Monday, March 24, 2008

A WELL-KNOWN DIECAST CAR : THE GOLD STATE COACH

Author by : Youkonton Ratarasarn

After the Second World War ended in 1954, the condition of the economy of the World began to develop slowly. The ban of using zinc which was the main ingredient of making die-cast toys was dismissed. (The metal, at that time called Mazac Metal) The toy industries in England began to develop. A lot of toys had been made in the important circumstances. It made much more people turned to be interested and collected toys. One of that was The Gold State Coach. It was a toy or one of a replica toy that was a part to enlighten Britain to the golden era of die-cast toys.



The Royal Marriage Ceremony of the Queen Elizabeth II of the Great Britain was arranged on June 2, 1953 at the West Minster Church. The important ceremonial car was the Golden State Coach. It was assembled during a period of the King George III. The completion was delayed until 1762. The car was used during a period of King George VI



This replica of the Gold State Coach was assembled for the memory of the Royal Marriage Ceremony of the Queen Elizabeth II by many English leading toy companies such as Britain, Lesney, Crescent. However, the first company seemed to be Britain (founded in 1860) by using a Hollow-cast Lead technique (the style of a hollow forging).

In 1953 Britain (the name of toy company not the country) reproduced the Gold State Coach which produced before the World War II order to remember the Royal Marriage Ceremony of King George 6th in 1937.
A convoy of the Gold State Coach included the King�s coach with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II sitting inside. There are eight horses drawn with four cavalry officers sitting on horsebacks lining on the left. The coach was 8 inches long. The convoy of coach was a 14 inches. Between horses and plated gold coach connected by steel wire. The horses and cavalrymen were painted by hand in black. At the same time it began to produce a smaller mode1 (No.1478 ) by scaling down and reduced horse drawn to 4. It was 6.25 inches long. All details were absolutely beautiful.


Besides Britain, Lesney (whose produced Matchbox during those period) also made two sizes of the Gold State Coach. The length of the big one was 15.75 inches and the smaller one was 4.5inches. There were both gold and silver. The horses and cavalrymen were painted by hand.



Thereafter 40 years, Lesney became Matchbox International in 1991 It had produced the Gold State Coach once again for the remembrance of the anniversary of 40 years of Queen Elizabeth II ascending the throne. It was one of the Matchbox�s Models of Yesteryear set. The collectors around the world knew in this matter. It was under a code YY-66 limited output (It was not mentioned the number of the output) A total length was 7 inches. The coach and horse drawn cart connected by the axis steel. The body of the car was gilded. It was kept in a window box. Its colour is very beautiful.



To collect thing, whatever it is, if we added the stories, it will increase the value and knowledge for us.

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