69b Is the box really worth all that cash???

[slicc64]

Bought this model in this box in may 2014 for $48 and found this recent sale on auction site.
Makes me wonder what other rarities are lurking undiscovered in my collection!

Is it really that rare?

[Brad Pittiful]

not worth that to me...out of all the talk of rare boxes this one i dont recall ever came up in that discussion...now i just checked mine...i do not have this box...just an oversight by me...i also checked the auction and saw bidders who have been around a while...not a new bidder with like 2 purchases...anyone think this box was in the rare category...saw another person selling this box in a BIN for 185 dollars

the seller has an odd business plan...he sells models with repro boxes but calls them...crafted boxes...sells the original boxes without models...i think he makes a copy of the box and sells them with loose models he finds....always does well selling...just find it odd he doesnt put the original model with the original box

[slicc64]

hello Brad Pittiful,
The seller does seem to do incredibly well.
I've seen his models in 'crafted box' sell well above the same model in an original box..!
Good luck to him because he's honest enough to make it clear that the boxes are not ridgey didge.

Here are a few more I found but from only one other seller 'swow' so it seems it must be quite a rare box.
Just can't believe $585 ...!!!

[Taniwha]

Interesting - I hadn't even realised there was a third box for this one - I was happy having the earlier E2 box with red wheels and the E4 box with the all yellow wheels. Dang, another one to find now! It also got me thinking about E3 boxes in general - most of the tough E boxes seem to be E3 - for example those for 34b and 67a, and in general, they seem to be the less common versions of E boxes for other models. Any thoughts? And should this thread go to the boxes section?

Cheers,
Gavin

[Idris]

...should this thread go to the boxes section?

Yes!

[kerbside]

I have posted my picture of this model and box to the box section as Hugh has said "YES'

Also it is 69b not 69c model.

George T.

[kerbside]

I only bought the model be cause it was a variation I did not have, just lucky that it was in this box

Again I got this at a Toy Fair in UK, a long time ago before there was all this hype on boxes, it amazes me the prices some boxes fetch.



George T.

[numi]

Im not a box nut and have seen quite a few of these boxes sell on Ebay in mixed lots at normal prices ie: $25-35.Not sure why the high prices on loose boxes.One has to have an eagle eye to spot this type box with the yellow hubs depiction at a bargain when on auction/buy-now.
numi

Heres one currently listed: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Matchbox-Lesney ... 1a01753be9

[Matchboxpat]

Wow !

This box is variation 69B-E3-2a. Only one minor variation exists for this Type E3 box.

The price for this one seems to have reach new heights... I don't think I would pay more than 75-90$ for this box. I agree that it pops-up from time to time at reasonable BIN price.

Mine is not in the best of shape but I don't think I would upgrade at such a crazy price. And, as many of you know, I am kind of a box nut !

The other major variation (Orange and orange/red wheels and all yellow) are quite easy to find.

Pat

[ChFalkensteiner]

It also got me thinking about E3 boxes in general - most of the tough E boxes seem to be E3 - for example those for 34b and 67a, and in general, they seem to be the less common versions of E boxes for other models. Any thoughts?

E3 generally means 1966. 1966 was the year when all D type boxes which had still been made up to then were phased out and replaced by E type boxes.

This included boxes for some models which were just about to be discontinued and replaced by new models. E3 boxes were introduced for them just before they disappeared from the range, possibly while stocks of those same models' earlier D type boxes were still available to be used up, resulting in those boxes being made in small quantities only.

More generally E3 may be regarded as a sort of "transitional" type of box between the earlier boxes with the blue end flaps (without or with small black and white pictures) and the later boxes on which the colour pictures on the end flaps were accompanied by the "MATCHBOX" lettering. So even if the models concerned remained in the range for some time, their E3 boxes were superseded by E4 boxes rather quickly. I suppose the people in charge made a quick decision that the brand name should be visible on the end flaps, which meant that most E3 boxes were made for a rather short period of time.