In 1965 LEGO released 8 Samsonite sets across 2 subthemes. The largest Samsonite set from 1965 was
610-3 Super Wheel Toy Set Long Box with a piece count of 304 and a retail price of $9.95.
Samsonite was an American manufacturer of LEGO sets which introduced the very first USA LEGO catalog for Christmas of 1961. LEGO and Samsonite created a partnership to produce and sell LEGO in the US. The result was a 9-year license for exclusive North American distribution rights. Samsonite began marketing sets under the name LEGO by Samsonite in the US in 1961 and Canada in 1962.
1965 LEGO Sets
1965 was a growth year for LEGO. The number of people employed by LEGO at Billund reached 600. LEGO was also increasing the pace of new development. Continued sales growth for the company also meant continued expansion of its manufacturing capacity. They also developed several new elements specifically for the North American market. Beginning this year, the primary illustration on each set's box would show only models that could be built with that set's contents. Previous sets featured generic models not necessarily possible.