James Bond DB5 Dilemma

[GHOSTHUNTER]

What is wrong with the numbering system devised by Corgi for their 'CLASSICS' range is that they assigned '900' to the Bentley 'Le Mans', '901' to the Ford model 'T', '902' to the Daimler and '903' to the Renault. These numbers are stamped onto the boxes for these models.

When they issued the Bentley in Red to make it a 'Road' car they could not assign '901' to it as it was already being used for the Ford, '902' for the Daimler and so on.

All they could do was add a small number '1' to the already printed boxes, making the 'Le Mans' Bentley into model number '900(1)', the Ford became '901(1)', and the Daimler '902(1)'.

At this point I would have shown you pictures of these boxes and the numbers, but I no longer have access to my 50,000+ files as they are sitting on my Hard drive which is dead and not in my laptop anymore, so I am scrabbling around looking on my Memory cards and Flash drives for anything that may still be on them and if I do find something useful to use here, I will add them ASAP, sorry for that.

Right, back to the numbering system.

Around July 1964, new thicker card type boxes were introduced with lift-off box tops and these were printed with re-jigged numbers so now the 'Le Mans' Bentley becomes '9001', the Red 'Road' car version is '9002' and the Ford becomes '9011' etc, etc.

So you can see, Corgi did not allow additional coloured versions of models already in the range to be added, their inventory system would not recognise another Bentley model in a different colour, so the single number '1' had to be added to the Three digit number already being used and if you had these early models with their boxes, you can see how the single number '1' was squeezed onto the end of the plynth next to the '900' number...!

GHOSTHUNTER.

[cOO7rgi]

But by 1966 the numbers for the Classics put on the boxes were the 9000 series - and these numbers are also on the leaflet so I don't see a discrepancy?
Or was the English leaflet printed first with 900 numbers? - The one I just saw on ebay also had the 9000 numbers.

The German leaflet has a date code of April 1966.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

It would be much clearer if I could show you pcitures, but the section of the German leaflet you show is showing the corrected numbers...

...9001/2, 1927 Bentley 3 Liter (9001 is the 'Le Mans' car and 9002 is the 'Road' car, they have listed both versions on the single line).

Same with the Ford and Renault. The Daimler and Rolls were not re-coloured or offered as alternate versions, so the leaflet is correct now and should be, because of the printed issue date.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[SMS88]

When Whizzwheels 1/43 models were released most came in 2 different colours for the initial release all under the same product number but as they were shrinkwrapped in ½ dozens or dozens it was standard to get a mix, usually 50:50 of each colour. I remember seeing them in toy shops, particularly the Cortina mark 3, Morris Marina,Citroen SM, Porsche 911 and E Type Jag - offering the choice of 2 colours - it was sometimes hard to choose.......... Last production was 100% the most popular of the 2 colours in the original choice.

[cOO7rgi]

Not only with the new Whizzwheels but almost every car, from the very first releases in 1956, came in two colours under the same article number, so why they would assign the Classics two numbers for the two colours is a bit of a mystery to me. I can understand to make a difference between the "road" and "race" version as with the Le Mans Bentley but not for the Renault.

Quite interesting to look at the prices. The Silver Ghost cost almost twice than the Renault, why? Just because the Rolls is a more expensive car in real life? Both don't have any opening parts.
And for the same 12.50 DM one could buy the Monte-Carlo Rally Gift Set 38 with three cars - which, considering the prices the Silver Ghost and the GS 38 fetch nowadays, must be considered the far better purchase (except if you are a Rolls-Royce enthusiast, of course! ).

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Prices in the UK for mint in box Rolls-Royce are around £25 at toy fairs, Auction houses put them higher and while I don't know precisely what #GS 38 is worth, I see them at Three figures prices mint in box!

GHOSTHUNTER.

[Fox]

Four figures....

[cOO7rgi]

Rather four figures...

Edit: Fox beat me!

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Yes, a good example but the last set I saw was only Three figures, you'll have to trust me and as I don't collect general Corgi, I did not buy it, preferring to put the money to Rolls-Royce models.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[Fox]

It all depends on condition. Today, mint models are sold far more than very near mint ones.