| Collecting die-cast cars from the past is a | | | | and in the first year they sold over 2 |
| hobby that is not just fun, its a whole | | | | million units. |
| window to the not so long but in today's new | | | | |
| world a very distant past. | | | | Through the 1960s the company released many |
| | | | of the iconic classics that we now |
| To most red-blooded die-cast collectors just | | | | compulsively collect today, and these models |
| the mention of the words dinky or corgi makes | | | | can change hands for thousands in today's |
| their eyes, sort of glaze over and a wry, | | | | money. |
| almost child like smile, wafts around his | | | | |
| lower facial area. These names and others | | | | In the 60s some of the more memorable cars |
| were to dominate the metal cast toy car | | | | that were produced were the 1965 James bond |
| market for many years and were played with by | | | | Aston martin db5, the next year, awards were |
| many a child since the 1930s. | | | | given to Corgi ... the "Queens Award to |
| | | | Industry" and the National Association of Toy |
| The history of corgi is an interesting one | | | | Retailers "Highest Standards Award". . 1968 |
| that starts in 1934, Mettoy Limited produced | | | | saw the release of a model from the movie of |
| the first models but these were not die-cast | | | | the same name - "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". |
| yet, they were made of tin-plate. During the | | | | and the one toy car every one remembers from |
| second world war mettoy were engaged in war | | | | the hugely iconic 60s american Batman TV |
| production and due to this increased war | | | | series .. The Batmobile. |
| production demand the company had to move to | | | | |
| bigger premises in Swansea. | | | | From its hay day in the 60s the company's |
| | | | fortunes started to change, starting with a |
| In 1950 the first forerunners of Corgi cars | | | | fire in the Swansea factory that resulted in |
| were introduced and appeared in the company's | | | | a total loss of at least a year's stock. in |
| illustrated catalogue as "Entirely New | | | | 1971 the Northampton factory closed with a |
| Miniature Numbers" Then in 1954 the first | | | | loss of over 900 jobs. |
| drawings for the new Corgi range were | | | | |
| produced with the first car being that of an | | | | Corgi lasted till 1983 With the company in |
| Austin Cambridge, but it took nearly two | | | | serious financial difficulties the receivers |
| years of trial and error to get the casting | | | | were called in, but a management buy-out |
| technique right and in 1956 the launch date | | | | meant that the the company was re-formed as |
| for the corgi range of vehicles was announced | | | | Corgi Toys Limited in early 1984. |
| for the 9th of July that same year. A sister | | | | |
| company "playcraft" launched the name of | | | | This new company's achievements were |
| corgi to the market, the name being taken | | | | recognised in January 1987 when it was voted |
| from the breed of dog of the same name. | | | | British Toy Company of the Year by the |
| | | | National Association of Toy Retailers. But |
| Corgi knew that producing die-cast cars just | | | | 1989 the once great toy manufacturer was |
| like dinky would not guarantee them market | | | | taken over by the American based toy giant, |
| success so they planned a new marketing | | | | Mattel. then 1990 saw the first corgis to be |
| strategy .. their toy cars unlike dinky | | | | made in china.... |
| would have glazed windows in them. The next | | | | |
| year (1957) corgi produced their first | | | | The age of great British made diecast model |
| catalogue and also backed this up with tv | | | | car was gone. |
| advertising and released their first gift set | | | | |