PLEASE NOTE: I will no longer be altering the variation codes. All new discoveries will be inserted in to their correct place in the timeline and given a suffix.
So a new variation that would be nearest to variation 4 would become the new 4a, etc.

Moko Lesney Matchbox 53a Aston Martin DB2-4

The Lesney model of the Aston Martin DB2-4 was introduced into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1958 and was probably chosen by Jack Odell as by this time Lesney's Matchbox toys were selling quite well and he had recently bought himself an Aston Martin DB2-4.
Strangely the model was originally fitted with grey metal wheels yet the previous model the 53a Maserati was only fitted with black plastic wheels, The axles were dome head with crimped ends,
The first issue was painted silver and it is exceptionally rare, it did not have silver trim but the tail lights were picked out in red.
Very soon the colour was changed to light metallic green with silver trim to the headlights and bumpers with red tail lights, later the grill was also trimmed in silver and the baseplate could be flat or gloss black, later still it was fitted with grey plastic wheels. After a while the axles had the ends modified from crimped rounded.
The green issue is particularly sensitive to sunlight and can fade to being almost silver.

Later it was recoloured to the shade of metallic red that Jack Odell had his car painted in and it had a gloss black baseplate, at this time the red trim to the tail lights was discontinued.
The metallic red variations can be found with grey or black plastic wheels and are both quite hard to find, ther grey wheeled version is slightly rarer than the black wheeled one.
Stannard lists the Aston painted in gloss red which is a variation I have never seen but it has been included in the variation table.
There are no known modifications to the casting which keeps the listing simple,
It was sold in 'B', 'C' and 'D' type boxes, the 'D' type box is quite hard to find and will fetch a premium,
The Aston was replaced by the 53b Mercedes Benz 220SE early in 1963 but I can't help wonder what the Aston would have looked like if it had been kept in the range and modified by being fitted with windows and a set of wire wheels. I'm sure it would have been a top seller.
Updated: 13-05-11, Jon (Biggles) from the forum has found an early metallic green body without trim to the grill but with a slightly later gloss black baseplate with 10x24 grey plastic wheels on crimped axles. It has been added to the listing at number 5.

above left: with the rare 'D' box.

above: with & without trim to the grille

above: The very rare silver Aston Martin

above: The Aston Martin was very prone to sunfade, these two were once the same colour

code number	general	wheel type	axle type	baseplate colour	silver trim
code 1	silver body, red tail lights	10.5 x 24 grey metal	dome head crimped	flat black	none
code 2	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10.5 x 24 grey metal	dome head crimped	flat black	headlights, front & rear bumpers
code 3	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10.5 x 24 grey metal	dome head crimped	flat black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 4	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10.5 x 24 grey metal	dome head crimped	gloss black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 5 NEW	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head crimped	gloss black	headlights, front & rear bumpers
code 6	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head crimped	flat black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 7	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head crimped	gloss black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 8	metallic light green body, red tail lights	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head rounded	gloss black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 9	metallic red body	10 x 24 grey plastic	dome head rounded	gloss black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 10	metallic red body	10 x 24 black plastic	dome head rounded	gloss black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers
code 11	red body	10 x 24 black plastic	dome head rounded	gloss black	headlights, grille, front & rear bumpers

box types	notes
B2	none
B3	none
B4	short lines beneath wheels
B4	long lines beneath wheels
B5	short lines beneath wheels
B5	long lines beneath wheels
C	none
D1	one black side one blue

values

silver body, metal wheels £2000+

metallic green, metal wheels £40

metallic green, grey plastic wheels £60

metallic red, grey plastic wheels £250

metallic red, black plastic wheels £200

red body, black plastic wheels £500+

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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