Minitalia

LEGO Minitalia was a theme produced and available only in Italy and was available from 1970 to 1976. Minitalia was a licensee of LEGO similar to how Samsonite was here in the US and was created becuase the Italian Parliment restricted the import of LEGO so LEGO responded with their own Italian manufacturing subsidiary, LEGO Minitalia.. Minitalia consited of 21 sets in all.

The parts in Minitalia sets were different to standard LEGO parts in many ways, the first being the platsic used to mold the parts was not LEGO's ABS plastic but a cheaper plastic and thus produced bricks that were not as bright in color as LEGO ABS parts, had thinner walls, and did not connect as well. In addition the studs on most bricks were recessed and did not contain the LEGO logo and the hollow tubing on the underside of standard LEGO bricks was changed to an cross system also reducing locking. Not all of the bricks had the cross 'X' system, some had some had the so called 'slit tubes'.