Books & Videos

There are many excellent books on Matchbox Toys, some are good and others just give basic information. These are some with good information in and most are rarely seen for sale nowadays. Either checkout places like Ebay or Amazon to obtain a copy. I generally regard books giving valuations as a guide only as prices are so volatile in this hobby. A price guide will give you an idea of the rarity of a particular model or variant and that is all, nothing else. The price fetched for a particular model is what another collector is prepared to pay for it not what anybody else thinks it may be worth. Keep this important fact in mind when purchasing models.

In the past some models fetched very high prices due to a limited area of supply, but with the internet and online auctions / shops these have come down dramatically.

 

YYbook2002.jpg (106644 bytes) The Yesteryear Book - 1956 - 2002

The new current version of the 'Bible' - superb listing and the best around. Fully updated and in handy, ring bound format. Keep a check of what you have or are looking for. If you need a definitive listing of Yesteryears - then look no further. The photographs have been deleted from this issue to make it more manageable to carry around.

 
 

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The Yesteryear Book 1956 - 2000 Millennium Edition

 'The Bible' for Yesteryear collectors and the one to which all models and information on this site are referenced to. It contains detailed descriptions of all variations and a price range plus heaps more information. See entry in bibliography. Some nice photographs. This was an updated version with new models and found variations after the print of the original below.
 

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 The Yesteryear Book 1956 - 1993

The original version of the 'Bible'

Affectionately known as the 'White Book' this was the original listing from 1956 to 1993
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Matchbox Diecast Toys-The First 40 Years, by Kevin McGimpsey & Stewart Orr, published by Major Productions Ltd.

This book covers the history of Lesney and includes items on other ranges made by the company. A wealth of photographic detail and the other bible for collectors. If there is a book on Matchbox products to have then this is the one as it beats the rest by miles. Only seen for sale on the 2nd. hand market nowadays.

 

 

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 MOBIL COLLECTORS CARD ALBUM

This was a collector's book of cards distributed by the Mobil petrol garages. On exchange for buying fuel you were given a card and when a book was full (24 cards) it would be exchanged for a model in a special Mobil box (see Box Sets). There were some 5 models to collect in the range and to find a complete album or the models in their special boxes is very hard nowadays.

Y2 Renault

Y5 Bentley

Y6 Bugatti

Y8 Sunbeam

Y10 Mercedes

 

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 Yesterday's Yesteryears, by Robert Carter & Eddy Rubinstein, published by the Haynes Publishing Group

A basic listing of Yesteryear models with some very good photographs. Written from a view of collectors.
 

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The Yesteryear Companion, by Robert Carter & Eddy Rubinstein, published by the Haynes Publishing Group

This is a wonderful book and starts off where the previous version finished. however the attraction is in the second two thirds of the book where considerable devotion has been made to preproduction models. I think a first on this scale for any book on Yesteryears and the authors are to be congratulated.
 

 

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 Matchbox Toys, by Bruce & Diane Stoneback,  published by New Burlington Book

Not a good book but contains some basic information and photographs of some rare models that are not in particularly good condition. 
 

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 Matchbox Club UK

The magazine of the now defunct UK Matchbox club. The magazines are a wealth of information published by Ray Bush who ran the club. Well worth getting hold of if seen for sale. Sadly Ray has passed away now but above all he put some integrity and honesty into the hobby and is fondly remembered for fostering this hobby of ours with an unbridled  passion of the true collector.
 

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 Matchbox International Collectors Club

The magazine issues of MICA, the best club for all things Matchbox. Some 20 years of information - invaluable!
 

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 Matchbox Annual from 1979. Comic strip type stories and facts about real cars and Matchbox ones. A couple of quiz's to test your knowledge.
 

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 Matchbox Annual from 1980
 

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 Mike & the Modelmakers by M.Sasek. Shows how the toys were made in a simplified child's story of a day out at the factory with his father.
 

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 The first shows the first 16 models issued including the rare variations on them. An informative commentary.

 

 

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 The second video shows what are considered to be some of the rarest models and variations ever issued. On both of these video's there are no valuations as these are changeable due to market fluctuation. Came in two cover versions.
 

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 These are a set of 4 Painting Books issued by Lesney.  They also issued an accompanying Painting box set to compliment them. Very hard to find in good condition nowadays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Paintbox set is copied from the rear of the 1961 catalogue and to date I have never seen one or one for sale.

 

 

And this is the real deal! Never seen one except this one  - Painting set PC-1 ( PC? =  paint & crayon?)

This particular item belonged to the late Steve Thwaites