distinguish the market niche for tiny diecast cars and no one had came up with anything yet to fill that need. The first car ever distributed was a green and red road roller designed to fit inside a match box so Jack Odell’s daughter could take it to school. An quick hit and using their clever matchbox marketing, 2 extra cars were introduced. Those were a cement mixer and dump truck. With these three miniature facsimiles, a new age came about blasting Lesney Products to the prominence of toy production. The line was expanded to become established as the 1-75 Lesney Series Matchbox cars.

At this period in their chronicles, Lesney Series Matchbox cars were being marketed by a business known as Moko to develop the Moko Lesney Series. All of this thrived to become the golden era of British diecast. The three world companies each had market share and were lucrative. They were doing great and would mimic each other on advancements in their advancements. They were contrasted enough from one another that they were not in dead competition so it seemed all was fine and none of these companies could do wrong.

Lesney Series Matchbox cars quickly hit forthright competition from the United States when Mattel released their series of Hot Wheels cars. Even though Hot Wheels cars were often dream vehicles and not replicas like Lesney furnished, they were colorful, quicker, and had a operating suspension. Their wheels permitted them to roll rapidly on tracks and solid exteriors. Lesney responded as quickly as they could but it wasn’t fast enough. In only two swift years, Lesney had lost their US hold on sales. Soon, the UK followed. They slowly recovered for a short stint in the mid-70’s but by the end of the decade they were in crucial financial trouble. Lesney went broke in June, 1982. As a result, the cars manufactured before this become much hunted after collectibles and still are today.