MATCHBOX GIFT SETS 1953 to 1990s

Author: P. Bowdidge
Originally published in MICA Volume 2 No.3 (1986)
6 images, 2225 words

When the Matchbox series became firmly established in the toy market the manufacturers, Lesney Products & Co. Ltd started to examine different ways to market their toys in addition to selling them in their individual 'Matchboxes'. One of the results was a gift pack containing a selection of models from the range all packaged in one big box. The idea was first implemented in the United States when in May of 1957 the American importers advertised 'Presentation Sets'. These consisted literally of a big 'Matchbox', a scaled-up version of the individual Matchboxes containing eight models each packed in their normal boxes. No at tempt was made to sort these models into themes as was later to be the case; the sets simply contained all the current Matchbox models in number sequence, as can be seen from the list below. The retail price of these sets was a fraction more than eight times the normal 49¢ at $3.98 (presumably the extra 6¢ was for the box). As far as is known these sets were never available in England. The first three sets were supplemented by Presentation Sets numbers 4,5 and 6 in June/July 1958, No.7 in early 1959, No.8 in September of that year...

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