CURIOUS GEORGE Wants to Know...

I received this as a gift 143 scale very nice to look at. Note wheels are molded into the one piece. 

George, I am certain that the 1953 Packard Caribbean uses the original Yat Ming 1/18 tooling from 2007 or so. I have both this maroon red color and a cream colored version too. They are very nice diecast models at their original price/detail point, which was perhaps $ 29.95 or so back then, I think ?

I realize prices have gone up, but $ 80.00 or so plus shipping might be a bit expensive, especially if you can find an original Yat Ming (or perhaps their successor company, Lucky Diecast has re-released this one)

I like Packards, so I am very happy with my original ones. They are not intended to be "mint-level" detail, but were a good bargain at their original price. Here are some snaps of mine :

@mikedetorrice. THANK YOU for your input.  Now I'm curious about the heavy price increase. 

Posted by: @georgeschire

@mikedetorrice. THANK YOU for your input.  Now I'm curious about the heavy price increase. 

It might be perhaps because these YM Packards really are out of production and Hamilton has managed to get a hold of a limited amount of NewOldStock (NOS). Or perhaps new production is possible, but given various conditions, it is really expensive to get this done. Of course, I am sure they want to see what the market will bear and if they can get a high price, they will initially try that.

Possibly one could speculate that if older "mint-level" 1/24 tooling were available somewhere and a factory (with trained labor) were available for a limited production run, the resulting Danbury/Franklin type 1/24 would maybe be 3 times the old price. I think high quality SunStar/Highway 61 detail-level 1/18 models are seemingly ranging at 2 or even 3 times what one would pay 8 or 10 years ago. A smaller market, international conditions, taxes/trade fees and just the regular price rises over the years adds up to such realities.  

Do some research George, most of the models offered from the Hamilton Collection are available else where for much less. Their prices are usually very much inflated. The Packard is still available from other vendors for less than half the price offered by Hamilton.

@jcarnutz, thank you!  And actually I was already aware that Hamilton's prices were higher, and I've never personally ordered from them.  I was more interested in the cars I posted about and if others had the cars.  We all learn from others experiences.  

@georgeschire

I am glad. I do have an older version of the Packard, and I am interested in a green version that was recently issued. For the most part, it is a decent model for the price, although I think it might be just a bit under-scaled. The other two, I have no experience with or interest.

To follow up what Mike said about Yat Ming and Lucky Diecast. I had most of the Yat Ming 1/24 presidential limousine series, since Yat Ming went out of business I got the couple remaining ones I didn't have and they were made by Lucky Diecast . There is a difference between the older original Yat Ming models and the new Lucky ones. I don't have any of either manufacturer in 1/18 as they simply don't make the models I collect. I gave all the 1/24 presidential limousines and some of the other 1/24 and 1/18 scale models I used to have to my son when he bought his house. Hopefully one day he displays them all. 

George, I have the original from YatMing and I agree with John that the model is underscaled.