Yesteryear Y-66 1762 Gold State Coach

Matchbox Models of Yesteryear Y-66 1762 Gold State Coach

The Y-66 1762 Gold State Coach was introduced in 1992 when it became the highest and final Y numbered model in the Yesteryear range although models are still being produced for the Yesteryear Collectibles range which I consider to be too recent to include on this site. The Gold State Coach was a fitting end to a range which was born out of the profits made on the sales of the Lesney 1953 Coronation Coach which was in fact the exact same coach, There was only the one release and I doubt somehow that we will ever see a recolour.

Above: The Gold State Coach had diecast metal horses, four of them with riders and unlike the 1953 version they had 4 legs, These were painted light cream with red detailing to the reins and riders and black trim to the riders boots and hats. The Coach was of all diecast construction with the body and chassis being seperate castings which are riveted together. The carved figures were cast in pairs and are held in place by the axles which is exactly how it was done on the 1953 version.It has steel axles which are fitted with push fit wheels and the drawbar is gold plated plastic and rather delicate but the only real eyesore are the windows which are molded in dark blue plastic which is fine for an ambulance but make this model look like the fairy godmothers coach in the Shrek movies.

Above: Shown next to an original 1953 Lesney Coronation Coach which was perhaps a little more intricate and nicer casting but then Jack Odell did'nt make the tools for the 1992 version.
The later model was the most accurate as the front wheels were too large and they were mounted too close to the coach body on the earlier version but if they were made to the correct size the spokes would have been too small to model.