In the United Kingdom, the days of a Happy Meal-like toy that comes with your cereal box are long gone, but there are many who still remember those cute little pieces of plastic, like one Nick Symes, who runs the little YouTube channel Cerealmad.
Symes began his collection of toys and cereal as a whole in the 1970s and can only estimate that he has collected “a lot” of both. He has not been collecting consistently since the 1970s, but began the major work again about 30 years ago after digging up his childhood box of cereal toys.
He mostly gave up his collecting efforts in 2014, but has since started a website known as cerealoffers.com, where he showcases his niche pieces as a great cereal historian. He has even managed to make decent money selling some of his pieces, such as a Doctor Who breakfast cereal box that earned him £400.
Now that cereal box toys are no more, Symes is one of the key figures clinging to their legacy. It seems money is secondary to the 57-year-old, as he believes today’s children are being robbed even for not getting the joy of a cereal box toy.
Thank you, The Guardian.