http://www.amazingmatchbox.com/

Amazing Matchbox, 88 Thorpewood Avenue, London (2026)

06/05/2025

Amazing Matchbox appears in both the Sunderland Echo and Edinburgh Evening News, who both feature one of the superb Matchbox models we have sold on eBay this year, as No.3 in a list of the Ten Most Valuable Matchbox Models! This was one of many highlights over the past ten months, where we have been offering some hard to find mint Matchbox in our monthly auctions. A new auction is starting this week! Thank you to these publications for highlighting our place in the Matchbox world!

20/10/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 41 Siva Spyder. Lesney introduced the Siva Spyder into the 1-75 range in 1972. This was a genuine British made vehicle, albeit only twelve were produced. Released in a deep red, with clear windows and an unpainted metal base, it came with an unusual chrome strap wrapped around the centre of the body. However after a year the chrome was removed, leaving a simple black plastic strap. Very soon after, black ridges were moulded into the top, so versions with a black strap without the ridges are very rare. This model always came with wide 5 spoke wheels, apart from one large batch produced with 4 spoke wheels, which create little excitement. In 1975 Lesney chose this casting as one of ten to take the new two colour tampo print along the top of the bodywork. Now sprayed deep blue, the red & white print was bizarrely like a US flag, a strange decision considering the UK origins of the Siva! A very small run were made with narrow rather than wide 5 spoke wheels, as seen here, and these are hard to come by. This model was deleted in 1978 in favour of the Chevrolet Ambulance. To see this and our many other models currently available to purchase or bid upon, please look up “Amazing Matchbox” on eBay, with new additions on most days!

13/10/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 43 Dragon Wheels. Lesney introduced their fourth Volkswagen into the Superfast range in 1972, after the Camper in 1970, Volksdragon in 1971, & Flying Bug in the same year. This model was painted green which varied in shade from very light to very dark over the years. Door labels were affixed, and it came with a rear hinged opening metal base revealing a chrome interior like the Dodge Dragster the previous year. The base was gloss black or rarely unpainted as here. The windows were amber, very occasionally so light they looked clear. The wheels were 5 spoke front and maltese rear, with later issues having larger diameter front wheels, which rarely had 5 square spokes. In 1977 all the wheels were converted to dot dash style which enhanced the appearance, and the base was either gloss black or less commonly metallic black, matt black or metallic charcoal. However it was deleted in 1978 and replaced by the Steam Loco! However in 1981 it was reinstated at 46 in the US only, renamed Hot Chocolate in black with a bronze tampo, 5 arch front wheels and large 5 spoke rear. Then in 1982 it was renamed again, now to Beetle Streaker in blue with “Big Blue” door tampo, being made initially in Hong Kong and then the next year in Macau. To see this and our many other models for sale or auction, please look up Amazing Matchbox on eBay, with new additions on most days!

12/10/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 66 Mazda RX500 “Streakers”. Lesney introduced this Mazda prototype or concept vehicle into the range in 1971. Originally it came in orange, which varied greatly in shade, whilst the base was painted white. A very small run were made with amber windows which are highly sought after. The standard colour was purple, and some of these came with unpainted bases. In 1975 Lesney chose this casting as one of their ten “Streakers” models, where tampo print was applied across the top in two colours, here white & green. The base remained white, but the body was now a bright red, which was a much better look. Curiously amber windows now became standard, with purple windows on the red version the desirable ones, being far less common. Again the red shade varies from light to dark, and very occasionally the base was unpainted too. Another rare variant has a beige plastic interior instead of the standard chrome, and some versions have been found in plain red, missing the tampo print and being another rare version, with chrome or beige interiors. All models had 5 spoke wheels. Then ț1977 the model was fitted with 5 arch wheels as here, a much better look, whilst others were fitted with small square 5 spoke wheels. In late 1977 this model was replaced by the Ford Transit. To see this and our many other models currently for sale or auction, please look up “Amazing Matchbox” on eBay, with new additions on most days!

02/10/2024

Matchbox Superfast 40 Vauxhall Guildsman. Lesney introduced this superb looking concept car into their 1-75 range in 1971. Vauxhall never produced this model, in fact it only came third in a competition to create a new style Vauxhall in 1965, so it is astonishing that Lesney even located it and then chose to produce a miniature! Available in pink, the passenger area was almost entirely covered in green glass. Harder to find issues have yellow-green glass which is a good look. A black star with flames label adorned the bonnet. This was soon changed to a blue star, which later appeared on a few other models such as the Slingshot and Dodge Dragsters, and the Rod Roller. In 1975 this model was chosen as one of ten to be included in the Streakers range, the first models to have tampo print rather than labels. In this case, the body was changed to red, and a yellow and blue print ran along the top of the bodywork. A small quantity of pink models also ended up being tampo printed, as here, and these are rare and very desirable. Later the red Streaker was updated, first by replacing the green glass with yellow, and then changing the 5 spoke wheels to dot dash. Some of these had silver paint bases but are relatively common, unlike the first type pink model where silver paint bases are highly sought after. This model also appeared in the Two Packs range in red during 1976, but with the blue star & flames label. It was deleted in late 1977 when the Horsebox replaced it, lasting slightly longer as a Two Pack model into 1978. To see this model and many other models currently available on auction and to buy immediately, please look up Amazing Matchbox on eBay, with new models listed on most days.

02/10/2024

Matchbox Superfast 23 Volkswagen Camper. This iconic vehicle was introduced by Lesney in 1970 to replace the existing older design 34 VW Camper with split windscreen. Originally blue with an orange interior, there was a gas cap on the left, a rare find today, and which was swiftly removed to enable sailboat labels to be fitted on both sides. However a vast number were made without the gas cap or labels. Blue models with trial white interiors should include gas caps, those without are considered fakes. In 1973 the colour was changed to orange, which can be bright or dull as here. Some orange interiors were used up with the orange body and are very desirable. The hinged plastic roof remained orange throughout the run, so an all orange model was available for a very short time! White interiors were now standard, and again many orange models were made without labels fitted, though the majority included such. The wheels could be in one of two diameters as with the blue variants. These were always thin style, and along with the Setra Coach, these were the only two models that lasted into early 1975 having never been fitted with wide wheels. It was replaced that year by the Atlas Truck. However in 1976 the Dormobile was introduced into the military TP range, with wide wheels and no interior or hinged roof, but with a striking resemblance to the 23 Camper! To see the model illustrated above, and our many other models available to bid upon or purchase, please look up Amazing Matchbox on eBay, with new additions on most days.

19/09/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 59 Ford Galaxie Fire Chief Car. This model was introduced during the regular wheels era, and was converted to a Superfast vehicle in 1970 for a single year. Painted dark red with a blue dome light, a tow hook and thin 5 spoke Superfast wheels, this model always had shield paper labels on each of the front doors. On the bonnet a Fire Chief decal left over from the regular wheels era was used up before being replaced with paper labels as here. Very occasionally this label was absent altogether. An extremely rare promotional version came with a Lyon’s Tea label stuck to the boot. Despite it’s short run, this model came packaged in the G style box as here, and later the H box release, both show the model with Superfast wheels, although the former is unusual in the way it tries to indicate speed by showing two outlines of where the car was moments earlier! In 1971 the Mercury Fire Chief Car replaced this model for four years, and had a far longer run, appearing in the Two Packs range from 1976 and in various guises up until 1982. To see this model and our many other models currently available to bid upon or purchase, please look up Amazing Matchbox on eBay, with new additions on most days!

18/09/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 56 BMC 1800 Pininfarina. This was one of the very first group of original Superfast models introduced by Lesney in 1969. The pre-production versions came with disc style Superfast wheels, the best known version being in silver. The actual first production version came with thin style 5 spoke Superfast wheels, and was sprayed gold. So many of the gold version were produced that it is very easy to find today. In 1971 the colour was changed to pink and then peach, both these colours are far less common, as seen here. The following year the final colour change was to orange, which came in several shades from light to dark. As this continued being produced into 1974 it is another easy to find colour. Not long after the last colour change, the wheel arches were enlarged to enable wide Superfast wheels to be accommodated. This sadly put an end to the authentic half covered rear wheel arches. One very desirable variant of the final casting came with a silver painted base, and this is one of the hardest to find silver based models. The Hi Tailer replaced this model during 1974. To this and our many other models available to win or purchase, please look up Amazing Matchbox on eBay, with new additions on most days!

18/08/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 53 Ford Zodiac Mk. IV: this classic British 1960’s car was first released by Matchbox in 1968 as a regular wheels model, in a light metallic blue, almost silver blue in shade. When the model was converted to Superfast in 1970, it initially maintained this colour, which is now much sought after. To brighten up its appearance, the colour changed to metallic green, which can vary from a very pale shade to a very deep green. Originally fitted with thin Superfast wheels, these can be found in two diameters. The conversion to wide wheels came late in 1971, and the wheel arches were widened to accommodate them. Occasionally models with enlarged arches but thin wheels can be found. The wide 5 spoke wheels suited the vehicle much better, as can be seen here on this example in a very rich emerald green, which is particularly attractive. Amusingly the bonnet opened to reveal a chrome engine and spare tyre, which was always a regular wheels example! Finally in 1972, just prior to deletion, this model started to be sprayed in a yellowish lime shade, which is another desirable piece as it had quite a short run. The orange Tanzara replaced the Ford during 1972, the same year the real vehicle ceased production. To see this beautiful model, and a very pale green example, as well as many others we have to buy or bid on, please look up “Amazing Matchbox” on eBay, with new additions added on most days!

18/08/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 63 Freeway Gas Tanker. This fantasy petrol tanker entered the 1-75 range in 1973. It was unusual in having an all plastic base: the cab, which was detachable, came in light red with a black plastic bsse, the tanker trailer in white with a red plastic base. Originally the plastic rivets were visible, but later hidden under a black plastic plate. The windows were purple or rarer red on later editions like Shell. The labels were originally “Burmah”, although rare examples come fitted with “Castrol” labels. The model also came in white & blue “Aral” for Germany, white & yellow “Shell”, all white “Exxon”, white & red “Chevron” and white & green “BP”. This rare crossover piece comes with the “BP” labels on a white & yellow body intended for Shell labels. Shell appeared rarely on white & green or very rarely white & red bodies, or with a yellow cab from the Articulated Truck from 1974, and Exxon on white & yellow. In the TP series (when the registration plate was removed to allow a hook to be fitted), it came in olive drab with French flag labels, and military green with High Octane. Rare examples could be fitted with Maltese rear wheels or 5 spoke front wheels, particularly on the late all white cab. 5 arch wheels on the cab are very rare but do exist. This model lasted in the range until early 1982. To see this and our many other models currently available to buy or bid on, please look up “Amazing Matchbox” on eBay, with new additions on most days!

15/07/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 70 Dodge Dragster from 1971. This model looks almost normal compared to many released at around this time, without an engine protruding from front or rear. However it was hidden under the bonnet and could be seen in full by lifting the entire body off the chassis so only the rear was held together! Available in various shades of pink, this rich hot pink version is particularly attractive. Labels with a green snake adorned each side, the dark green snake is rarer. The base came in black, grey, pink, purple, two shades of yellow, rare metallic green and arguably the toughest base to find in tan. Very rare versions had 62 “Rat Rod” labels or as here, 8 “Wild Cat” labels applied, when snake labels were not available. Later this model became the very desirable Roman Numeral version “Hot Smoker” in yellow with tampo print, with the same or later different wheels fitted. This rare pink version and other superb boxed models are amongst our many other models currently available to bid on or purchase on eBay by visiting “Amazing Matchbox”, with new additions on most days!

15/07/2024

Matchbox Lesney Superfast 59 Porsche 928 from 1980. By the end of the 1970’s Lesney had long given up competing against Hot Wheels, and introduced many genuine vehicles, including this superb Porsche which was far harder to find in real life! Originally available in a soft gold, with a cream interior and gloss black base, it looked extremely luxurious! The gold shade varied wildly from almost beige to a rich burnished gold. The interior changed to tan in two shades, and the base could be found in matt black, charcoal or even brown. The body then changed to blue and with it the base to silver, so this version with a black base is rare. Rarer still because it has amber windows, whilst common on the gold version, is barely seen on the blue model. The last Lesney version was black, with white tampo, which was occasionally missing, and a red interior, although a few carried over the tan interior which is hard to find. To see this, a very deep blue version and other superb boxed models amongst our range currently available to bid on or purchase, please look up “Amazing Matchbox” on eBay, with new additions on most days!

Amazing Matchbox

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