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I like the Lyons tea Lotus. Not seen that model with that sticker on before. The models tended to be the very early superfast so I'd expect to see it on a blue Lotus.

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

matchboxkiwi wrote:I like the Lyons tea Lotus. Not seen that model with that sticker on before. The models tended to be the very early superfast so I'd expect to see it on a blue Lotus.

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

I have seen a Lyons Tea Lotus before, and it was also metallic pink. (It is shown on my website BTW.)

Besides, the Lyons Tea Iso Grifo has the darker blue interior, and all Lyons Tea models that I have had the chance to examine (not many, I must add) have hollow rather than solid wheels.

I therefore conclude that the Lyons Tea promotion actually happened a little later than one might think. 1971 is more likely than 1970, although the text at the rear of the blisterpacks (including the BRM which was in fact never made with a Superfast chassis) must have been created at an earlier date.

Could someone please explain a little more about the Lyons Tea promotion please? (I think it would probably be best to do this is a completely new thread.)

Vectis have sold these Two.
With this basic description...

Matchbox Superfast No.27 Mercedes 230SL - off white body, red interior, thin wheels - rare promotional Superfast issue with "Lyons Tea" label to bonnet - Near Mint (does have some small factory marks to side) on Near Mint promotional blister pack (very slight creasing to bubble) - rear of card printed with "Lyons Tea" information - also comes complete with original Excellent Plus box of tea bags - this is a rare 1969/70 promotional issue for the Dutch & Belgium market - see photo.

There may be something more in an issue of MICA.

Ghosthunter.

No, I do not think this was ever mentioned in a MICA magazine or in any other printed publication other than Vectis catalogues.

For the sake of completeness I repost the picture of the back of the blisterpack here:



Note that there are eighteen different models listed (in correct numerical order but without numbers), however this list does not reflect exactly what was actually issued.

As mentioned before the list includes the BRM racer which was not even made as a Superfast model, also the BMC 1800 Pininfarina is mislisted as a BMC 1100 Pininfarina (which does exist as a real concept car but not as a Matchbox model).

On the other hand, the Iso Grifo which was definitely issued with a Lyons Tea label is missing from the list.

The eight different models which are shown on my website (here) are all I have become aware of until now. There may have been some more, but I do not believe that eighteen different models were actually issued with those labels.

It is noteworthy that to date I have not become aware of any examples turning up with fake Lyons Tea labels, although I suppose they would not be too difficult to reproduce. Perhaps these promo issues are still too little known and therefore not sought after enough to attract fakers.

Of course, the more we write about them in public, the bigger the danger of fakes turning up becomes...

Thank you, Christian. very interesting, and not something I was aware of.
What an odd promotion! They seem to have taken a single rectangular label (perhaps originally designed to fit on some kind of van, truck, or lorry?) and stuck wherever there was either room (Ford GT, Fire Chief) or a large enough flat surface (although that was not true of the Lotus Europa) on almost random models.
I notice the bilingual packaging and also the title of the linked page. Was this really just a Belgian promotion (surely a rather small market for a significant marketing effort such as this), or did it extend into The Netherlands and France?

This model has hollow wheels. My other model, iso grifo blue has also hollow wheels.
I know one collector around here that has the box and several models. I have asked him which models he has, awaiting his answer.
Even around here not many people know the existance of such models.

Have received mail. The only model he has more is one lamborghini model.
Also he mentioned try to put the label on the lotus will be difficult.
He has sold one box in the past to an collector in engeland.

I'm used to drink coffee, I hate tea. Shame. But I was only 4 when they came out.

Pierkemimi wrote:Have received mail. The only model he has more is one lamborghini model.

Thanks for this information. That would then be the Marzal, I suppose? If so, is it metallic red or hot pink?