MATCHBOX

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! In 1947 Leslie Smith and Rodney Smith, two unrelated Navy friends, founded the Lesney Company in London, England. When they were joined by John Odell, they established a factory to try their hand at die casting. It took them until 1953 to introduce a miniature toy line packaged in a box that resembled a matchbox. It caught on quickly in the London toy market and was referred to as a "Matchbox" toy. The earliest Matchbox vehicles had metal wheels, which were eventually replaced in 1969 with the Superfast plastic wheels.

It was 1956 when the Models of Yesteryear line was introduced, followed by the 1957 Major Packs. It wasn't until 1958 when Matchbox toys arrived in the United States where they quickly rose to popularity by the early 1960s. It was 1968 when the competitor, Mattel's Hot Wheels started selling. The I-75 numbering system came about in the 1970s. In 1992, Matchbox introduced the Nostalgia series.

The Lesney Company became no more in 1982 when it was purchased by the Universal Group and 1992 sold and purchased by Tyco Toys, and finally in 1997 Mattel, owner of Hot Wheels, acquired Tyco and the Matchbox line.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty