MATCHBOX WAS CREATED IN 1953, AND THAT MEANS WE GET A 70TH ANNIVERSARY RANGE TO CELEBRATE.
In 2022 and now 2023, we’ve been seeing loads of motoring-related companies celebrating milestone anniversaries, and it seems that doesn’t only count for automakers who make 1:1 scale cars. Matchbox collectable model/toy cars was created way back in 1953. As the story goes a World Warr 2 veteran from England, Jack Odell, inadvertently invented what would be one of the most popular toys ever. The idea and the name came about when he made a one-off steam roller that was small enough to fit inside a matchbox so that his daughter could take it to school. As is the norm with kids, all of them that saw the toy also wanted one and so the rest, as they say, is history. The brand pre-dated the arguably more popular (now) Hot Wheels toys by a good 15 years, but these days the companies are no longer rivals since Hot Wheels bought Matchbox out 26 years ago. This means nothing to collectors, each brand has die-hard fans that will never cross the line between companies, but luckily there are more who appreciate what both companies make and have extensive collections of both. Incidentally, I own but a single Matchbox car, a yellow and black Ford Sierra XR4 Ti, still in its original box from 1983, and so celebrating the big 4-0 this year.
To go with the 70 theme, Matchbox will be releasing seven (70 - 7 - get it?) different collectable sets throughout the year that will appeal to just about everyone who’s into these things. The cars we’ve seen so far feature similar colourways, and with orange and black being my favourite colour combination, I’m going to have to keep an eye out for some of these cars to keep my Sierra company. There’s a collection with orange paint and black decals, another with silver base paint and orange and black decals, and then a matte grey with orange and black decals. The decals celebrate the 70-year platinum anniversary, and they look great. Even though they have a 1:64 scale, they have moving parts so you can see teeny engine bays. Keeping with modern trends, these new cars are better for the environment and so are made from recycled zinc and the company is working towards creating 100 % recyclable cars by 2030. It’s great to see that the company has started this new approach. It’s time for the company to make some Mk4 GTi models in silver, just saying.
Take a look at the YouTube video that showcases all the Matchbox 70th Anniversary edition sets that Mattel has released so far this year. It's a rather extensive range so far, and we're a fan of the cars chosen and the different colourways for the cars, we'll definitely be looking out for some of these to add to our own collections: Lamley Matchbox Preview, Part 1: Porsche & 70th Anniversary Exclusive Sets w/ Bugatti Divo! | Lamley Group
Be sure to check out our YouTube channel here for more exciting and exclusive SXdrv content! And don't forget to smash that subscribe button!