Silly Putty
We include Silly Putty in our toy museum because it was as much a part of the toy culture of the 70’s and 80’s as many other toys. Silly Putty is basically made of silicone polymers, which makes for some unique properties. Not only does Silly Putty bounce, but it also flows like a liquid when left in one place. A hard enough blow will cause the Silly Putty to break, and it could also lift the ink image off of the funny papers (back when the ink was oil based).
The idea to package Silly Putty in little eggs and sell it as a toy came around 1950. After selling over 250,000 eggs in a three day period, they knew they had a hit. By the early 60’s, Silly Putty had become a worldwide hit. In 2001, Silly Putty was put in the National Toy Hall of Fame.