Ephemera

Matchbox International Collectors Association

MICA was founded in 1985 at the request of Matchbox Toys Limited. It rapidly became the largest and remains the best supported of the Matchbox Clubs. Mr Leslie Smith OBE, a co-founder of Lesney/Matchbox Toys, was an honorary MICA member and was guest of honour at several MICA conventions.

Matchbox International Collectors Association home page MICA

Conventions are held worldwide with limited special issues produced to celebrate each one.

1st MICA 1988

6th MICA 1991

Collector's Case

The first Matchbox carry case was made by Ideal Toys for Lesney Producrs in 1966. Carry cases usually have plastic trays that hold 12 cars in each tray. Most carry cases were made to carry 24, 48 or 72 minatures.

#2 48 Car Carry Case 1966

#3 open case

#3 48 Car Carry Case 1965

Sears Carry Case

Matchbox issue "Sears Automotive Centre" vinyl Garage and Service Station Carrycase c1966 manufactured by Ideal Toy Corporation under license from Lesney, exclusively for Sears Department Stores.

Sears Service Station & Carry Case

Sears Service Station & Carry Case

Sears Service Station & Carry Case

Mattel Miniature Cars Carrying Case

No information at present - issued in 1966.

Mattel Carrying Case

Mattel Carrying Case

Mattel 12 Car Show Case 1966

Mattel 48 Car Show Case 1966

Mattel 48 Car Show Case 1966

Roadway Series

The Roadway Series ran from 1960 to 1969. It consisted of a paper, fold out roadways. The initial Roadway was a triangular, cardboard mat released in 1960. The following year 4 more Roadways were released.

R2 A1 Heart of London 1961

R1 B2 Flyover (rare NZ issue) 1964

R2 B1 Construction Roadway 1968

R2 B2 Construction Roadway 1969

R4 B1 Gran Prix Racetrack 1964

R4 B1 Gran Prix Racetrack (rare NZ issue) 1964

Jigsaw Puzzles

A series of 8 jigsaw puzzles, featuring models from the 1-75 Series. The puzzles were released from 1969. The series featured: 29 Fire Pumper, 31 Lincoln Continental, 34 VW Camper, 35 Snow-Trac, 30 & 40 Ford Tractor & Trailer, 62 Mercury Cougar, 66 Greyhound Bus and 72 Standard Jeep.

29 Fire Pumper	31 Lincoln Continental	34 VW Camper	35 Snow-Trac
30 & 40 Ford Tractor & Trailer	62 Mercury Cougar	66 Greyhound Bus	72 Standard Jeep

Gift Sets

The Gift Set Series ran from 1957 to 1988. In the United States, Fred Bronner advertised "Presentation Sets" that consisted of 8 boxed toys packed in a presentation box and marketed as P.S.1 etc. The first Gift Set appeared in July/August 1960 and had a more themed approach

G1-B Commercial Motor Set 1962

G-6 Truck Set 1970

Matchbox Motorway No.12

The Matchbox Motorway was a track made from plastic sections which clipped together. In slots in the track were two long springs which were driven by a motor. They slid around in a continuous loop in the slots. Matchbox cars could be placed on the track and a plastic pin (see pictures below) protruding from the bottom of the car would catch in the spring, causing the cars to be pulled around the track. Cars in different lanes could race, but cars in the same lane moved at the same speed, separated by a fixed distance
The set was made by K Arnold & Co in West Germany and was distributed in the US by Fred Bronner.

Matchbox Motorway No12	MM 12 open box	MM12 layout	MM12 layout
X-1 MM accessories pins	X-1 MM Box

Matchbox Fire Station

MF-1-A2 Matchbox Fire Station 1963

MF-1-A2 Matchbox Fire Station 1963

MF-1-A2 Matchbox Fire Station 1963

Matchbox Garages

MG-1-A1 Matchbox Single Story Garage 1959

MG-1-A2 Matchbox Single Story Garage 1959

Recreation of Painting Book Cover

MG-2-B Matchbox Two Story Garage 1961

MG-2-B Matchbox Two Story Garage 1961

MG-1-C Matchbox BP Service Station 1968

Pins and Badges

Many collector clubs or event promotors produced pins and badges with Matchbox related subjects. There were 4 released for the 1-75 Series, featuring #1 Road Roller box, #28C Blue Jaguar, #53B Red Mercedes and #41C Ford GT.

1 Road Roller Box 1959

2 28C Blue Jaguar 1964

3 53B Mercedes 1964

4 41C Ford GT 1969

Selection reproductions

MATCHBOX Mug

Jack Odell Obituary

New York Times 17/7/2007