Dinky Toy

Dinky Toy

Dinky Toy

Inspired by the success of diecast  tootsietoys in America, in 1933 Frank Hornby, one of Britain’s leading toy Manufacturer’s, produced a range of vehicles known as modelled miniature’s, two a company his famous Hornby Railway system.

The pocket sized toys became a huge success in their own right and in 1934 were renamed Dinky.

Dinky Toy

A wide range of vehicles, including cars, buses, commercial and military vehicles were produced in 1930s, and this early period provided some of the most sought after Dinky toy today.

Production ceased during the war and started up again in 1946..

Many of the same models were reissued post-war examples have thicker axles than the 1930s first issues, and  the hubs’s are more realistic with raised centres.

In 1947 to Dinky super Toy range was introduced, there was large number of vehicles witch were specifically designed with rubber tyres. The company used a numbering system of 123 digit numbers followed by a letter.

From 1954 numbers were standardised one or two digit numbers were used  for cars and to test vehicle and 100 to 249  for racing cars , 250 to 994 public service vehicles buses police cars fire engines and ambulances etc.

With growing competition from other manufacturers such as corgi toys in the 1950s Dinky vehicles became increasingly updated, windows were introduced in the 1950s suspension in 1959 and fingertip steering 1960s.. Packing also improved in the 1950s in the pre war period small numbers of vehicles were sent in a trade boxes to retailers who would extract cars as they were sold.

The first half of the 1950s saw the introduction of individual boxes that contributed hugely to the vehicles values  in today’s market.

I hope you found this page on Dinky Toy  to both the informative and helpful. Happy hunting from the collectibles coach.