BOX FACTS
SERIES : | Regular Wheels | FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION : | 1958 |
BOX TYPES : | B | SIZE AVAILABLE : | 3 |
TOTAL VARIATIONS : | 6 | NUMBER OF MAJOR VARIATIONS : | 4 |
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GENERAL INFO
The first boat of the Matchbox Miniature range was the 48A. Released in 1958 in a size 3, B2 type box, it shows the boat in red in a ¾ read left view, nose pointing up. Each side is a bit different, as the model numbers as slightly to the right on one side. A B3 box was next, this time with the nose even and turned to its right side.
Hard to say which one of the two following boxes came first, but one is a right profile view, with two different front and back, with “N” being larger on one side. The other variation reprises RW-48A-B3-2a, but with numbers away from the scroll. In both cases, those 2 boxes were made in B4 and B5 boxes.
Another fun detail is the B5 for the profile view variation, where the word Meteor is written with “ “ , while all others are written “Meteor”.
RARITY
The B4/B5 variation with thew ¾ view seems a bit less common than others.
VARIATION LIST
RW48A - METEOR SPORTSMAN MK II BOAT & TRAILER
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Front/Back | # | Type/Sub-type | Size | Top/Bottom | End Flap | Variation # |
(Boat pointing left, light background, numbers slightly more to the right of picture on other side of box) | 1 | B2 | 3 | Blue / Black |
| RW-48A-B2-1a |
(Boat pointing right upwoard, light background, numbers away from model, blue square) | 2 | B3 |
| RW-48A-B3-2a | ||
(Boat pointing right downwoard, dark background, numbers slightly more to the right of picture and boat lower on other side of box) | 3 | B4 |
| RW-48A-B4-3a
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4 | B5 |
| RW-48A-B5-3b
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(Boat pointing right upwoard, light background, numbers away from model) | 5 | B4 |
| RW-48A-B4-4a
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6 | B5 |
| RW-48A-B5-4b
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