A large portion of my diecast hunting now focuses on Matchbox - more specifically, older Matchbox. While they continue to take baby steps towards becoming the collector-focused brand they once was, there still isn't enough desirable product out there. I can't remember the last time I actually purchased a new Matchbox from the pegs. They have been few and far between, and let's not get started about the lack of distribution. There used to be a time when I could walk out of a store with a handful of Matchbox cars; that has become a distant memory. Bottom line: I'll believe it when I see it.
However, it's important to not forget how good they once were. Which is why I've turned to acquiring their past models, from Premieres and World Classes, to Superfast, to "Golden Age", to pre-"Golden Age", and so on.
Thanks to a few guys over on LaLD, I've had the opportunity to add a number of these treasures to my collection, and I would love to share them here on this blog. Because they deserve it. I know I already have a blog series for the Premiere and World Class series, and a Superfast series in the works, but allow me to add a third, which I'll simply call "Matchbox Mania". It will focus on Matchbox models from the past which, arguably, are the most desirable to collectors today.
This right here is the Ferrari 360 Spider, which I didn't know even existed. The casting, that is. The 360 being one of my favorite V8 Ferrari's, I jumped at it immediately. It's easily become one of my favorite Matchbox castings in the collection. While the body may be a tad too tall, everything else is executed flawlessly; in my eyes, it is undoubtedly superior to the Hot Wheels casting of the 360 Modena. The fact that is has full detailing on the back makes it that much better. After all, who doesn't love those signature double-circle Ferrari taillights?
No comments:
Post a Comment