THE Souvenir of the Fair


A vintage Mold-a-Rama machine of the sort millions of Fairgoers used to build their very own souvenir from Sinclair's Dinoland.

SOURCE: Photo © 2007 Replication Devices

Sinclair Dinoland Mold-a-Rama Machine
 

Their popularity is indisputable. Collectors call them Sinclair Dinoland Waxy-Plastic Dinosaurs. The real name for these injection-molded dinosaurs are Mold-a-Ramas. According to Replication Devices of Tampa, Florida, the company that still manufactures and sells the do-it-yourself plastic injection machines that made them, Mold-a-Ramas have been in existence since the early 1960s, starting at the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair and, afterward, traveling the country to various Sinclair Oil Company Gas Stations that hosted the post-Fair traveling exhibit of Sinclair Dinoland.

The Mold-a-Rama dinosaurs were a wonderful and affordable souvenir of the Fair. Then, like now, every kid had a fascination with dinosaurs. And at only 25c a model, kids could take home a souvenir from Dinoland that they made as they watched and yet was easy on mom and dad's World's Fair budget!

A note to collectors: Mold-a-Rama dinosaurs produced at the Fair bear the inscription "1964-1965 New York World's Fair." Mold-a-Rama Sinclair Dinoland dinosaurs continued to be produced after the Fair, but these do not have the World's Fair inscription.

Today, the Sinclair dinosaur Mold-a-Ramas are among some of the most prolific souvenirs to be found in online auctions of 1964/1965 New York World's Fair memorabilia. Yet they have kept their popularity, snapped up by aging baby-boomer Fairgoers wishing to buy back a bit of their childhood memories.

Sinclair Dinoland Mold-a-Rama dinosaurs were available in seven different dinosaur designs and came in many different colors. They cost 25c to make and were a popular and affordable souvenir of the Fair.

Brontosaurus Mold-a-Rama Dino
Corythosaurus Mold-a-Rama Dinosaur Ankylosaurus Mold-a-Rama Dinosaur
Triceratops Mold-a-Rama Dinosaur Tyrannosaurus Mold-a-Rama Dinosaur

SOURCE: Photos from online auctions
Stegosaurus Mold-a-Rama Dinosaur

Souvenirs from Sinclair

From the amazing Mike Kraus Collection collection of New York World's Fair memorabilia, here's more souvenirs from Sinclair's participation in the Fair...
Dealer Promos! Below: Its the "Dino Playmate" and the "Bag-O-Dinos" which were available at Sinclair Stations during the run of the Fair. A large banner banner advertising the Bag-O-Dinos and a poster advertising the "Trip 'n Travel Prize-O-Rama" contest Sinclair held in conjuction with their World's Fair participation.
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Trip 'n Travel Poster
Left: Sinclair featured the Fair in a big way on every give-away roadmap. Right: A poster advertising Dinoland
 Maps Dinoland Poster