[REVIEW] Lesney Matchbox Land Rover Series II

Lesney Matchbox time again, today we examine an iconic piece of the British motor industry. This is Matchbox 12b, the Land Rover Series II. This casting entered the range in 1959, replacing the petite 12a Land Rover, and was replaced in 1965 by the popular Land Rover Safari. As one can easily see, this is from the time when Lesney Matchbox quality was making itself known:

Fine casting detail is visible everywhere you look. I also noticed the pics are crisper if I turn up the brightness a bit, I will have to remember that. This casting was only offered in military green, and exists with 3 wheel types - knobby black wheels, fine black wheels, and fine grey wheels (attractive and rare). Nothing opens as it is 1959, no glazing, but none of this is needed, as it is an open vehicle. I guesstimate scale to be around 1:60, probably no smaller - it is a little chunky, much larger than 12a and I think slightly larger than 12c. From all angles, one can see the surprisingly precise detail for a model of this age and price point:

Front and rear have similar fine detail, the tow hook adding much play value:

The base is as-expected for 1959, with ample model and maker data. With these wheels, I would guess it was produced in roughly 1962-65:

I am definitely glad to have this in my collection. I have a few examples of this casting, but I lack a grey wheeled variant. It is a charming little model, as these old Land Rovers are cult items, and hard to resist. This is yet another unboxed survivor - one can even see a little dust in it, as I didn’t clean it perfectly before taking pics:

And a few 1:1s from classiccardb.com and automotoclassicsale.com: