When Britain manufactured cars, trucks, buses and tractors.

[old man emu]

Britain was Great before the EEC/EU.

 

 

By the end of the 1970s, Matchbox faced financial difficulties and ended up in receivership. The company was eventually purchased by Mattel in 1997, uniting rivals Matchbox and Hot Wheels under one roof. Manufacturing ceased in England in 1985.

 

Your First Car: The History of Matchbox Toys

 

 

[willedoo]

If you watch it on youtube, the follow on video shows a bloke restoring them. I think they would be worth more in unrestored condition.

 

 

[old man emu]

Not worth more than $5 or $10 for ones that have been played with. The big dollars are for the ones in mint condition and with a mint condition box.

 

Restoration seems to be a growing hobby. There are heaps of people putting up videos of restorations.

 

 

[spacesailor]

I had a couple of hundred, sent to shops, but not sold, returned to maker, then on to the scrap yard were I collected them, all in original boxes.

 

Sold them all for 10 pound, should have asked a tener each. LoL

 

spacesailor

 

 

[old man emu]

Her's the opposition

 

 

The metal used in die-casting is either a lead alloy (used early on), or more commonly, Zamak (called Mazak in the UK), an alloy of zinc with small quantities of aluminium and copper. Watching the Corgi toy video makes you wonder how many of these women have died from heavy metal poisoning. No protective gear at all.

 

 

[spacesailor]

The foundry's that cast them, are having a class actin lawsuit for lung & related injuries.

 

Got myself checked out so can't get anything there.

 

Thank goodness.