Golden Veterans trio

[SMS88]

Is this set uncommon? Picked it up at a fleamarket last weekend,dont recall seeing gold rather than chrome plated before ...............

[YYS4BOB]

Not that rare. There are several versions of this set.

From a copper colour


To a gold.


The Maxwell can have a copper tank


Or on very rare occasions the Maxwell can be replaced by the Cadillac in pale gold.


All sets originally came with the blue cardboard cover.

Copper sets seem harder to find than the gold ones, the example with the cadillac is by far the hardest to find.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

It was announced in August 1970 and shown in the 1970 pocket catalogue in an un-issued box design, so presumably the box was a mock-up and shown again in it's proper box in the 1971 and 1972 pocket catalogues.

At around 35/- this was an expensive set and sales must have been low, because unlike the single models what was the point of putting Three models in one box ?

The only benefit was the models were finished in a darker colour than the single models normally used for the 'Giftware' range and it now makes for interesting collecting for us today!!

GHOSTHUNTER.

[YYS4BOB]

As referred to by Kevin.

[SMS88]

Thanks! I will keep it even tho I dont collect YY as its from my favourite transitonal era......... The Daimler in my set is less gold than the other pair...

[GHOSTHUNTER]

There you go Mick, now's a good time to start a collection of 'Yesteryears' and considering the models that you usually show here on the forum, you are very likely to find some real gems!

Ghosty.

[SMS88]

There you go Mick, now's a good time to start a collection of 'Yesteryears' and considering the models that you usually show here on the forum, you are very likely to find some real gems!

Ghosty.

YY were not big sellers here but plenty survive cheap, always common colours but for me its the odd mixture of scales and vehicles that I have never seen 1:1 that stops me collecting them unless like this boxed set, I like the artwork and colour!

[GHOSTHUNTER]

'Yesteryears' have proven to be one of Lesney's best model introductions and still remain popular today. Many collectors have now reached a cut-off point in their collections and just search out the odd casting or colour variations.

The single models are excellent value for money at toy fairs with good displayable examples costing no more than a good old British pound. Because of the way the range was marketed, collectors did not mind that virtually no two models seemed to be made to the same scale! Lesney once again using their policy of one size fits all box approach.

There are so many 'Yesteryears' around that anyone could put a nice representative collection together just to enjoy the collection, because there is very little monetary gain on 'Yesteryears' unless you have the rare, limited editions and transistional models, but these are just the sort of models everyone else is chasing!

So, if like Mick ("SMS88"), above, you have come across a 'Yesteryear' model in a job lot you wanted for something else and it's in good condition, keep it and at a later date add another one to it, they are nice models and accurate models if you go for the pre-74 range.

GHOSTHUNTER.