Trying to compile proper dates of manufacture

[azsiros]

Hi all, I've been trying to accumulate the entire 1-75 collection of matchbox cars from the 1966 year and have found that some of the reference material that I've been using have differences as to when some of these models were introduced and started production. for instance, my 1967 Matchbox catalogue (International Edition) shows the #1 as Diesel Road Roller but the "Matchbox Toys" book by Nancy Schiffer says that in 1967 that the Mercedes Benz Lorry was made in 1967 and this site, the nick Jones Vintage British Diecast site states that the #1 Mercedes Lorry came out in 1968. Is there any recommended reference or web site that I can use to know exactly when each model was discontinued and when they were introduced? Is there any information that shows what MONTH and year they came out? does the country you live in also make a difference as to when models were introduced?

[ChFalkensteiner]

There are surely regional differences; sometimes the original issue dates of the same model in the UK and the USA differed by as much as half a year. For countries other than the UK and the USA no records are available as far as I know, for in most other countries regular advertisements introducing new models did not start before 1968.

The following list of UK introduction dates of all the regular wheel models is based on Philip Bowdidge's articles which have been printed in Matchbox U.S.A. magazines. On some occasions he specified different dates for the USA. I think that whenever a particular month was mentioned, that had been derived from the respective model's first appearance in an advertisement in some publication - either a toy trade magazine, a model railroad magazine or a comic.

01-A - Aveling Barford Road Roller - 1953
01-B - Aveling Barford Road Roller - 1956
01-C - Aveling Barford Road Roller - 1959
01-D - AVELING BARFORD ROAD ROLLER - 1962
01-E - MERCEDES TRUCK - Aug 1967
02-A - Muir Hill Site Dumper - 1953
02-B - Muir Hill Site Dumper - 1958
02-C - MUIR HILL DUMPER - Jul 1962
02-D - MERCEDES TRAILER - Aug 1967
03-A - Cement Mixer - 1953
03-B - BEDFORD 7½ TON TIPPER - Jul 1961
03-C - MERCEDES BENZ "BINZ" AMBULANCE - Nov 1967
04-A - Massey Harris Tractor - 1954
04-B - Massey Harris Tractor - 1957
04-C - TRIUMPH T 110 Motorcycle & Sidecar - Jul 1960
04-D - Dodge STAKE TRUCK - Sep 1966
05-A - London Bus - 1954
05-B - London Bus - 1956
05-C - (AEC) ROUTEMASTER London Bus - late 1960
05-D - (AEC) ROUTEMASTER London BUS - Jun 1965
06-A - Euclid Quarry Truck - 1954
06-B - Euclid Quarry Truck - 1959
06-C - EUCLID DUMP TRUCK - Aug 1963
06-D - FORD PICK-UP - Sep 1968
07-A - Horse-drawn Milk Float - 1954
07-B - FORD ANGLIA (105) - Mar 1961
07-C - Ford REFUSE TRUCK - Jan 1967
08-A - Caterpillar Tractor - 1954
08-B - CATERPILLAR Tractor - 1958
08-C - CATERPILLAR Tractor - 1960
08-D - CATERPILLAR D 8 TRACTOR - 1964
08-E - Ford MUSTANG - Nov 1966
09-A - Dennis Fire Engine - 1955
09-B - DENNIS FIRE ENGINE - 1958
09-C - MERRYWEATHER MARQUIS SERIES III FIRE ENGINE - 1960
09-D - Boat & Trailer - 1966
10-A - Mechanical Horse & Trailer - 1955
10-B - Mechanical Horse & Trailer - 1957
10-C - FODEN 15 TON SUGAR CONTAINER - Sep 1960
10-D - Leyland PIPE TRUCK - Jun 1966
11-A - ERF Petrol Tanker - 1955
11-B - (ERF) PETROL TANKER - 1957
11-C - TAYLOR JUMBO CRANE - Jun 1964
11-D - MERCEDES SCAFFOLDING TRUCK - Apr 1969
12-A - Land Rover - 1955
12-B - LAND ROVER SERIES II - 1959
12-C - LAND ROVER SAFARI - Jun 1966
13-A - Bedford Wreck Truck - Dec 1955
13-B - Bedford WRECK TRUCK - 1958
13-C - Ford THAMES TRADER WRECK TRUCK - late 1960
13-D - DODGE WRECK TRUCK - 1965
14-A - Daimler Ambulance - late 1955
14-B - DAIMLER AMBULANCE - 1958
14-C - Bedford LOMAS AMBULANCE - May 1962
14-D - ISO GRIFO - Feb 1968
15-A - Diamond T Prime Mover - late 1955
15-B - ROTINOFF SUPER ATLANTIC TRACTOR - 1959
15-C - Dennis TIPPAX REFUSE COLLECTOR - Nov 1963
15-D - VOLKSWAGEN 1500 SALOON - Nov 1968
16-A - Transporter Trailer - late 1955
16-B - SUPER ATLANTIC TRAILER - 1960
16-C - SCAMMELL Mountaineer SNOW PLOUGH - 1963
16-D - CASE TRACTOR Bulldozer - Feb 1969
17-A - Bedford Removal Van - late 1955
17-B - Bedford Removal Van - 1958
17-C - AUSTIN METROPOLITAN TAXI - 1960
17-D - Foden HOVERINGHAM TIPPER - Mar 1964
17-E - (AEC) HORSE BOX - Mar 1969
18-A - Caterpillar Bulldozer - late 1955
18-B - CATERPILLAR Bulldozer - 1958
18-C - CATERPILLAR Bulldozer - 1960
18-D - CATERPILLAR D 8 BULLDOZER - 1964
18-E - FIELD CAR - Mar 1969
19-A - (MG TD) Sports Car - 1956
19-B - MG A SPORTS CAR - 1958
19-C - ASTON MARTIN DBR 5 Racer - Feb 1962
19-D - LOTUS Mk 33 Racing Car - 1965
20-A - ERF Transport Truck - 1956
20-B - ERF 68 G TRUCK - 1959
20-C - CHEVROLET IMPALA TAXI - Apr 1965
21-A - Bedford Duple Luxury Coach - late 1955
21-B - BEDFORD DUPLE LUXURY COACH - 1958
21-C - COMMER BOTTLE FLOAT - Jul 1961
21-D - FODEN CONCRETE TRUCK - May 1968
22-A - Vauxhall Cresta - late 1955
22-B - 1958 VAUXHALL CRESTA - 1958
22-C - PONTIAC GP SPORTS COUPÉ - Jun 1965
23-A - Berkeley Cavalier Caravan - late 1955
23-B - BERKELEY CAVALIER Caravan - 1957
23-C - BLUEBIRD DAUPHINE Caravan - Jan 1961
23-D - TRAILER CARAVAN - Feb 1965
24-A - Weatherill Hydraulic Excavator - late 1955
24-B - WEATHERILL HYDRAULIC Excavator - 1959
24-C - ROLLS ROYCE SILVER SHADOW - Mar 1967
25-A - Bedford 12 cwt Van - Aug 1956
25-B - VOLKSWAGEN 1200 - Dec 1960
25-C - Bedford PETROL TANKER - May 1964
25-D - FORD CORTINA Mk II - May 1968
26-A - ERF Cement Mixer - Oct 1956
26-B - FODEN CEMENT MIXER - 1961
26-C - G.M.C. TIPPER TRUCK - Mar 1968
27-A - Bedford Low Loader - 1956
27-B - Bedford Low Loader - 1959
27-C - CADILLAC SIXTY SPECIAL - Jul 1960
27-D - MERCEDES 230 SL - Mar 1966
28-A - Bedford Compressor Truck - Oct 1956
28-B - Ford THAMES TRADER COMPRESSOR TRUCK - 1959
28-C - JAGUAR MK 10 - May 1964
28-D - MACK DUMP TRUCK - 1968
29-A - BEDFORD Milk Float - Jan 1957
29-B - AUSTIN A 55 CAMBRIDGE - 1961
29-C - FIRE PUMPER TRUCK - 1966
30-A - FORD PREFECT - Jan 1957
30-B - CRANE TRUCK MAGIRUS-DEUTZ - Mar 1961
30-C - Faun 8 WHEEL CRANE - Aug 1965
31-A - AMERICAN FORD STATION WAGON - May 1957
31-B - AMERICAN FORD STATION WAGON - Jan 1961
31-C - LINCOLN CONTINENTAL - 1964
32-A - JAGUAR XK 140 - May 1957
32-B - E TYPE JAGUAR - 1962
32-C - LEYLAND PETROL TANKER - Feb 1968
33-A - FORD ZODIAC Mk II - May 1957
33-B - FORD ZEPHYR 6 Mk III - May 1963
33-C - LAMBORGHINI MIURA - Aug 1968
34-A - VOLKSWAGEN Microvan - May 1957
34-B - VOLKSWAGEN CARAVETTE - Jun 1962
34-C - VOLKSWAGEN CAMPER - Jan 1967
35-A - (ERF) MARSHALL HORSE BOX MK 7 - May 1957
35-B - SNOW-TRAC - Sep 1964
36-A - AUSTIN A 50 Cambridge - May 1957
36-B - LAMBRETTA TV 175 Scooter & Sidecar - Feb1961
36-C - OPEL DIPLOMAT - May 1966
37-A - KARRIER BANTAM 2 TON - Aug 1957
37-B - KARRIER BANTAM 2 TON - 1961
37-C - Dodge CATTLE TRUCK - 1966
38-A - KARRIER REFUSE COLLECTOR - Aug 1957
38-B - VAUXHALL VICTOR ESTATE CAR - May 1963
38-C - HONDA M/CYCLE & TRAILER - 1967
39-A - FORD ZODIAC Mk II CONVERTIBLE - Aug 1957
39-B - PONTIAC CONVERTIBLE - Mar 1962
39-C - FORD TRACTOR - May 1967
40-A - BEDFORD 7 TON TIPPER - Aug 1957
40-B - LEYLAND ROYAL TIGER COACH - Apr 1961
40-C - HAY TRAILER - May 1967
41-A - D TYPE JAGUAR - Dec 1957
41-B - D TYPE JAGUAR - 1960
41-C - FORD G.T. - Feb 1966
42-A - Bedford EVENING NEWS VAN - Dec 1957
42-B - STUDEBAKER LARK WAGONAIRE - Jan 1965
42-C - IRON FAIRY CRANE - late 1969
43-A - HILLMAN MINX - Dec 1957
43-B - AVELING BARFORD TRACTOR SHOVEL - Aug 1962
43-C - PONY TRAILER - Mar 1968
44-A - ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER CLOUD - 1957
44-B - ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM V - Feb 1964
44-C - G.M.C. REFRIGERATOR TRUCK - Jun 1967
45-A - VAUXHALL VICTOR - Mar 1958
45-B - FORD CORSAIR with Boat - Feb 1965
46-A - MORRIS MINOR 1000 - Mar 1958
46-B - Guy PICKFORD REMOVAL VAN - Oct 1960
46-C - MERCEDES 300 SE - Dec 1967
47-A - 1 TON TROJAN VAN - Mar 1958
47-B - COMMER ICE CREAM CANTEEN - Mar 1963
47-C - DAF TIPPER CONTAINER TRUCK - Jun 1968
48-A - METEOR SPORTSMAN MK II Boat & Trailer - Mar 1958
48-B - Sports Boat & Trailer - Aug 1961
48-C - Dodge DUMPER TRUCK - Sep 1966
49-A - M3 PERSONNEL CARRIER Half Track - Jun 1958
49-B - Mercedes UNIMOG - Feb 1967
50-A - COMMER PICK-UP MK VIII - Jun 1958
50-B - JOHN DEERE LANZ 700 Tractor - Aug 1964
50-C - Ford KENNEL TRUCK - Mar 1969
51-A - ALBION CHIEFTAIN Cement Lorry - Jun 1958
51-B - Tipping TRAILER - Aug 1964
51-C - (AEC) 8 WHEEL TIPPER - Jan 1969
52-A - MASERATI 4 CLT/1948 Racer - Jun 1958
52-B - BRM (P 61) Racing Car - Sep 1965
53-A - ASTON MARTIN (DB 2-4) - Sep 1958
53-B - MERCEDES-BENZ 220 SE - Feb 1963
53-C - FORD ZODIAC MK IV - early 1968
54-A - Alvis SARACEN PERSONNEL CARRIER - Sep 1958
54-B - S & S CADILLAC AMBULANCE - 1965
55-A - (GMC) D.U.K.W. Amphibian - Sep 1958
55-B - FORD FAIRLANE POLICE CAR - Feb 1963
55-C - FORD GALAXIE Police Car - 1966
55-D - MERCURY Park Lane Police Car - 1969
56-A - (AEC) LONDON TROLLEYBUS - Feb 1959
56-B - FIAT 1500 - Jul 1965
57-A - WOLSELEY 1500 - Feb 1959
57-B - CHEVROLET IMPALA - May 1961
57-C - LAND ROVER FIRE TRUCK - Jan 1966
58-A - (AEC) BEA COACH - Apr 1959
58-B - International DROTT EXCAVATOR - Oct 1962
58-C - DAF GIRDER TRUCK - Apr 1968
59-A - FORD THAMES VAN - 1958
59-B - FORD FAIRLANE FIRE CHIEF'S CAR - Jun 1963
59-C - FORD GALAXIE Fire Chief Car - 1966
60-A - MORRIS J 2 PICK-UP - Apr 1959
60-B - Leyland SITE HUT TRUCK - Feb 1966
61-A - Leyland FERRET SCOUT CAR - May 1959
61-B - ALVIS STALWART - 1966
62-A - (AEC) GENERAL SERVICE LORRY - Jun 1959
62-B - Commer TV SERVICE VAN - Jul 1963
62-C - MERCURY COUGAR - Jun 1968
63-A - SERVICE AMBULANCE FORD 3 TON 4 X 4 - Jun 1959
63-B - Alvis FOAMITE CRASH TENDER - Apr 1964
63-C - DODGE CRANE TRUCK - Sep 1968
64-A - SCAMMELL BREAKDOWN TRUCK - Mar 1959
64-B - MG 1100 - Mar 1966
65-A - JAGUAR 3.4 LITRE Mk I - Apr 1959
65-B - JAGUAR 3.4 LITRE Mk II - Feb 1962
65-C - CLAAS COMBINE HARVESTER - Aug 1967
66-A - CITROEN DS 19 - Apr 1959
66-B - HARLEY DAVIDSON & Sidecar - Oct 1962
66-C - (GMC) Greyhound COACH - Oct 1966
67-A - Alvis SALADIN ARMOURED CAR 6 X 6 - Dec 1959
67-B - VOLKSWAGEN 1600 TL - Aug 1967
68-A - AUSTIN MK 2 RADIO TRUCK - Dec 1959
68-B - MERCEDES (O 321 H) COACH - Sep 1965
69-A - COMMER 30 CWT VAN - Jul 1959
69-B - Hatra TRACTOR SHOVEL - Jan 1965
70-A - Ford THAMES ESTATE CAR - 1959
70-B - Ford GRIT-SPREADING TRUCK - Jan 1966
71-A - AUSTIN 200 GALLON WATER TRUCK - Sep 1959
71-B - JEEP GLADIATOR Pickup - Jan 1964
71-C - FORD HEAVY WRECK TRUCK - Oct 1968
72-A - FORDSON MAJOR Tractor - Oct 1959
72-B - JEEP (CJ 5) - Oct 1966
73-A - Leyland 10 TON PRESSURE REFUELLER - Oct 1959
73-B - FERRARI 156 Racing Car - Nov 1962
73-C - MERCURY Commuter - Oct 1968
74-A - MOBILE CANTEEN - Nov 1959
74-B - DAIMLER Fleetline BUS - Apr 1966
75-A - FORD THUNDERBIRD - May 1960
75-B - FERRARI (250 GTL) BERLINETTA - May 1965

By the way, the model names in this list follow the Geoffrey Leake standard, i.e. model names as cast on the bases in all uppercase letters, with additional descriptions in mixed-case letters or in parentheses.

[kwakers]

Very nice listing of the introduction dates on these regular wheels models. One note to azsiros about the contents of the Lesney Pocket Catalogs. The 1967 catalog may have been printed in December of 1966 or January of 1967, others may know exactly when. Unless a prototype of a "New Model" was available for a photograph at that date such as of that Mercedes Truck, a model soon to be discontinued in August of 1967 (like the Road Roller you have asked about), may show up as current for that entire year until the 1968 catalog was printed. There are first and second editions of a couple of these yearly catalogs that have different contents, but usually they had one printing and were kept nearly the same for the entire year. This would make your Roller seem current for all of 1967, even though it was replaced in mid-year. Those discontinued Rollers might still have been found on our shelves until December of 1968, or even later if the store had enough stock left to sell. In some cases, discount stores like Two Guys Discount Department Store may have gotten a case or 2 of those discontinued Rollers to sell off at cheap bargain bin prices. One area Hobby Shop named 4 star Hobby Shop, upon inquiry in late 1965, brought out a thatched basket with 15 unboxed discontinued Lesneys that were priced at 25 cents each. We knew they had come out of their displays over the years, so we were happy to buy the 4 or 5 we needed for our collection at that time. One of them was the #52 Maserati Racer in red, so they were all quite early models that had been in that basket for years. Another early memory relating to our discontinued Toys: The Two Guys in our area once had a sale on perhaps 100 obsolete early "smaller" Husky Toys at 3 for one Dollar that were just thrown in a bin together. I carefully checked through them all for the best in condition, finding to my huge surprise that the bin also contained some non-released variations of the small Fire Chief Car without decals or roof light, and also several early non standard colored and odd plated models we had never seen before. I had learned to buy spares by that time, so I bought several of each of the "Oddities" I had found there. On to the obsolete Lesneys sold at Two Guys Discount. All the new and obsolete Lesneys sold there were just stock production blistered models. At the end of the regular wheel era in 1969-70, they did add those later boxed sets of "non-sellers" that were designed to clear Bronner's warehouse, and boy were they sold cheap cheap. They were all boring "Commons" in those special boxes, so we never bought ANY of them, not even one box! We had never found anything there from Lesney's pre-production shop like those Huskys, and none were ever of any special interest to us other than a few "Errors". Inside some of those blister packs were models with double decals or labels, missing labels or decals, or models with missing parts and axles right from the factory. The error Lesneys were not very common, they might have been one per 300 models we had carefully checked on any given day. Kwakers

[MatchboxFreak]

Thank you Christian for the listing.
This is a great resource to those of us who don't have an extensive library.

[MatchboxFreak]

Thank you Kwackers for your stories of collecting in your youth. You certainly had a collectors awareness of rarities and variations from a young age. What a great lifelong hobby!
Enjoy!
Kurt

[MatchboxFreak]

Azsiros, the next challenge will be to figure out which variation of each model was being sold in the stores in your country in 1966.
As Kwackers mentioned, the pocket catalogs (nor the boxes for that matter) did not necessarily reflect the color of the toy being sold.
Good luck and we look forward to seeing photos of your collection.
Kurt

[azsiros]

Thanks very much for all the information, that is a great list that I can use as a reference, although I realize that these dates may not be exactly the same for me as I live in Canada and when I was a kid, my Matchbox were all bought from Sears here in Ontario.
Another question - I've also been looking at which boxes were from the 1966 year and again, different web sites and references show different dates when these boxes came out. The link in Vintagebritishdiecast shows the D2 box and the E1 through to E3 boxes were all used during 1966 but a mbxforum site says that the E4 box started in 1964. Was the E4 box ever issued that early, in 1964? I have a good number of E4 boxes in my collection and would prefer to change that if I know that E4's were not issued until after 1966.

[ChFalkensteiner]

The E4 type boxes (with the Matchbox lettering on the end flaps) were introduced in 1967. In 1968 the circled "R" was added to the Matchbox lettering (on front faces as well as end flaps), creating what I call E4R type boxes.

[azsiros]

So I'll stick to getting all E1 to E3 boxes for my 1966 lineup.
Krawkers, your story from your youth is very interesting, I was 1 years old in 1966 and when we bought a Matchbox toy (which was 1 a week) we never thought of keeping the boxes and played with them until we grew out of that stage, never did know what happened to them.
Looking forward to more interesting and stories from all of you.

[fixer]

So I'll stick to getting all E1 to E3 boxes for my 1966 lineup.
Krawkers, your story from your youth is very interesting, I was 1 years old in 1966 and when we bought a Matchbox toy (which was 1 a week) we never thought of keeping the boxes and played with them until we grew out of that stage, never did know what happened to them.
Looking forward to more interesting and stories from all of you.

bit of a cwazy typo there but I vote spot on