One of the ‘most dangerous toys of all time’ is up for sale

Stuck for a Christmas present for the kiddies? The world’s most dangerous toy is up for sale.

The Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory was released in the early 1950s and comes complete with real uranium ore samples.

Marketed as an educational tool to inspire budding scientists, the kit was the brainchild of Alfred Carlton Gilbert, the creator of the iconic Erector Set.

Despite its scientific appeal, the Atomic Energy Lab didn’t last long. Production ceased in 1951 due to “government restrictions” and difficulties sourcing materials, as detailed in a 1953 letter from the A.C. Gilbert Co.

In 2006, Radar Magazine named it one of the “10 most dangerous toys of all time,” but a 2020 IEEE Spectrum analysis suggested its risks might have been overstated. The radiation exposure was described as “minimal,” equivalent to “a day’s UV exposure from the sun,” as long as the samples stayed sealed in their containers.

Boston-based RR Auction said: “With fewer than 5,000 units sold, the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory has become a prized collectible for history buffs, toy enthusiasts, and pop culture fans alike.

“It offers a window into a unique period of post-WWII history when atomic science was all the rage – and controversy.”

The kit will be offered as part of RR Auction’s Fine Autographs and Artifacts event, which concludes on 11 December. It is estimated to fetch over £3,100 ($4,000).

WHAT’S IN THE BOX:

Packaged in a sleek red suitcase, the kit came loaded with:

– Four glass jars containing natural uranium-bearing (U-238) ore samples.

– A cloud chamber for observing alpha particles zipping along at 12,000 miles per second.

– A spinthariscope to view radioactive decay on a glowing fluorescent screen.

– An electroscope to measure radiation levels in naturally radioactive substances like carnotite, autunite, torbernite, and uraninite.

It also included extras: the “Gilbert Atomic Energy Manual,” a U.S. government-published uranium prospecting guide, and a whimsical comic book, Dagwood Splits the Atom.