With the Cold War going full throttle in the 1960s, a new hero emerged to captivate children’s imagination: the spy. Secret agent men and women (thanks, Agent 99!) dominated movies, television shows and books. James Bond alone was the subject of five movies during that decade. Popular spy TV shows included The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the Avengers and, in a comical vein, Get Smart.

Very predictably, these famous fictional spies generated a variety of tie-in products to entice kids but a lot of toy companies released original merchandise unrelated to movie or television characters. Topper Toys had the very popular Secret Sam line that allowed kids to get their espionage thrills with spy gadgets designed just for them. Secret Sam marketing was helped along by commercials that played out like spy intrigues and cast kids in the secret agent roles. There must have been a lot of 10-year olds running around in trench coats and dark glasses trying to imitate those commercials.

The premium item of the Secret Sam line was the Attaché Case. The black briefcase concealed a fairly elaborate spy weapon that could be used as a handgun but, with the aid of a detachable stock and barrel, could convert into a rifle for those long-range shots. Included was a silencer—naturally—and the weapon could be fired while still inside the attaché case for assignments requiring absolute secrecy. But there was more: the attaché case could launch a message missile for urgent communiqués and also featured an actual working camera hidden inside for recon work.

The Attaché Case was a big hit with junior spies so Topper released more toys in the Secret Sam line. There was the Pipe Shooter, which had a little mirror where the tobacco would normally go. If an enemy intruded upon the spy’s pipe smoking time, the spy could take aim using the mirror and, by biting down on the mouthpiece, shoot a projectile hidden in the pipe’s secret compartment. Another toy was the Bomb Binoculars, which, true to its name, could be used as binoculars and as a bomb, though hopefully not at the same time.

By the time the 60s were over, so was the spy mania and Secret Sam toys disappeared from shelves. Still, they remain some of the coolest contraptions to grace a toy chest or rather, a secret agent’s lair.