More Helpful Words and PhrasesG
GIFTWARE- An extensive range of gold, silver, or brass plated effect Yesteryears, first released in 1962. Ordinary unpainted Yesteryear castings were plated by a vacuum process at a Lesney Products subsidiary, Lesney Industries. The plated model was then fitted to a piece of giftware such as a china trinket dish or a desk pen set. The model's baseplate was modified so that screw holes and or bosses could be incorporated to enable the model to be attached to the giftware. Often the tools that made the baseplates would go back into use to make standard painted range models; they weren't modified and retained the bosses. These production variations are of interest to collectors.
See: Bosses; Production Variations.
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY HOLDEN SET (YHN- )-
GRAND MARQUES COLLECTION - A series of six recoloured model cars released by Matchbox Collectibles in 1995. The six models were:
YY014A 1931 Stutz Bearcat
YY017A 1938 Hispano Suiza
YY018A 1937 Cord 812 Sedan
YY020A 1937 Mercedes Benz 540K
YY024A 1928 Buggatti T44
YY064A 1939 Lincoln Zephr
In mid 1995 Matchbox Collectibles offered the set of six models with a dark wooden display base.
GREAT BEERS OF THE WORLD (YGB01 - YGB24)- It was only after the demise of Lesney Products that Matchbox International in 1984 issued a Models of Yesteryear with a livery promoting alcohol. This was a transition period when the range began to move away from being aimed at children and more towards adults. By 1994 the Models of Yesteryear range was priced for adults only and Matchbox Collectibles released a collection of Yesteryears decorated with distinctive liveries of some of the world's best known beers. The first six were released in 1993 as Series 1; Series 2 in 1994; Series 3 inn 1995 and the final six models ( Series 4) in 1996.
GREAT MOTOR CARS OF THE CENTURY- The collective brand name used by Matchbox Toys USA in 1989 and 1990 to sell twelve Models of Yesteryear models exclusively by mail order. Two models were new and ten were re-colours. They were all revamped with an enhanced degree of chrome and painted trim. In an attempt to find a new group of potential Models of Yesteryear collectors in North America, Matchbox Toys USA entered an extensive magazine advertising campaign (which failed) offering the twelve models by mail order. The first four Yesteryears to be released did not have the baseplate self- tapping screw hole and all twelve models were packaged in white closed boxes (P). The twelve models were:
Y2-4 1930 Bentley in blue (no screw hole)
Y4-4 1930 Duesenberg in two tone blue (no screw hole)
Y11-5 1924 Bugatti Type 35 in blue
Y14-3 1931 Stutz Bearcat in cream and blue
Y16-2 1928 Mercedes Benz in grey and blue
Y17-1 1938 Hispano Suiza in two tone green (no screw hole)
Y18-1 1937 Cord 812 Sedan in pale yellow
Y19-1 1936 Auburn Speedster in brown and cream
Y20-1 1937 Mercedes Benz 540K in black (no screw hole)
Y24-1 1928 Bugatti T44 in black and red
Y34-1 1933 Cadillac in blue
Y36-1 1926 Rolls-Royce in red and black
These white boxed models seldom appear for sale and are now very collectible.
All twelve models were offered a few months later to the other Matchbox markets. They were packaged in standard range boxes (N) and all had baseplate screw holes.
GRENODISED- (Also spelt Granodized) Thi was a similar process to 'plating' and was necessary if the components were to be paint sprayed. Chemicals were applied to the diecast components, mainly the wheels, and this gave them a dull matt grey finish. An example of unpainted grenodised components are the wheels as found on the Y7-1 Leyland.
H
HERITAGE HORSE-DRAWN VEHICLES (YSH)- Three Special Edition models released by Matchbox Collectibles in December 1993. The three models were:
YSH01 1900 Gypsy Caravan
YSH02 1886 London Omnibus
YSH03 1875 Wells Fargo Stagecoach
HOOD- A soft material top which may , or may not be folded back. Yesteryear models normally have this component moulded in plastic.
HOT FOILING-The means by which a component can be chromed by applying intense heat to silver coloured foil. An example is the windscreen surround on the Y21-1 Woody Wagon.
I
INK-The development of tampo-printing in recent years has effectively replaced transfers as a means of decorating models. Tampo-printing uses specialist coloured inks and not paint.
ISSUE NUMBER-The first two columns in the tables are headed ISSUE and YEAR OF RELEASE. These indicate the order in which the models were made and distributed. From the issue number given at the top of the page, the full nomenclature of the model is obtained.
L
LABEL - See: Clear label and Paper label.
LESNEY PRODUCTS & CO LTD.-Founded in 1947 by Leslie Smith and Rodney Smith and later joined by Jack Odell.
See: Chapter ?
LIMITED EDITION-A term used by Matchbox International to distinguish a model that had been released in considerably less than normal quantities and was intended to be in the range for a relatively short time. An example is the Y5-4 Talbot van in 'Dunlop' livery. 1991 Matchbox International stated that all Models of Yesteryear models except Special Limited Editions, would be Limited Editions. This policy stated that a specific livery, or colour scheme of a model could be produced only once and that there would be no further production runs no matter how popular the model became. This policy was not adopted by Tyco, or Matchbox Collectibles who re- defined the term as meaning "one model per collector."
See: Matchbox Exclusive.
LIVERY-When Yesteryears were first introduced, all printed decorative liveries were applied by means of water slide transfers. In 1978, Lesney Products used their new tampo printing machines to print directly onto a model. The model was the Y5-4 Talbot and the company logo was 'Lipton's Tea'.
See: Tampo Printing
LOGO-This term describes the design of a company's trade name, or the name of its product as they appear on a commercial vehicle. An example is the Y12-3 Ford Model T "Coca-Cola" van.
LUGS- Used to describe a protruding piece of casting, either diecast or plastic, which locates, or locks one piece to another. Also such a protrusion is also less commonly known as a 'tongue'.
LUNCH TIME SPECIALS- A colloquial term used to describe models which were made unofficially at the factory by members of the workforce. This illegal practice was at its height during the period just before Lesney went into receivership. Components would be sprayed in a non production colour; tampo decoration would be applied to the wrong model or differently patterned or coloured wheels would be fitted. Such models were then taken from the factory and sold to local collectors or to the public at nearby markets. Ironically after years of being ignored this category of Yesteryear has recently become more popular because they are over twenty years old, their colours look very different to production schemes and they were after all made in England at the last surviving Lesney factory.
M
MACAU-The site of an old Portuguese coastal colony attached to mainland China; it reverted back to China in early 2000. Matchbox International had use of Universal's production facilities in Macau during the 1980s.
MAILER- In 1995 Matchbox Collectibles decided that boxed models should be posted to collectors in a protector box called a 'Mailer'.
MARKETING VARIATION-Arises when a change of specification is made to a model at the request of the sales/marketing or Research & Development departments; the reason is to stimulate the collectors market. Examples are the red roof of the
Y44 -1 Renault and the small casting changes made to the Taste of France Citroen vans, YTF02 to YTF06.
MASK SPRAYING-A process by which a second colour of paint is added to a model. The mask covers all those parts not requiring the second colour. It is not a process that can provide good repetitive quality. The process is heavily dependent on the skill of the operator and involves a high scrap rate. An example of the mask spraying technique was used on the Y4-4 Duesenberg in silver and dark blue. In recent times mask spraying has been replaced by tampo printing.
MATCHBOX COLLECTIBLES-Originally a subsidiary division of Matchbox Toys Australia which had been established in the late 1980s to promote and sell the Yesteryear range and the Dinky Collection. In order to simplify the distribution arrangements it was decided to exclude wholesalers and to concentrate on a very limited number of specially vetted shops, known as Authorised Matchbox Collectible Centres. The majority of Matchbox Collectibles sales however were made by mail order; this was more profitable for the company and easier to control. After the Tyco take-over in 1992, Matchbox Collectibles became a Tyco international division administered from Australia. The arrangement of selling Yesteryears through the mail and backed up by a select few Collectible Centres and was extended to the UK, Europe and the USA. In 1993 the administrative headquarters was transferred to New Jersey, USA.
THE MATCHBOX COLLECTOR- The official newsletter from Matchbox Collectibles; issued quarterly to paid up Matchbox Guild 'members'.
See: Matchbox Collectors Guild
MATCHBOX COLLECTORS GUILD- Established in December 1998 by Matchbox Collectibles. For an annual subscription of £25 members were entitled to a copy of the Matchbox Collector each quarter and a yearly Yesteryear model made exclusively for Guild members.
MATCHBOX EXCLUSIVE- Similar in concept to Matchbox Toys Special Limited Editions. In 1997 Matchbox Collectibles stated that, " this new line of models issued in strictly limited editions which are created exclusively for our most ardent collectors. They represent the highest levels of excellence for Dinky, Models of Yesteryear and Ultra brands." Collectors were limited to one model each and told that no more models would be made once they were all sold. Production quantities have varied between 5000 and 12,500. Matchbox Exclusives, no matter which range they belonged to, were packaged in dark red special collector's boxes, Type?
See: Collectors Edition; Special Limited Edition.
MATCHBOX TOYS INTERNATIONAL- This was company, based in New York, was formed in 1982 to co-ordinate the activities of the subsidiary Matchbox Toys companies, such as Matchbox Toys Ltd, Matchbox Toys Australia Pty and Matchbox Spielwaren GmbH.
See: Chapter?
MATCHBOX TOYS-See:Chapter ?
MATTEL-See: Chapter?
McDONALDS SPECIAL EDITION (YCH) -A limited edition of 6000. Six models produced in 1998 by Matchbox Collectibles in cooperation with Automodels Sydney and in agreement with Ronald McDonalds House charities, to whom a $5 donation was made for every model sold.
METAL WHEELS- The earliest Yesteryears had tyre-less, all metal wheels. There were three types: wheels with straight spokes (Y1-1 Allchin), wheels with 'daisy' effect spokes (Y6-1 AEC Lorry) and thirdly solid wheels (Y3-1 London Tram or even the Y5-1 Le Mans Bentley which had wheels with a raised design which resembled twenty four spokes). In 1959 plastic wheels were introduced into the "Matchbox" Series. Final production runs of the Y4-1 Sentinel, Y6-1 AEC and Y7-1 Leyland were all fitted with black plastic wheels from the "Matchbox" Series, because the wheel moulds had deteriorated beyond use. Between 1960 and 1973 Lesney Products produced models with well engineered metal spoked wheels. With few exceptions the metal had a brass effect and the wheels were fitted with hard plastic solid core tyres. Early tyres had a coarse (knobbly) tread pattern. Later this was superseded by a very fine almost non-existent tread pattern. With the exception of the Y6-2 Bugatti, all wheel diameters were either 11 or 13 mm. The former sized wheels were usually fitted with either smooth or knobbly black tyres. Exceptions included the first run Y6-2s, Y15-1 Rolls Royce and Y16-1 Spykers which were all fitted with grey knobbly black tyres; these are rare. The larger diameter sized wheels were only fitted with black fine tread tyres. Both wheel types can be found with a bare metal finish. Such was the pace of the assembly lines in the 1960s, that quite often there weren't any plated wheels available and so unplated ones were used. These have not been catalogued in this book because they are 'negative' variations. By 1973 there were three wheel designs: twelve, twenty four and twenty six (wire wheel) spokes. These narrow rimmed wheels had a groove to assist the locating of the solid core tyres.
See: Plastic Wheels.
MICA-The Matchbox International Collectors Association, the official collectors club was founded in 1985 by Kevin McGimpsey and Stewart Orr. Club members received six full colour magazines throughout the year. MICA stopped publishing a printed magazine in 2007 and it was replaced by the Matchbox Club
MICRO BREWERIES- Although this collection of twenty four models contains six Austin Seven vans, engraved YY65 BA to YY65 BF, Matchbox Collectibles did not rank them as Yesteryears and are therefore not listed in this book.
MOBIL - In the 1960s there was a joint promotion between the Mobil Oil Company and Lesney Products. Yesteryear models were repackaged in red Mobil Oil window boxes and were exchanged for petrol coupons issued at the time of buying the fuel. The models used in the promotion were:
Y2-2 1911 Renault
Y5-2 1929 Bentley
Y6-2 1926 Bugatti
Y8-2 1914 Sunbeam Motorcycle
Y10-2 1928 Mercedes Benz.
For box details refer to the article on packaging.
MOCK-UP-A very early sample of the proposed model, usually made from scratch by a professional model maker, or from available components by an R&D engineer.
MODELS OF YESTERYEAR-See the article on this site
MOULD-An alternative term to the die, a casting tool.
N
NEGATIVE VARIATION-On occasions models have been released missing the specified trim or decoration. Negative variations arise due to a form of neglect or lack of quality control. An example is the Y3-4 Tanker where only the one side of the tank has been tampo printed or more recently the quantity of YFE03 Cadillac Fire Engine models that were released with unplated black radiator grilles. To be fair to Matchbox, negative variations do not arise often especially when one considers the millions of models that leave their factories each year. Few collectors give any due consideration to negative variations, as they are more of an oddity and as such falls outside the scope of this publication.
O
OBSOLETE-When a model has been withdrawn from the range, or where a model has been recoloured or reliveried, the earlier model is known as being obsolete.
OLYMPIC HERITAGE COLLECTION-
ON-PACK OFFER-Where a model has been offered as a promotional item through a redemption coupon offer. An example is the Y27 1922 Foden "Guinness".
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