Slinky Celebrates 70th Birthday

CANTON, Miss. (CBS) -- A classic childhood toy turned 70 years old over the weekend.

The idea for the slinky came from naval engineer Richard James after he knocked a spring off his workbench in 1943. Two years later, the first slinky was sold at a Philadelphia department store for $1.

Every slinky is made from about 67 feet of steel wire.

More than 300 million have been sold in the first 60 years of production. The United States Postal Service issued a Slinky stamp in 1999.

Slinky's maker also says the song in its famous commercials became the longest-running jingle in advertising history.