The Very Best of 2017

[yellowfoden]

Beautiful condition Combine Harvester you have added to your collection Kay, happy new year.

As a general rule any casting variation that survived our childhood I do not hunt for but the RAF Refueller has special significance and a much studied model. This casting has yet to be added to the variation table, it is with the two slots above the rear axles each side.

Bert

[kwakers]

Very nice models from Kay and everyone this year, but Bert's Mint RAF is exemplary. I have never seen or heard of anything like these open side axles Bert. Hardy has "his" first and second style rear bumper casting models for sale in his E Bay Store, but are these axle openings earlier Bert?? How will a simple suffix added later to Nick's site ever do this model's casting differences any justice at all. Perhaps a New Topic on this casting is needed to avoid spoiling anyone else's "Very Best"? Kwakers

[Idris]

The single- and double-slot 73a chassis casting variations were highlighted here.

[ChFalkensteiner]

In 2017, the best thing which happened with regard to my Matchbox collection was the fact that I was finally able to launch my own catalogue pages covering regular wheel models for my own use (replacing the Stannard photocopies I had used before), and to significantly improve my Lesney Superfast catalogue pages as well, with the introduction of the sub-variation concept and with more logical sorting of the variations.

This has resulted in the largest quantity ever of regular wheel models added to my collection within one year, i.e. more than ever before in any one year of my life. It is therefore very hard for me to pick one particular "best" model.

Nonetheless here is one particular item which has stuck in my memory as being noteworthy as I had been searching for it in vain for a long time: a 15b Rotinoff with black wheels featuring a smaller (front) wheel as a spare (10x24). Shown here (third from left) together with the other three types of spare wheel which I have so far:



This has proved more elusive for me than both grey wheel variations.

I am now still looking for the 45 tread spare wheel variation, and for any example with crimped axle ends...

[SuperFast]

Hello fellow collectors,
my best one in 2017 was the SF 71 in blue.

SF71A.jpg (376.19 KiB) Viewed 2364 times

SF

[motorman]

Very nice Superfast, a hard one to find.

[ChFalkensteiner]

I cannot help pointing out, for the benefit of those who might not know, that the blue Ford Wreck Truck does not belong with that box on which it has been placed in the picture. That variation was only issued in multipacks in the 1979-1981 time period, whereas the box is from 1971.

I personally think it is not a good idea to combine any models with incorrect boxes, as this tends to mislead inexperienced collectors.

[SuperFast]

I cannot help pointing out, for the benefit of those who might not know, that the blue Ford Wreck Truck does not belong with that box on which it has been placed in the picture. That variation was only issued in multipacks in the 1979-1981 time period, whereas the box is from 1971.

I personally think it is not a good idea to combine any models with incorrect boxes, as this tends to mislead inexperienced collectors.

Sorry for disappointing you, I know the blue SF71 is from a multipack and not from the picture box. I assume all readers of this topic know that too. But I'm old enough to make my own decission how to collect Matchbox. I don't like Blisterboxes, so I've decided it is better for me to get a Matchbox in a picture box. The model is right and the box is right, only the combination isn't right.
Anyway I got this "wrong" pair from a fellow collector in my hometown and I wont take apart it.
Sorry for my point of view.
SF

[leonty24]

I am like yourselve i also put non boxed superfast models on box's mainly because blisters are akward
to display but i a have liking for the box art those that should not come with a box have a note inside
the box saying box incrrect for model. But with any form of collecting each to their own.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

For me a wrong, damaged or prepro box is better than no box at all, so I don't have a problem with the pairing as it will help to protect the model and as ''SF'' knows it is the wrong box I am sure he will convey this to any future new owner.

Ghosthunter.