Matchbox Cars lead Toy Hall of Fame class

Coloring book, Magic: The Gathering round out latest inductees.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Matchbox Cars, the coloring book and the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering were inducted Thursday into the National Toy Hall of Fame, recognized for an enduring appeal that keeps them on store shelves today.

Experts selected the Class of 2019 from among nominated finalists that also included Care Bears, the Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Jenga, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony, Nerf Blaster, Risk, the smartphone and the top.

The honorees were installed during a ceremony at the hall, located inside The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester. They will be permanently showcased alongside 68 previous winners that include alphabet blocks, the Big Wheel, G.I. Joe and others recognized for their innovation, longevity and ability to foster creativity or discovery through play.

Matchbox Cars follow rival Hot Wheels, Class of 2011, into the hall. Lesney Products debuted Matchbox Cars in 1953 in England and a year later in the U.S., where they sold at a rate of more 100 million a year by 1960, the hall said.

“Matchbox Cars revolutionized the toy car industry ... and the name Matchbox has become synonymous with miniature cars,” Chief Curator Christopher Bensch said in a news release.

Wizards of the Coast introduced Magic: The Gathering in 1993 and quickly had trouble meeting demand, the hall said. The fantasy game employs chance and skill as players collect new cards and refine their deck and strategies.

The New York printing company McLoughlin Brothers gets credit for producing the first coloring books in the 1880s. In recent years, the activity’s appeal has crossed over to adults.

Anyone can nominate a toy, but to make it into the hall, toys must have lasted across generations, be innovative, and foster learning, creativity or discovery through play.