Why a Toy Site? - Sam's Toybox

There is nothing as neat as watching a kid play with their favorite toy.
Sam Cancilla

I have always been interested in toys and had a very few left over from my youth but was not a big collector until May, 1998 when I discovered eBay. Upon bidding on and winning my first auction for a toy I had in my youth, the Mattel Powershop, I was hooked and started trying to build a collection of the world's coolest toys. As I collected more and more toys which now overrun my entire computer room (and various other nooks and crannies in my house) I decided that it would be neat to share the toys with others.

A website seemed to be a great way to do this. Not only can people from all over the world come here to reminisce, but I can display my latest finds to my friends and family as well. So the toybox site was born in October, 1998 after I purchased a digital camera and scanner. Built in my spare time over the next six months or so, the site started out with about 30 pages of toys. Now, in early 2011 with over 200 toy pages, the site is still and will likely always be a work in progress and a labor of love.

I think that you'll find the site interesting and informative. My hope is that many people can get some enjoyment and perhaps recapture a little bit of the happiness they may have had as a child by seeing these toys again (or for the first time).

I would love to hear your comments on the site, questions about toys, stories of your favorite toy, or fair offers to sell me your classic toy that is still tucked away in your attic.

Original site design by:

Contact me: Sam Cancilla, sam@samstoybox.com.

Last Modified: February 19, 2011