Dinky Supertoys
32 years in operation (1947–1979)
About Dinky Supertoys
Dinky Supertoys was not a separate company: it was the heavy truck and commercial vehicle range within Dinky Toys, producing larger-scale die-cast models of lorries, tankers, and construction vehicles. These larger models are particularly popular with collectors and often carry authentic brand livery.
History of Dinky Supertoys
Dinky Supertoys was introduced in 1947 as the upper tier of the Dinky range: larger models, mostly commercial vehicles and heavy plant, with treaded rubber tyres and a standard of construction the ordinary range did not receive.
The line existed because Dinky's customer base had changed. Adults and older children wanted recognisable articulated lorries, tankers, breakdown trucks, cranes and military transporters, and would pay several times a pocket-money price for them. Supertoys delivered exactly that: Foden and Guy lorries in named commercial liveries, the Leyland Octopus, the Mighty Antar tank transporter, the Coles crane.
The Supertoys designation was phased out through the 1960s as the Dinky catalogue was reorganised and the models absorbed into the main numbering. Production ended with the closure of Binns Road in 1979.
Timeline
- 1947Dinky Supertoys launches as a larger, better-finished upper tier of the Dinky range
- 1950Foden and Guy articulated lorries in commercial liveries define the line
- 1955Military transporters and heavy plant broaden the range
- 1965The Supertoys name is phased out as the catalogue is reorganised
- 1979Production ends with the closure of Binns Road
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Dinky Supertoys Foden flatbed
- Dinky Supertoys Guy van
- Dinky Supertoys Leyland cement truck
- Dinky Supertoys Mighty Antar tank transporter
- Dinky Supertoys Euclid dump truck
Identifying & Dating Dinky Supertoys Toys
- Bases read "DINKY SUPERTOYS" with "MECCANO LTD" and "MADE IN ENGLAND" and a model number — the "SUPERTOYS" wording is what separates these from the standard range.
- Boxes are large and blue-and-white striped for much of the period, printed with the model name and number; box style dates the issue.
- Treaded rubber tyres rather than plain ones, and the larger overall size, are the visual signatures.
Collector's Notes
- Liveried lorries are collected by livery, and a scarce commercial livery can be worth many times a common one on an otherwise identical model. Establish the livery before valuing the lorry.
- The large boxes were bulky and were thrown away, so boxed Supertoys are proportionally scarcer than boxed standard Dinkies and command a corresponding premium.
- Original treaded rubber tyres have usually hardened or perished, and reproduction tyres are widely fitted without disclosure. Check also for cab-roof paint chipping, which is where these models always wear.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Dinky Supertoys founded?
Dinky Supertoys was founded in 1947, based in Liverpool, England.
Is Dinky Supertoys still in business?
No. Dinky Supertoys ceased operations in 1979, after 32 years in business.
What is Dinky Supertoys best known for?
Dinky Supertoys is best known for Dinky Supertoys Foden flatbed, Dinky Supertoys Guy van, Dinky Supertoys Leyland cement truck, among other toys.
Where was Dinky Supertoys located?
Dinky Supertoys was based in Liverpool, England.
What kinds of toys did Dinky Supertoys make?
Dinky Supertoys is categorized under die-cast, vehicles, trucks.
How can you identify genuine Dinky Supertoys toys?
Bases read "DINKY SUPERTOYS" with "MECCANO LTD" and "MADE IN ENGLAND" and a model number — the "SUPERTOYS" wording is what separates these from the standard range. Boxes are large and blue-and-white striped for much of the period, printed with the model name and number; box style dates the issue. Treaded rubber tyres rather than plain ones, and the larger overall size, are the visual signatures.
Are Dinky Supertoys toys valuable?
Liveried lorries are collected by livery, and a scarce commercial livery can be worth many times a common one on an otherwise identical model. Establish the livery before valuing the lorry. The large boxes were bulky and were thrown away, so boxed Supertoys are proportionally scarcer than boxed standard Dinkies and command a corresponding premium. Original treaded rubber tyres have usually hardened or perished, and reproduction tyres are widely fitted without disclosure. Check also for cab-roof paint chipping, which is where these models always wear.