As some have noticed, the 2013 Toy Fair Matchbox exclusive has been released. I asked Matchbox Design Manager Dave Weiss if he had one to show off. Dave obliged, so here you have the first clear look of this model in all its golden glory.The Toy Fair models are not available to the public, but …
Matchbox Monday: The Rarest Matchbox Models of the Mattel Era, Part 6…
It has been awhile since I have done something about rare Matchbox models, but I finally have the time and space to feature another. Â My Matchbox knowledge rests almost entirely in the Mattel era. Â I guess I am that rare collector that prefers Mattel era Matchbox over the other eras. Â I did collect Matchbox as …
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Matchbox Monday: New Case Subscriptions and "One of Each" service from MVE Collectibles…
Here at Lamley we are very thankful for our partners who help us keep the content as fresh and interesting as it can be. Â And when we can support them we jump at the chance.As you know MVE Collectibles has been the Matchbox Monday sponsor for the last couple of months. Â Tim offers the latest …
October Matchbox Ambassador Report, Part 2: Multipack 60th Anniversary Exclusives & Some Upcoming Mainlines…
Ready for more?I mentioned in Part 1 of the October report that the 60th Anniversary logo would pop up elsewhere. Â Some of you have seen the 2013 Toy Fair exclusive that sports the logo, and there will be much more.As we noted in the August report, there will be eight 9/10-pack exclusives this year, and …
October Matchbox Ambassador Report, Part 1: 60th Anniversary Full List & Sneak Peeks…
Hello fellow collectors!It is nice to be back with another report, and lets call this Part 1 of 2. Â I feel like a bit of a veteran now, having gotten my feet wet on the last report. Â The distribution system I am using worked well last time, so we will do it again. Â The report …
Matchbox Monday: How to Open the Prepro Ford GT, by David Tilley…
Here we are at Chapter 3 of the Matchbox Ford GT's DLM dilemma. Â Chapter 1 - The model coming my way for DT, and me chickening out after telling him I would open it at the Gathering.Chapter 2 - It finally arriving in the UK, and DT asking fellow collectors whether he should destroy the …
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Just Unveiled: Matchbox Code 1 Exclusive Seagrave Fire Engine for the "Modell-Hobby-Spiel" Toy Show in Germany…
If you have followed The Lamley Group for a few months, you know we go gaga over Matchbox event and promotional exclusives. Â Designated "Code 1's", these models were made by Mattel for a particular event or promotion. Â They are not produced very often, but when Matchbox does do one, they pull out all the stops.We …
First Look: Matchbox 1956 Buick Century Police…
Let the battle begin.For the last few years, I have run the "Official Unofficial Matchbox New Model of the Year" vote over at MCCH. Â It has always been fun to do, and you can imagine it creates a lot of good debate. Â And the variety of winners over the last few years has been awesome. …
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Matchbox Monday: A Tale of Two – Cadillac CTS Wagon & Coupe…
You should see my desk. Â It is full of so many things to post on this blog. Â I have gobs of Kyosho, Tomica, and of course Hot Wheels and Matchbox to show off. Â And I know more is on the way. Â It can get a bit overwhelming.But sometimes I need to drop everything and go …
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Matchbox Monday: So How Do I Open this Model? by David Tilley…
Those of you who were following the blog back in July may remember my dilemma regarding an extremely rare Matchbox preproduction model. Â I was instructed to open it at the Matchbox Gathering, and just could not do it. Â I chickened out.Well the model has finally made its way to England, where it must finally accept …
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New Hot Ones, Matchbox, and Hot Wheels Basics over at Wheel Collectors…
I just wanted to give all of our Lamley friends a heads up on what new stuff is now available over at Wheel Collectors. Â As you know, Matt and the gang over there have been major supporters of the Lamley Blog since Day 1, and is a big reason why we are able to get …
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Matchbox Monday First Look: Honda Civic Type R…
As I start this post, it is 11:49 PM Mountain Standard Time, so it is technically still Matchbox Monday (sponsored by MVE Collectibles). I might have gotten caught up in a certain Monday Night football game with a certain questionable call that no one will talk about tomorrow. Â Having married into a cheesehead family, you …
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Matchbox Monday First Look: Oshkosh M-ATV & Frost Fighter…
Once again, it is Matchbox Monday, so lets dive into the orange:The latest batch is hitting stores around here, and it was waiting for me at a local big box on Saturday. Â The highlights of the batch are three very nice looking street cars - two Lotii and a Civic. Â A look at those will …
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Matchbox Monday Model of the Day: Audi R8 in blue…
After a fantastic weekend at JCCS, it is back to normal a bit. Â I have come home with a much deeper appreciation for Japanese car culture, and if I am not careful, this blog could go entirely JDM diecast.But it won't. All I need to do is pull out my collection of Aston Martins, Ferraris, …
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Announcing a new Lamley Partner: Matchbox Monday sponsor MVE Collectibles…
We are very excited to announce another partner here at the Lamley Group.  Tim Pagano over at MVE Collectibles is our new Matchbox Monday sponsor, and we are thrilled to have him join us.MVE Collectibles is an online seller that sells many brands of diecast, but prides itself in its offering of Matchbox diecast vehicles over all …
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JCCS Week: "My Favorite Models" by Ben Hsu, Editor-in-Chief, Japanese Nostalgic Car…
It is officially JCCS week, as we look forward to the upcoming Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, California on September 15. Â The Lamley Group will be there, and is taking the week to celebrate:The magazine and website Japanese Nostalgic Car has been a friend and supporter of the Japanese Classic Car Show, as …
August Matchbox Ambassador Report, Part 3: Mattel answers collector’s questions…
As promised, collector's questions answered by the Mattel team.Please keep in mind that I did not submit every question. Â Some were repeats of other questions, while others were unnecessary, like asking Mattel to confirm a collector's opinion or the like. Â There are others that Mattel is unable to answer at this time, for various reasons. …
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Matchbox Monday variation alert: Ford F-550 Superduty in lime…
Matchbox collectors have been aware of this vari for awhile now. Â It was first mentioned in a previous Ambassador report several months ago. Â Apparently the first few runs of this model were erroneously produced in lime, not the normal color used for the ongoing National Parks livery Matchbox has used. Â Because of the large number …
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Matchbox Monday First Look: BMW Z4…
The newest batch has hit my area, and there were a couple of models that jumped into the collection, starting with this sharp-looking Z4 in black. Â We haven't seen this model in several years, mainly because of a licensing conflict between Mattel and BMW. Â But if you go to the either the blue or orange …
August Matchbox Ambassador Report, Part 2(A): More details on 2013 5-packs…
I was able to get further details on what the 5-packs will look like in 2013:1. As mentioned before, 4 of the 12 5-packs will feature models taken from the mainline.2. Each of the 8 remaining 5-packs will feature 4 exclusive vehicles and one pulled from the mainline. That means that a little over half …
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August Matchbox Ambassador Report, Part 2: Upcoming Mainline Models & 5-pack Models…
As promised, Part 2 of the Matchbox Ambassador Report for August. Â Part 3, which answers collector questions, will come in a few days.As always, these photos are presented here with permission from Mattel:2012/2013 Mainline:Many of the details of the what is coming for the remainder of 2012 and some of what to expect in 2013 …
August 2012 Matchbox Ambassador Report, Part 1: Real Working Rigs & Skybusters…
Greetings from the Matchbox Ambassador!Many thanks to everyone for the kind words regarding my appointment, and once again, thanks to Mattel for giving me this opportunity. Â But now it is time to get to work...The August Report will come in three parts:Real Working Rigs & Sky BustersBasic Range & 5-packsAnswers to collector questions and other …
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First Look: Matchbox Hazard Squad & Pierce Dash Fire Engine…
There is a huge batch of First Looks coming in the next couple of days, including the latest batch of Hot Wheels, but there are still some models from the latest Matchbox I wanted to get to.The last batch of Matchbox included three emergency trucks. The Ford F550 brush truck will get its own post, …
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Matchbox Monday Model of the Day: 2011 10-pack exclusive Ford PoliceInterceptor…
There have been some casualties as Matchbox has adopted this "Unstoppable" theme. A lot of classic cars, some current sports cars, and yes, a decent amount of realism. But a silver lining is that the brand has and is creating a plethora of police cars.This year? The Buick, BMW Motorcycle, Ford Explorer, and the Dodge …
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