For personal reasons, Your Humble Webmaster could not attend our May meeting. So, I conscripted Original Ken to handle the update. He took some photos; I prepped ’em when I could, then e-mailed the PhotoBucket links to him. All that was left was for Ken to do a write-up and post it.

Well, since his retirement, Original Ken has been afflicted with post-laborum technologii absentia, the loss of access to the computer he used at work. So, he e-mailed me a draft write-up, and here be my tweaking of it:

May 2015

Hot Wheels Baja Bug with white-hub Real Riders, ’84(?) Real Riders series. Purchased by Bill from Mike.

Matchbox Field Car, ’73 or ’75 version (based on International Scout). Purchased by Bill from Mike.

Ken’s, from Mike: Johnny Lightning AMC Javelin, and Matchbox AMX Javeĺin. The Johnny Lightning is the one on the Johnny Lightning card, and the Matchbox is the one with luggage sticking up through the hood.

Purchased by Tom from Mike. Promotional livery for Mon Chéri candies. Made by City, a European manufacturer of unknown origin.

Purchased by Tom from Mike. This one is by Lledo, a name with which you’re probably more familiar. This is a premium model. Not because it’s well-designed (although it clearly is). It’s because of…

…This. The model is an exclusive premium which comes bagged with this special edition of Diecast Collector magazine. Check the year: 2001. Someone smartly and wisely kept this duo together for fourteen years! Vehicle models that are available only as “free with purchase” add-ons are rare by definition to begin with; to find one that is not only still in its own little display box, but also still bagged with the original magazine makes this exceedingly and exceptionally rare. It also readily earns it the designation of Suncoast Diecasters’ Find of the Month(*) for May 2015.

See you at the June meeting!

~WM