1973 - 2000 The Story of Matchbox Kits

Product Information

Like many high value collectable items Matchbox models are now prone to faking. Rare variations can be quite easily made up using genuine parts, and then sold as a "rare" variation. Other Matchbox ranges also had identifying numbers cast on their bases, many of which were reallocated as older models were retired and new ones introduced. The numbering conventions are listed in the Series Overview section below. However, with the exception of the Yesteryear line, which was held to 16 models for well over a decade [before being expanded greatly], there was no other case of a strict series size limitation by Lesney.) Thanks to a few scrapyard panels and a few old but sturdy switches we were able to tinker a control panel that will allow you to select sections from our database to include or exclude. And the viewer can be switched to boxart as well. You can also control the pace, jump randomly or pause for a break. Switch it any way you like! Numerous additional product lines have been produced and/or sold by Matchbox over the years, particularly in the Lesney era. Collectors catalogues were published in various languages by the company each year starting in 1957, continuing well into the 1980s. Collectors cases were designed for children to carry/store their 1-75 vehicles. From 1957 until the 1970s, a range of garages/service stations was offered in either Esso or BP logos (under the series no. MG-1).

Although the company was no longer British-owned, limited production continued in England until the mid-1980s, re-using many of the old Lesney castings, but most production and tooling was moved to Macau. It was during this period that Matchbox acquired the rights to the venerated Dinky brand, perhaps the "mother of all toy car collectibles", and united two of the most important names in die-cast under one roof. New models were created (sometimes dies were also bought from competing companies), and the Dinky Collection was born. Dinky models tended to be of more recent classics (particularly the 1950s), while Yesteryears tended to concentrate on older vintages. It was also during the Universal era that the "Matchbox Collectibles" concept was developed (see below, "Matchbox Collectibles"). For a short period in the 1970s/1980s, Lesney also produced or licensed Matchbox production in other countries. Having started by developing several model variants in England specifically for the Japanese market, they later produced four Superfast models in Japan, based on Japanese prototypes. Dies and tooling were later also licensed to groups in Hungary and Bulgaria ( Mikro'67), in an attempt to gain a foothold in the Communist bloc countries. Although only standard models were produced there, there were numerous colour variations, some of which are very rare today.

Matchbox | No. PK-401 | 1:72

Here you find some fascinating details about this period. Based on first hand experiences, drawn up by Dirk Ommert. Not unlike other "classical" collectible items such as stamps, coins, or real cars, the value and collectibility of model cars such as Matchbox is driven primarily by three factors: The Matchbox kits were well made, with modern tooling and techniques, but critics felt that the kits were too coarsely detailed [9] in comparison with other models on the market, and too "toy-like". Yet they were still just as complex and time consuming to construct as any other kit, which limited their appeal to more casual model builders. The company was unable to fully satisfy either the casual or serious model building market, and was one of the first companies to abandon model kits when the hobby started its decline, [ when?] selling AMT to the Ertl Company and shutting down its own kit division less than twenty years after starting it. this reference. For a brief period original Matchbox kits have been sold in the US under the AMT brand. Armour - We are happy to add an excellent build for each and every armour kit in the Lesney ranges. It makes it almost hard to believe these are in 1 to 76 scale.

Skybusters combined military and commercial aircraft models at their earlier stage. The United States Air Force, Air France, Federal Express, Lufthansa and QX Express were among the first brands to advertise with Skybusters. Some of the first Skybusters released were Learjet, Airbus A300, Boeing 747 and Corsair AD7 airplanes. As mentioned above (cf. "History", expansion in the Superfast era), the popularity of both regional issues and promotionals were recognized by the company and played a role in the development of models designed not specifically as toys, but with the collector in mind. The realisation of the market potential of catering to collectors led to a major shift in the entire die-cast industry, as other brands followed while Matchbox continued to refine the idea into what later became Matchbox Collectables (q.v.). In the 1970's I probably built most of the basic range of 1.72 aircraft. We had a newsagent about a mile from home that sold only Matchbox kits and die-cast '75' cars. Each week I'd alternate and get a kit, then a die-cast car. I still have the cars and most of them boxed too! (I was a very carefull driver)I really enjoyed making those Matchbox kits particularly the AFVs with the diorama bases. I think it was those dioramas that set me on the trail of making dioramas of my own. My particular favourite was the Long Range Desert Group but I also enjoyed others such as the Monty's Caravan. I think I enjoyed these because they were different and also had lots of extra bits, oil drums, ammo boxes, etc. We reconfigured some of our material around reissues in the Aircraft Orange area. Just compare the following: Various 2020–2021 Matchbox 1-100 series models, (left to right: 2020 Honda e, 2018 LEVC TX, 2019 Subaru Forester, 2019 Big Banana Car) And the tanks... same deal, only with the diorama base! How cool was that? Matchbox really did bring something new to the party. from 1991 up to 2001. See our guided tours section for more details. Under Revell-Matchbox you find all kits released in this period.

Additional models continued to be added to the line throughout the decade, including cars such as an MG Midget TD, a Vauxhall Cresta, a Ford Zodiac, and many others. As the collection grew, it also gradually became more international, including models of Volkswagens, a Citroën, and American makes. To make such miniatures, the designers took detailed photographs of the real models, even obtaining some original blueprints. This enabled them to make models with surprisingly high levels of detail, despite the small scale. The size of the models allowed Matchbox to occupy a market niche barely touched by the competition; the associated price advantage made the toys affordable and helped establish "Matchbox" as a generic word for small toy cars, whatever the brand. Many books now include a price guide, but there is no real consensus on the actual monetary value of a model. The numbers in any of the publications give relative information, but not more. It remains a collectors market, and, accordingly, prices fluctuate greatly.Anthony D'Alessandro (19 July 2022). "Matchbox Cars Movie In The Works From Skydance & Mattel". Deadline.com . Retrieved 26 August 2022. Splendidly built, precision gluework and polished bare plastic feature the models built by Robert Kaps: