Dinky Toys
The Importance of Value
When buying or selling Dinky Toys it is essential to know the current market value, without this information it is easy to sell too cheap, or pay too much for your Dinky Toys. To establish a true market value you must not only know what prices are currently being asked, but of far greater importance is to know what prices have recently been achieved. Below is a clever tool that will show you both current and sold results for Dinky Toys.
Be sure to remember when valuing your Dinky Toys that correctly grading the condition is critical. The slightest wear to the model or box will reduce the value so it is important that when comparing prices that you compare like with like.
Dinky Toy Facts
- Dinky Toys were produced by Meccano Ltd a company formed by Frank Hornby in 1908.
- The first model vehicles were produced in 1933 as railway accessories under the name Hornby Modelled Miniatures.
- In 1935 the range was given the Dinky Toys name.
- Originally models were made of lead but soon changed to a diecast zinc alloy.
- The zinc alloy used prior to the second world war had quality issues which led to cracking and slow disintegration of many of these models.
- Production was halted during the war but resumed in 1945 in both the UK and France.
- Dinky toys include cars, commercial vehicles, aircraft, ships, farm models, military equipment, TV and Film related models and many more.
- Competition to Dinky toys came from Corgi in the UK and later from American companies such as Mattel.
- Production continued until 1979 when the Famous Binns Road factory in Liverpool finally closed its doors.
- The Dinky name has subsequently been used by Matchbox International Ltd and more recently Atlas editions who now produce copies of the original models.