CODING SYSTEM

(Some parts of the coding system are reproduced with permission from Charlie Mack's book Universal's Matchbox Toys -- The Universal years, 1982 - 1992)

In the 1970's, a code system was developed by Ray Bush of U.K. Matchbox. This code has been adopted and is in wide use today to denote models manufactured, approved or not produced by Matchbox Toys. The code system is as follows:

CODE ONE

Any model wholly produced by Matchbox Toys. The model can be partially manufactured in one factory and altered later in a Matchbox owned or leased facility.

CODE TWO:

Any model altered in part or in whole by re-labeling, repainting or both by a second party not associated with Matchbox but with Matchbox's full approval. This includes models manufactured as blanks in a Matchbox owned or leased facility and then tampoed or repainted by a second party with either specific or blanket approval.

CODE THREE:

Any model repainted, re-labeled or altered in any manner without Matchbox's consent.

CODE FOUR:

Any model that has labels, tide to an event, applied by a company and the models are then given to their employees and customers for promotional purposes.

CODE FIVE:

Any model that has Matchbox supplied labels applied to a model. The labels are almost like a water slide tide. There are not very many examples around but they are very attractive.

CODE SIX:

Any model with personal type home made labels applied to a model.

CODE SEVEN:

These are models with promotional/personal labels but no one knows how and how did it. These are called "Private Issues."
G Book

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