All About Diecast Model Cars
Diecast models can include anything from cars to ships, military tanks, military and commercial airplanes and NASCAR diecast among others.
The first diecast models, it is believed, were produced during the 1930s in the United States by the BuddyL brand. Although very popular among children, they were only rough facsimiles of the objects they represented. The popularity of the toy, nevertheless, reached other countries, and, soon enough, the Lesney Company began producing their Matchbox models in England. Corgi emerged in France and Plasticos Argentinos began to produce diecast models in Argentina.
British diecast toy fans were particular in that they called every diecast model; no matter what company they were made from, a "matchbox".
In the late 1950s, Hot Wheels was introduced in the United States by Mattel, as a counterpart to their well-known line of girl toys, the Barbie dolls. Hot Wheels eventually gained an important niche in the diecast model cars market, becoming one of the world's top sellers by the 2000s.
During the 1960s and 1970s, major companies began to advertise in large numbers with these models; with the idea that a child can play a large part in a family's decision as far as what product to use, companies such as McDonald's, Sears Roebuck, Kodak and others paid the diecast model car makers large amounts of money to have vans or trucks reproduced with their names and logos on.
One of the most famous advertising diecast models was the American Airlines London bus, produced by Matchbox during the 1970s. Other airlines such as, Iberia. TWA and Air France (the latter with a Corgi model) followed American.
In 1973, Matchbox introduced a line of military ships. The ships were taken off the Matchbox line in 1978.
Commercial and military airplanes began to be popularised by Dyna Flites in 1980. By the 1990s, Dyna Flites had gone bankrupt, but it was replaced in this market by Schabak, a company that was already known for its diecast model cars in Germany, by Gemini Jets, Herpa and Dragon Wings, among others.
In 1983, Hot Wheels moved their manufacturing centre to Macau; this would have an impact among Asians, as many of them also became collectors of diecast model cars. Matchbox had a manufacturing plant in Mexico during that time.
In 1994, Mattel bought Matchbox, essentially making Hot Wheels and Matchbox sister brands. The two brands continue to sell diecast model cars under their own names.
NASCAR Diecast
NASCAR began to produce a massive number of NASCAR diecast racing cars and trucks during the 1990s. Racing Champions was contracted by the sports organization, and NASCAR diecast trucks and cars became popular among collectors.
During the 2000s, other companies began to surface, such as the Homies cars and others. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Matchbox released the "Hero City" collection, and other brands countered by producing models under the name of "Dub City" and others.
Tonka, a long time large diecast truck maker, began to produce small diecast models during 2003.
Films such as Spiderman and Hulk have been promoted with diecast model cars during the decade of the 2000s.
Two of the diecast models that have become important collectors' items are the aforementioned American Airlines London Bus, and the Rocky diecast model car, produced in 1979 after the release of Rocky II.
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