Lesney Products was formed in 1947 to make zinc castings, mainly for the
building industry; toys were a sideline when business happened to be
slow. To cash in on the upcoming 1953 Coronation of Princess Elizabeth
they decided to model a miniature of the Coronation Coach. When this
sold a million pieces it spurred on and financed a new venture that
would become a household name: Matchbox Miniatures. In 1954 came the #5
London Bus and the #7 Horse Drawn Milk Float and the range took off,
with road vehicles of all sorts, all modelled at a size that would fit
in a child's hand. And these were joined by Accessory Packs and Major
Packs, slightly larger toys but made to Matchbox size, plus fold-out
Card Roadways, Service Stations, Pocket Catalogues and Carry Cases. Then
in 1969 came great change. Mattel had released their range called 'Hot
Wheels' with high-speed wheels and axles, and in order to compete
Matchbox retooled everything to have their own Superfast wheels and
axles, along with brighter or newer colour schemes. 'Superfasts'
regained their lost sales and were a common sight in every playground
and young person's bedroom in the 1970s and 80s. Beloved of two
generations of children, and now highly collectable, the Matchbox 1-75
range is a British institution that has now found its perfect
introduction in this book.
