Matchbox Cars: Are They Still Being Made?

Matchbox is one of the brand toys which will never go out of the market. However, the model and quality of the cars have changed compared to the ones manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s.

Matchbox cars are still being made or manufactured today. However, Matchbox Cars are now manufactured by a different company (Mattel) after acquisition and not the company (Lesney Products), which introduced the matchbox cars.

In this blog post, you’ll learn more about matchbox cars ranging from knowing whether the matchbox cars are still made and by which company to understand the rare matchbox cars.

Are matchbox cars still made?

Matchbox cars are still made today. But it is important to note that Lesney products are not manufacturing car models anymore. This is because it was acquired by Mattel in 1997. However, their quality is still maintained in production because Mattel is trying to maintain Matchbox car’s reputation.

If you would appreciate a straight answer, yes, matchbox cars are still made and are available in the market. Although it is also important to understand the Lesney products do not manufacture matchbox cars. The ownership of who to manufacture the matchbox cars has shifted from one company to another to Mattel’s current company.

Mattel is one huge company that got the ownership to manufacture matchbox cars in 1997. Besides, it is also the company that manufactures the hot wheel car brand.

Since when Mattel took over the manufacturing of the matchbox cars, they have tried to restore the brand’s prominence. Today, the company focuses on manufacturing matchbox cars to meet six Themes City, Mountain, Highways Countryside, Jungle, and coast.

Today’s matchbox cars feature prominent car brands such as Mercedes, range rover, tesla, jeep, and ford. Additionally, Mattel also today manufactures remote-controlled matchbox cars. 

Moreover, to prove the matchbox will still be made, the company has launched electric matchbox cars and cars featuring upcoming brands like BMW, Toyota, and Hybrid. Soon these matchbox cars will be in the market.

When did Matchbox stop making matchbox cars?

Lesney Products stopped making matchbox cars in 1985 after they declared bankruptcy in 1982. This happened because they faced numerous financial difficulties in the 1970s. Ultimately, the manufacturing resumed when Mattel acquired Lesney Products.

There was indeed a time when there was no making of matchbox cars. Even though in the 1960s, matchbox was a prominent car toy brand in England, the company then Lesney products started to face financial difficulties in the 1970s. The difficulty was a result of economic changes in the United Kingdom at the time.

The company struggled with the economic climate, but later, in 1982, it was declared bankrupt.

The company went under receivership. Later the assets were sold to Universal Toys and David Yeh. In 1985 Lesney ceased manufacturing matchbox cars.

What can you do with Matchbox cars?

There are numerous things you can do if you own a Matchbox car. You can sell it for money since old models are now very expensive, or you can also repaint old models to make them look beautiful again. Some choose to donate them to a museum because of their extreme rarity.

If you have matchbox cars in your collection, you can do different things with them.

First, if all you need to know, matchbox cars are worth a lot of money.  However, more importantly, not all matchboxes are worthy, but the matchbox cars were manufactured before 1970.

If you have any car manufactured 1960s, you can sell it. That is the first thing you can do with matchbox cars. Some collectors are looking for those precious 1960s matchbox cars.

Another thing you can do with matchbox cars is to repaint them and keep them in your collection.

These matchbox cars are not ordinary toy cars. They were made with metal until today. Although there are some newer models using plastic. You can keep them in your collection like another value item you have.

You can also choose to donate your matchbox cars to the matchbox cars museum. The museum is one big building where you can see all the manufactured matchbox cars. If you are searching for what to do with a matchbox car in your house, donate to the museum.

How can you tell if a Matchbox car is rare?

If you have matchbox cars in your house and wonder if it is among those termed rare matchbox cars, here are ways to tell if it is rare and valuable.

• If the car is under the matchbox cars limited editions
• Check the car production year
• The car is first or the last runs of a model
• Existence of variations, for instance, application of different paint
• Existence of variation on the type of wheels or it used diecast on the car body
• If there was a limitation of car production that year and model
• If there was the cancellation of car model production after a few manufactured and released to the market.

All these factors narrow down to two points to tell if you have a rare matchbox car. There was a limitation of production of that car model, and the second point was when the car was produced.

The Rare Matchbox Cars

The top rarest matchbox car is the Opel Diplomat. The car featured unusual colors and painted turquoise regarded as sea green. The car was introduced in 1967 and was a car transporter gift set. Today is a highly valued and rare matchbox car valued at around $9,000.

Which is the First Matchbox Car?

The first matchbox car was produced and sold in 1947 in London during the Christmas festival. It is called the Road Roller. It was personally designed by Jack O’Dell who is a die caster and toolmaker for his daughter and made it small so she can take the model to school.

If you are a matchbox cars collector, it is imperative you would like to know which the first matchbox car is. Here we’ll share the short history of the matchbox car with you and get to know how the first matchbox car came about.

The idea to start manufacturing matchbox cars started after the end of World War II.

The company to start manufacturing these matchbox cars was pioneered by Leslie and Rodney Smith. They named the company Lensey Products. Later they were joined by Jack O’Dell, who was a die and toolmaker.

The company started production of die-cast cars in 1947, and the main market was London.

They sold most of their car during the Christmas festival. The first matchbox car was a road roller and was manufactured in 1947. It is Jack who designed this car for his daughter and made it small for her to be allowed to take to school.

The rules of that time allowed pupils to carry toys to school only if they are small and can fit in a matchbox. After jack designing a car that can fit in a matchbox, they named their car’s brand matchbox.

The road roller is number in the 1-75 series. That year, 1947, there was the manufacturing of three models of cement mixer, road roller, and dump truck. The three matchbox cars also are rare and of high value.