Goldvarg announcement

Awesome models and quite a range of types and model years.  I really like the Inca Gold/white colors on the Ford.

1940s,'50s and '60s : something for everybody!  I'll take the Electra.

Will any of these models be available for purchase at the March show in Chicago/Countryside?

If only they were available in 1:24 scale, I'd be all over them.  I'm still unable to understand why models can be produced in 1:43 scale, but 1:24 scale is now ignored.  Seems to me we've proven as collectors that there is a viable market for 1:24, as past productions from Danbury Mint, Franklin Mint, WCPD, and GMP proved.  Yet, 1:43 thrives (I guess).  With regret, 1:43 scale is just too small for my taste.  This said, the new releases look good and my sincerest wishes for their success are extended.  

@ed-davis I heard Sergio had another commitment.

@mg-harv 

Thanks for letting me know.

Posted by: @georgeschire

I'm still unable to understand why models can be produced in 1:43 scale, but 1:24 scale is now ignored.

As you know George, I also, like you, was one of Danbury Mints best customers. I had everything from the two-tone green 1958 Pontiac to the two 1954 Cadillacs, to the Corvette Canyon racer, to the coveted Owens Corning Corvette race car.....I had all the best models from Danbury Mint and only the best ones, no dogleg door cars.......about 100 of them. A medical condition in my family forced me to sell them, and that is when I switched to 1/43 scale.

I believe one of the reasons for the demise of the Mints was, that many, many models were being returned for simple fixes that could have been fixed with a dab of glue. 

I know the different stories about the Mints assembly warehouses in China that were shut down, but I tend to question those stories, because 1/43 scale was in full swing and thriving at that time.

I did hear one story about a Mints assembly warehouse owner that took all the money from the business account and disappeared, but I don't know how much truth there was to that story.

Here's a 1:1 pic I saw that I thought you would like.

Neo makes this car in 1/43, and I am very happy to have it.

@ben-lampson As a collector of both 1:24 and 1:43, I’d offer another explanation… You can display a heck of a lot more 1:43 models on a shelf or display cabinet.

@ben-lampson 

Thanks for your thoughts.  And also for the pics of the 1:43 '59 Oldsmobile.  Looks great, but just can't get myself to go to that scale.  I've said for decades that they are too small, and I believe they are.  Just not for me.  With regard to 1:24, assuming some or all of your theory is correct, it still doesn't make sense that some company couldn't step up and revive the market for the models.  For display purposes (at least in my opinion) they are the perfect size.  Not to mention the closest thing to the precision dealer promo's and model kits of our youths in the 1950s and 60s.  It just seems that someone is missing the boat on this scale.  

Posted by: @randyrusk

@ben-lampson As a collector of both 1:24 and 1:43, I’d offer another explanation… You can display a heck of a lot more 1:43 models on a shelf or display cabinet.

No argument about the number of 1:43 scales you can display versus the number of 1:24 scales.  BUT, the 1;24's garner more attention due to their size.  The 1:43's are too tiny, and you have to be on top of the display case to see them.  I'm not really a fan of 1:18 scale either, because they are too big.  They take up way to much room.  To each their own, but for me, 1:24 is and always has been the perfect scale/size for a model car.  

The biggest problem the mints faced was soaring costs and a diminishing market. They were large operations that needed a lot of volume to stay viable. The primary market for the mints was collectors that enjoyed cars of the forties and fifties. As their core group aged, they moved into their fixed-income years and had to be more careful of their purchases. Near the end, prices were rising quickly, with the last few releases selling for over $200, a price point several folks swore they would never venture into. As the core clientele aged out of their buying years, the mints had to either develop new tooling to appeal to a younger clientele (read, "models of cars from the sixties and seventies, even eighties as several of the 1/43 manufacturers are now offering) or back off. Magnifying the problem is the reality that 1/24 is a great scale, but it has no worldwide appeal. It was primarily a North American scale. That made the decisions for the months easy. They could continue to try to develop a new 1/24 market or they could devote their production capacity to making other collectibles that still have strong market appeal. This is why you can still buy jewelry, keepsakes, and plates from Danbury and Franklin. The factories that are still producing models in 1/43 are making static, resin models, not highly detailed diecast models with opening features. Those resin models in 1/43 will sell worldwide, not just in the USA. 1/18 is healthy because it is very diverse and has less price resistance as well as a global appeal. 

@jkuvakas  Well said John. I know from talking with collectors in different parts of Europe that they have told me that their homes are generally not as large as those in the United States and therefore limit the space they have to display their collections. I have a fairly large collection of various scales but no longer have space to display any more 1/18 or 1/24 scales unless I replace an existing model to make room.