The Encyclopedia of Matchbox Toys - 1947-2001

It''s all here! Pictured and listed in this massive volume, now in its fourth edition, are fifty-four years'' worth of toys produced between Matchbox''s founding in 1947, and 2001, including their popular diecast vehicles, playsets, dolls, plastic kits, robots, and ephemera. The international scope of Matchbox toys is illustrated in catalogs and on boxes and labels printed in a dozen languages. Certain toys have been made for sale in specific countries or to promote specific companies or products. In 1982 the international numbering system on miniatures changed. The result of all these variables is a fascinating and infinite variety of Matchbox toys. In the largest volume about Matchbox Toys ever published, 2,447 color photos illustrate nearly all of Matchbox''s vast line. Helpful captions and a price guide make this an essential part of every collector''s library.