Well, more toys with lead are in the news. However, this time the state of California has filed a lawsuit against 20 companies as a result of the lead scare just to make sure it doesn't happen in the future, or so that's what the lawsuit states. To read more on that, check out the story on the Toy Shop Web site.

However, I'd like to share something with you sent in by Tom McNevin. He writes:

"I stumbled across your toy blog while looking up some issues related to lead.  While there is a lot of hysteria in pursuit of a risk-free society, it's nonetheless true that the more lead is studied, the worse it looks."

He then sent along the following link:
http://www.mindfully.org/Health/Lead-Industry-Public-Health.htm

It's an interesting piece and something I should keep in mind when foaming from the mouth about our ultra-safe society. Thanks Tom!

Topps has landed the trading card rights to one of the most anticipated films of next summer, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In advance of that release, Topps will produce a set of Indiana Jones cards under its Heritage brand that will be available in late February.


The 90-card set will be available exclusively in hobby and specialty markets and will feature scenes from all three original Indiana Jones movies, with card designs paying homage to the Raiders of the Lost Ark cards first published by Topps in 1981.  The retro-designed product will come with bubble gum in every pack. Five-card packs will carry a $2 suggested retail price.

Ira Friedman, Topps VP of publishing, said the company is in the process of finalizing arrangements with cast members of the original movies to provide autographs for the series. Inserts in the product will include 1-of-1 sketch cards and sequentially numbered parallel cards.

“We’re thrilled to be associated once again with this truly extraordinary property,” Friedman said. “Our Heritage treatment for the original movies is a nostalgic and fun way to kickoff our Indiana Jones trading card initiative – the first phase of an ongoing program that will transition to the new movie and beyond.”

Friedman said Topps will release its card set for the newest Indiana Jones film in May, just prior to the movie’s scheduled Memorial Day weekend release.

We at Toy Shop are working on a massive holiday gift guide column that will run on our Web site. And while it will encompass a massive amount of toys, we’re also going to include a lot of typical gift items and some not-so-typical stuff, such as goggles that help you find your golf balls in the rough.

But while Eric Resnick has been working his tail off in gathering product and writing descriptions, he has also been lamenting the fact that many toys these days involve batteries, need to be plugged in or are made specifically for MP3 and iPod players. He wants to know, “What happen to real toys?”

While I might add that batteries have been a big part of toys since the 1950s, I see his point. I was amazed at the number of technological toys at Toy Fair last winter.

So ask you collectors this – when you are shopping for others (namely kids), what type of toys do you buy? Are they the types of toys you grew up with, or do you bow down to the wishes of the technological whizzes known as today’s kids?

On a side not, be sure to check out Karen O’Brien’s blog to see updates from the National Farm Toy Show being held this weekend. She be blogging live from the event.