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.

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.

SOURCE: Photos from online auctions

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.

Left: Sinclair featured the Fair in a big way on every give-away roadmap. Right: A poster advertising Dinoland