BRITAIN’S TOY CAR WARS: DINKY VS CORGI VS MATCHBOXGiles £20

The History Press

Every classic car enthusiast over the age of 40 will remember a time when they spent most, if not all, of their pocket money on Dinky, Corgi or Matchbox diecast models. This large-format paperback charts the rise and fall of those three rival toy-makers from the 1950s to the 1980s, when escalating production costs forced them out of a marketplace flooded with cheap overseas imports – damn you, Hot Wheels! – and into foreign ownership. That mint examples of these miniature Mazak marvels can now sell for higher prices than their full-size originals is proof of their enduring appeal. Author Giles Chapman approaches the text with the eye for detail of a true collector, along with generous helpings of period advertising and photos of the toys themselves. A real nostalgic treat. DT