VBD2 is closed. Please go to https://vbd3.co.uk instead.

Gavin, I will note the "auto steer" tonight. This is just the information that I need. Would even like to break this list down as far as (D-difficult, R-Rare, VR-Very Rare). Let me know your thoughts. Would like to branch out into all areas of Matchbox as well.

hydra427 wrote:Gavin, I will note the "auto steer" tonight. This is just the information that I need. Would even like to break this list down as far as (D-difficult, R-Rare, VR-Very Rare). Let me know your thoughts. Would like to branch out into all areas of Matchbox as well.

Hi John,

There are certain boxes that everyone will agree are rare. There will also be boxes, like models, that will be harder to find due to geographic location. I collect f-boxes. In the US almost every f-box has A LESNEY PRODUCT on the bottom or ALP as Pat's site refers to it. There are two others, (please see picture). I'm convinced that all f-boxes exist with the ALP, MRT and LPC. Also remember that there are two printers Bowater Scott and Pembroke Abby. Taking all that into consideration, you looking at two or three hundred boxes in one series alone. That would include the b,c,d,e,f and up. To try to assign a rarity code is going to be difficult. Not trying to dissuade in any way. Just an observation.
Like a lot of other people here I love cardboard. I don't have much but would be happy to help in any way with your endeavor.

Jeff

Jeff,

I think the ALP boxes are definitely the most common here and the UK too. I have a mere 39 RW type F boxes - of them, only 5 aren't ALP:

- 21c (LPC)
- 47c (LPC)
- 49b (MIR1)
- 52b, model facing left (LPC)
- 58c (LPC)

I believe I also had an LPC for the 28d, but let it go to another collector...

I tend to only chase major variants though, but I'm slowly getting into the minor ones.

John,

I was wondering if you were going to extend to SF boxes I think you've covered a lot of the harder F boxes for SF models. Here's some I can think of, but SF boxes are even more obscure than RW ones in terms of knowledge about rarity.

G Boxes-

In my opinion, the 29c Fire Pumper is easily hardest of the basic G boxes. 32c ARAL Tankwagen is tough outside Germany and environs. I've found the #22 Freeman showing the model without a label to be impossible to find here in NZ, and believe it to be quite scarce all round.

62c Cougar and 57c Land Rover are uncommon. 8e Mustang in red, 22c Pontiac in purple and 36c Opel are also uncommon. The desirability of some of these drives the prices quite high.

H Boxes -

Can't think of any that are too hard to find.

I Boxes -

48c Dodge and 35 Fandango are very hard to find. 28d Mack is next hardest.

J Boxes -

70 Dodge I think is the toughest one.

K Boxes -

17 Londoner Jubilee is least common IMHO.

L Boxes -

A lot of the later issue L boxes are quite uncommon in the US, UK and Europe, but lots of these late models were shipped here in these boxes, so I've not struggled to find any of them (I have a couple missing, but these will come to me sooner or later I'm sure). The #6 showing the blue convertible and the #1 Revin' Rebel are apparently the hardest.

Cheers,
Gavin

[quote="Taniwha"]I've found the #22 Freeman showing the model without a label to be impossible to find here in NZ, and believe it to be quite scarce all round./quote]

I think almost all of these went to the US.

I found the Type G, 57C Land Rover Fire Truck box a total nightmare to track down in good condition.

I found my #22 with out label showing on the box, at a Mica Convention in the UK. When I opened the box it also had the correct model in it



The box has New on the end, but all my other boxes showing the label do not have New on the end.



George T.

Taniwha wrote:Jeff,

I think the ALP boxes are definitely the most common here and the UK too. I have a mere 39 RW type F boxes - of them, only 5 aren't ALP:

- 21c (LPC)
- 47c (LPC)
- 49b (MIR1)
- 52b, model facing left (LPC)
- 58c (LPC)

I believe I also had an LPC for the 28d, but let it go to another collector...

I tend to only chase major variants though, but I'm slowly getting into the minor ones.

John,

I was wondering if you were going to extend to SF boxes I think you've covered a lot of the harder F boxes for SF models. Here's some I can think of, but SF boxes are even more obscure than RW ones in terms of knowledge about rarity.

G Boxes-

In my opinion, the 29c Fire Pumper is easily hardest of the basic G boxes. 32c ARAL Tankwagen is tough outside Germany and environs. I've found the #22 Freeman showing the model without a label to be impossible to find here in NZ, and believe it to be quite scarce all round.

62c Cougar and 57c Land Rover are uncommon. 8e Mustang in red, 22c Pontiac in purple and 36c Opel are also uncommon. The desirability of some of these drives the prices quite high.

H Boxes -

Can't think of any that are too hard to find.

I Boxes -

48c Dodge and 35 Fandango are very hard to find. 28d Mack is next hardest.

J Boxes -

70 Dodge I think is the toughest one.

K Boxes -

17 Londoner Jubilee is least common IMHO.

L Boxes -

A lot of the later issue L boxes are quite uncommon in the US, UK and Europe, but lots of these late models were shipped here in these boxes, so I've not struggled to find any of them (I have a couple missing, but these will come to me sooner or later I'm sure). The #6 showing the blue convertible and the #1 Revin' Rebel are apparently the hardest.

Cheers,
Gavin

Hi Gavin,

Thanks for the information on the ALP boxes. May be some what of a reach on my part that Lesney made all the f-boxes in MRT and LPC.
Still, it's fun to find those really cool variations.

Hello Lrrp59,
the same on my number 40c Boxes.

Just a note that this should really be about "desirability" rather than "rarity", for the prices paid are determined by the former much more than the latter.

There are very many features of certain models' boxes of all generations which are rare, but as nobody seems to be interested in them, they do not normally command a premium. The features mentioned in the posts above are only a small fraction of those which constitute rarity, but by and large those are the ones which attract high prices, because they are either well known, easily noticed or attractive (or a combination of those traits).

ChFalkensteiner wrote:Just a note that this should really be about "desirability" rather than "rarity", for the prices paid are determined by the former much more than the latter.

There are very many features of certain models' boxes of all generations which are rare, but as nobody seems to be interested in them, they do not normally command a premium. The features mentioned in the posts above are only a small fraction of those which constitute rarity, but by and large those are the ones which attract high prices, because they are either well known, easily noticed or attractive (or a combination of those traits).

Nice to have you back here Christian.

I agree with what you are saying. The existence of this post and others like it in the past points to the fact that these variations you refer to are not documented anywhere. Even the desirable boxes are not well documented in terms of relative rarity. There are also lots of very rare minor casting variations etc to the models themselves that even when documented and "outed" as being rare do not appeal to the majority of collectors for the same reasons of desirability. Box nerds like me are even rarer than model variation nerds.

I for one would be interested in understanding some of the features you mention that are rare or scarce - it would be brilliant if you had 5 minutes some time to impart more information!

Cheers,
Gavin