The Holiday Hess Truck Collection: A Complete History and Timeline

The Hess Toy Truck is one of the most enduring and eagerly anticipated holiday traditions in American retail history. Launched in 1964 by company founder Leon Hess, the annual release set a standard for quality, affordability, and innovative features, including working lights and, later, sounds.

Every year since its debut, the Hess Toy Truck has been released with only three exceptions, making the collection a continuous historical timeline of engineering and design.

The Founding Era: Tankers and Early Milestones (1964–1979)

The earliest Hess toys were modeled directly after vehicles in the Hess fleet and are now the most valuable to collectors due to lower production numbers and rarity.

Year(s)	Model Name	Significance
1964–1965	Tanker Trailer	The first-ever Hess Toy Truck. Features working lights and a unique water-fillable tank with hose.
1966	Tanker Ship	The first non-truck in the collection, modeled after the Hess Voyager ship.
1967	Tanker Truck	Notable for its distinct packaging: the “Red Velvet” display base.
1970–1971	Fire Truck	The first emergency vehicle and the first to feature a motorized part (a rotating red light).
1973	NO RELEASE	Skipped due to the U.S. Oil Embargo and high manufacturing costs.
1975	Box Trailer	The first “accessory” toy: it included three miniature oil barrels (plain in 1975, Hess-labeled in 1976).
1979	NO RELEASE	Skipped due to the global oil crisis and fuel shortages.

The Advertising and Bank Era (1980–1990)

This period saw the first-ever TV commercials for the Hess Toy Truck, beginning in 1980, and the introduction of coin banks into the design.

Year(s)	Model Name	Significance
1980	Training Van	The first model heavily promoted with TV commercials.
1984	Fuel Oil Tanker with Bank	Marked the 20th Anniversary and was the first toy to double as a coin bank.
1988	Truck with Racer	The first toy to feature a secondary accessory vehicle (the racer) and the first to have the model year inscribed on the license plate.
1988	The Iconic Jingle	The “Hess Truck’s Back” jingle debuted in TV commercials.
1990	Tanker Truck	The last annual full-size tanker truck to be released as the main holiday toy.

The Accessory & Modern Era (1991–Present)

From the 1990s onward, the designs became more complex, incorporating multiple vehicles, aviation, and construction themes, often moving away from the direct replica of a Hess fleet vehicle.

Year(s)	Model Name	Significance
1993	Patrol Car	The first Hess toy car.
1995	Truck with Helicopter	The first toy to feature a flying vehicle (the helicopter had spinning rotors).
1999	Truck & Space Shuttle	The first toy themed around space exploration.
2014	Truck with Space Cruiser & Scout	Marked the 50th Anniversary. This was the final year the truck was sold exclusively at Hess gas stations.
2015–Present	Online Era	Following the sale of Hess gas stations to Speedway, the toy is now sold exclusively online and continues the annual tradition.
2021	Cargo Plane & Jet	The first time a plane was the main vehicle (not an accessory).
2024	Fire Truck with Car and Motorcycle	Celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the collection.

Disclaimer

Hess®, Hess Toy Truck®, and related trademarks are the sole property of Hess Corporation. We do not claim any ownership rights or affiliation with the Hess Corporation. All historical pricing and collectible valuations are estimates for informational and reference purposes only and do not constitute a guarantee of current market value.