When I was growing up in the south-east of England, the most desirable toy for most boys and some girls was a Dinky Toy - 1/43rd scale diecast model cars. I started to collect them in the late 1950s. At that time most Dinky Toy cars were 2/6d (Two shillings and six pence - about 25 cents in US money) and they came in a distinctive yellow box. They had actually been around since the early 1930s originally called "Modelled Miniatures" and intended mainly for use around train sets, the BIG boys' toy of the time, but they took on a life of their own and were manufactured in both England and France for many years.
For me their heyday was the fifties and sixties. Compared to today's top of the range diecast cars, they were, let's admit, pretty basic. No windows, no interiors, no 'suspension', no steering, but to me they were the most prized and sought after toy of all!
With television in its infancy in the fifties in the UK and much of the programming being bought from America, the appeal of flashy American cars seen in cop shows and films, as opposed to the rather more staid Hillmans and Austins of the UK was reflected in the choice of Dinky Toys I would spend my hard-earned pocket money on.
The Dinky Toys Dodge Royal, the Plymouth Plaza, the Hudson Commodore were all cars that any self-respecting boy had to own! But there were other models that were also a must - the Observation Coach (bus) for example, with its weird looking upper deck was a favorite of mine.
Gradually Dinky Toys added new features, under competition from other makes, like Corgi Toys. First were plastic windows, then gradually seats were put in, 'independent suspension' for all four wheels became all the rage , and finally steering. All these new features were seized upon with glee by me and my friends!
But the days of the Dinky Toy were numbered and in the seventies the end was near, brought on partly by competition from the new Hot Wheels, and although several attempts were made by new owners to revive the famous Dinky Toys name, they are now long since defunct.
Collectors though still seek out the toys and a good mint condition toy, preferably with mint condition box, can change hands for enormous sums. Dinky Toys, even in play-worn condition, are one of the best sellers on eBay.
I will never have a full collection - some are so rare that if one ever surfaces it will be way beyond my pocket, but I will always be on the lookout for a good condition Dinky.
Bob Wilson is a Brit now living in Los Angeles who collects vintage Dinky Toys
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