| you think about the words of "famous miniature cars", | | | | value of them to high prices on the open market. |
| it usually comes to mind matchbox cars. The tiny | | | | If you are looking for the cars, then known that all |
| vehicles are know the world over, and later Mattel | | | | originals will come in their unique bright yellow little box, |
| would make the line of tiny cars and truck famous. | | | | in the shape of a box of matches. If a car is trying to |
| Finding out what the history of the play toy is, is a must | | | | be sold without the box, then look for other defining |
| for collectors. Being informed, will certainly help to | | | | marks on the car, such as the Moko imprint on the |
| decide if it is an original, their true value, and if it is a | | | | vehicles. Popularity and rarity of certain models, like the |
| good deal or not, to buy one. | | | | die-cast caravan, is just one example of what to look |
| It might surprise you to find out that the original | | | | for in the little vehicles. |
| matchbox design came from an English product | | | | The condition of cars, trucks, and jeeps, and the |
| company, and by a co-owner, named Jack Odell. He | | | | packaging it came in is very important, when trying to |
| redesigned the first car for his daughter, from a toy | | | | decide if the selling price is worth the cost. As with |
| that was sold at the company, except it was a much | | | | other vintage or antiques, all of these factors play into |
| smaller version. The need for the small car was that | | | | the real worth of it. Only you can decide if it is worth |
| apparently, she could not take any toys to school that | | | | that much to own. |
| would not fit inside a matchbox, so this is how the idea | | | | Many new collectors of die-casts do not realize that |
| of die-cast small cars was dreamed up. | | | | catalogs of the toys in the Lesney/Moko line, are just |
| Lesney company, as it was known, marketed and | | | | as valuable. Any price guides that can be found are a |
| distributed through the Moko Lesney company, and | | | | collectible too. As with the vehicles condition on both |
| after the Lesney legacy went out of business, all of | | | | publications does mean a lot, in value and collectability. |
| the rights to the name and design went to Moko. If you | | | | Do not be surprised to find more vehicles that are in |
| want to collect the line of vehicles, then be aware that | | | | better shape than the books and magazines. Rough |
| the original distributing company name will be on the | | | | handling by kids does not bode well for paper |
| toys. | | | | products. |
| One of the most brilliant plans for the Lesney line was | | | | Knowing all of these facts of history about collecting |
| when they developed a retirement plan for their line for | | | | these rare toy cars and trucks, might just keep you |
| the die-cast model of cars. Vehicles would taken off | | | | out of being taken advantage of by a sly seller. Read |
| the market after a season of production for the buying | | | | more about the fascinating history of collectible cars |
| public. That is why collectors look for them so | | | | and trucks from decades past, and fall in love with |
| vigorously, and will pay high prices for originals. Also, | | | | them all over again, or for the very first time. |
| production would be limited, which today draws the | | | | |