The Etch A Sketch was invented by Andre Cassagnes, a French electrician, in the late 1950s. He named it The Magic Screen. The Ohio Art Company bought the rights to The Magic Screen in 1959. When it was released in the United States in 1960, it retailed for $2.99 (roughy the equivalent of $26 today).
It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998. The Toy Industry Association named the Etch A Sketch one of the 100 most memorable toys of the 20th Century in 2003. The Etch A Sketch has sold more than 100 million units around the world.
*This Etch A Sketch is a retro release of the original.