Tonka Toys was founded in 1946 in Michigan. Originally named Mound Metalcraft, the primary products were metal garden tools with a small toy line of two metal trucks released. After doing poorly in business for nine years, the company changed their name to Tonka in 1955 and began marketing toys exclusively. The name "Tonka" means "great" or "big" in the Sioux language and Tonka has prided themselves on producing stronger and larger toys than the matchbox cars that were popular at the time of Tonka's beginning.
Tonka Trucks are the most recognizable of the Tonka line. The "Mighty Dump Truck" was introduced in 1964. The dump truck was advertised as "Tonka Tough" and "Guaranteed for Life". These marketing slogans have become hooks recognizable with Tonka and still used today. This truck was made entirely of metal and was advertised as indestructible. Over the years, the steel trucks have been phased out and replaced by plastic, but the vintage metal Tonka trucks are synonymous with the memories of many of playing in the garden or sandbox as a young child. The Mighty Dump Truck has a style that has remained mostly unchanged since its release. A yellow truck with thick black tires and a movable bed sitting on hinges is nearly identical to the truck of forty years ago. Because of its durability, the vintage Tonka dump truck can be found on numerous lists of top desirable toys. Until 1991, Tonka continued to release other trucks and tools to accompany the dump truck in the "Mighty Tonka" line. Some of the most common are the Mighty Mobile Crane, the Mighty Bulldozer, the Mighty Construction Set, the Mighty Loader, and the Mighty Dozer. All of these featured the bright Tonka yellow color, durability, strength and features that moved, lifted, dragged, and did the job they claimed to do.
Tonka is also responsible for the Pound Puppies craze that boomed in the mid 1980s. The puppies all featured the classic floppy ears and droopy eyes and a heart stamped "PP" near the tail. One body style, three different types of ears, blue, green, and brown eyes, and six fur colors and patterns were combined to create dozens of different Pound Puppies. Each was sold with a carrying case and an adoption certificate. Following the adoption theme, the dogs were packaged with their heads just sticking out of the doghouse, as if they were actually in a pound waiting to be adopted into a loving home. To help market the sad looking pooches, Tonka launched an animated television show with Hanna-Barbera featuring six of the puppies and giving them personalities. Pound Puppy mania took hold and shelves were quickly emptied as both children and collectors tried to grab each dog as it was released. The line became so popular that it eventually expanded to different animals. Pound Pur-r-ies was a line of kittens that was released with the same trademark heart and PP. Pound Ocean came next, with dolphins, octopus, and crabs available, and then came Pound Ponies. Pound Puppy overload led the line to be discontinued in the late eighties, only to be brought back again in 1996. Because of the high volume of puppies sold, most collector items do not hold a high monetary value. Although a far stretch from the indestructible trucks that Tonka once exclusively marketed, Pound Puppies are a vintage Tonka toy that brings back fond memories.
