Mini cars honor 50 states

While a committee waits for an artist to produce sample designs for Iowa’s state quarter, a more “entertaining” product is already representing the Hawkeye State…a vehicle in the Matchbox series by Mattel. Spokesman Ira Rubien says for the toy company’s 50th birthday, it decided to produce a vehicle for each state in a series called “Across America.”The cars kids know in their town are police cars and fire trucks, buses, a cart, and Iowa’s “car” is a tractor. Rubien says the theme’s a birthday celebration for Mattel, and gives Matchbox fans plenty of products to buy.Kids could identify with a birthday, and they know their own state so they can identify with that and might want to collect all the states. Rubien says the toy company knows there are grown-up kids who also snap up the tiny toys. They produce them for kids but know there are plenty of adult collectors. The Matchbox vehicles have already been featured in a Happy Meal promotion, and are on shelves at a toy department near you.