I remember getting one of the Gilbert Erector Sets when I was very young - girders, screws, nuts, washers, even a motor to power some of the projects. The box it came in (metal, IIRC) was printed on the outside to look like a factory building of some sort.
The balance of the erector set itself was outgrown and discarded a long time ago, but it wouldn't surprise me if some of the screws and nuts that came with it were still in my accumulation of fasteners out in the garage.