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Leslie Smith, founder, president, and longtime chief executive of

Matchbox Toys, has died at his home in North London at the age of

87.



The cars were introduced in 1953 and are still sold worldwide. They

were designed to fit in into a postwar era British matchbox, hence the

name. By 1962 the company was turning out over 50 million cars

a year- more, The New York Times reported "than all of the world's

major automobile producers combined".



In an interview Friday, the editor of Matchbox USA magazine said

that a rare Matchbox Dodge wreck truck sold on Ebay recently for

more than $9,000.

valerie wrote: Leslie Smith, founder, president, and longtime chief executive of

Matchbox Toys, has died at his home in North London at the age of

87.



The cars were introduced in 1953 and are still sold worldwide. They

were designed to fit in into a postwar era British matchbox, hence the

name. By 1962 the company was turning out over 50 million cars

a year- more, The New York Times reported "than all of the world's

major automobile producers combined".



In an interview Friday, the editor of Matchbox USA magazine said

that a rare Matchbox Dodge wreck truck sold on Ebay recently for

more than $9,000.$9,000!! My mums got a toy chest crammed with old matchbox cars.

I dont suppose they're worth much, they're as my mum would say,

"Well loved" :-4

abbey wrote: $9,000!! My mums got a toy chest crammed with old matchbox cars.

I dont suppose they're worth much, they're as my mum would say,

"Well loved" :-4Why don't you drop a line to Paul Martin ''Flog it''at www.bbc.co.uk



Your mum might even get on the Telly:-6

for one moment, just for one moment, I really thought you were going to add, `and he was so small they buried him in a matchbox`!!!!!

When i think of all the old toys that got thrown out-old annuals etc they would be worth a fortune now.