Greetings collectors...
We are now officially a month away from the International Matchbox Collectors Gathering of Friends, and that means something very specific for our friends over at Mattel: It will soon be time to dig into the 2015 line. Yes, 2015. Planning is everything, and it is important to stay ahead, and that means that the rest of 2013 is waiting in the wings to hit the pegs, the final touches are being put on 2014, and 2015 is getting ready shift into high gear.
So, in many ways the models we are talking about today seem like ancient history to the Matchbox team.
I bring this up because I was recently sent the first sneak peeks of 2014, and there are more to come. All the 2014 New Models will be revealed in Albuquerque, so my guess is the sneaks I will get in the next few weeks will all be new decos of existing models. But you know I will be asking for some hints of the new models.
Even with 2014 going full speed ahead, there are still four new 2013 castings we have yet to see: The Whiplash (MBX Roadster), Blaze Buster, BMW R1200 GS Motorcycle (I hear it is full of metal and quite heavy), and the Matchbox Coupe. I think we will see most, if not all, of these in the next couple of weeks. You might be asking why the Range Rover Evoque and Questor (MBX Adventure Truck) are not mentioned. Well, because both are experiencing some delays in the tooling process and are carrying over to 2014. I am assuming my successor will enjoy sneaking those.
Alright, on with the sneaks, shown as always with permission from Mattel. We start with two new decos for 2013. First, the Dodge Monaco Police looks to be sporting a more era-appropriate livery, but I will leave the police experts to judge that. One way or the other, I think this model looks very nice. The Tractor Plow sits on top of the new utility wheels, so it looks slightly refreshed.
And now on to the first models of 2014. We have two slated for the basic range and one in a 2014 5-pack.
Lets start with the 5-pack model. The International MXT-MVA makes its debut in 2013, and before it even hits the pegs, we've got a 2014 version to be released as an exclusive in that year's Military 5-pack. I don't know what the other models will be, but this model is bound to be popular whether it comes as a basic or in a multipack:
Next are the two basics. The third version of the International Scout (after its 2013 debut and 60th Anniversary edition), as well as the 2014 release of the Sowing Machine.
So there we go. Our first foray into 2014. We will have more to show next week, including a model that I was told "will make you drool"...
Until then...
