Lesney Products & Co. Ltd. was a British manufacturing company responsible for the conception, manufacture, and distribution of die-cast toys under the "Matchbox" name. The company existed from 1947 until 1982.
Former "Lesney Matchbox Toys" factory pictured in 2009
Conestoga Wagon by Lesney
A Matchbox Volkswagen Camper Van
A die-cast toy is a toy or a collectible model produced by using the die-casting method of putting molten lead, zinc alloy or plastic in a mold to produce a particular shape. Such toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber, glass, or other machined metal parts. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection molding, but the two methods are distinct because of the properties of the materials.
Typical early Dinky die-cast toy, with multiple parts and rubber tires, but early models had no glazed windows.
A die-cast biplane.
1:24 die-cast model of the Honda Valkyrie
A die-cast Yamaha motorcycle model in 1:18 scale