Charlie Mack Is one of the world’s foremost authorities on Matchbox Toys. Born in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1956, he has lived in Durham, Connecticut, his entire life. Charlie grew up at a time when Matchbox toys were just beginning to gain popularity in the United States so he spent a great deal of time playing with them. By the age of eleven, he decided to start collecting them on a more serious level. It took nearly a decade to gather his first thousand pieces. Soon after that, his collection grew at a faster rate. He has accumulated what is probably the world’s largest collection of a single toy brand, with a collection of over 30.000 items.
Charlie started the Matchbox USA club back in 1977 as a local off-shoot of American International Matchbox. The club celebrated its thirty-fifh anniversary in 2012, with over 400 members worldwide.
In 1992 Charlie opened up part of his home as the Matchbox & Lesney Toy Museum: his collection is housed in seven individual rooms. Charlie gladly takes visitors through by appointment at no charge.
He has written several volumes of catalogues which are considered as a bible for collectors.