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Today I received this collector's mini-case. It is in a very good condition but as you can see there is a sort of stain right in the middle of the front.
Tried to remove it but its impossible.
After a quick Google image search on ''Matchbox collectors mini case'' I noticed every mini case I found had a stain!
Anyone knows what caused this??

My guess would be aging of the adhesive used to secure the picture panel in place during the manufacturing process.

Alwin,
I have this case with exactly the same issue. There's a 24 carry case with three regular wheel models on the front, I think it's the US version from around 68/69 and has the same thing again. I've not seen a clean one of either of these cases.
As Idris says it's the glue coming through. They must have used something different to UK as those cases don't seem to be affected as much.

Cheers, Steve

Yes, these are glue stains, and they are found on all US carry cases from that era.

The type of glue they used for those cases caused those stains, and I am not aware of anything which can be done to remove them.

Thanks for your answers! Never knew these papers were glued in the case, always thought they were just sitting loose in it.

Alwin van Hattem wrote:Thanks for your answers! Never knew these papers were glued in the case, always thought they were just sitting loose in it.

I believe that is true for all European issue cases from 1968 to 1982. No glue was used for those, and if you cut open one edge of the clear plastic top layer on one of them, you can simply remove the paper sheet and use it to decorate your apartment (like I have done with some badly damaged cases).

Picked this up at doncaster today and reading previous comments in this thread I am thinking it is a US issue case.

moston100 wrote: Picked this up at doncaster today and reading previous comments in this thread I am thinking it is a US issue case.

No, this is the European (or "rest of the world") issue.

The US issue from the same era looks like this (complete with glue stain):

Thank you for clarifying that Christian, at least mine doesn't have the glue stain.