A rare Matchbox toy car has been sold for a staggering world record £22,000, simply because of its unusual shade.
The Regular Wheels 62c Mercury Cougar is a ‘first issue’ toy produced in pale yellow – before the colour scheme changed to a standard metallic green.
The three inches long car, which is in ‘excellent condition’ and has not been repainted, was tipped to fetch £3,000 to £4,000 at Vectis Auctions, of Stockton-on-Tees, Teeside.
But it sparked an international bidding war with the hammer going down at £18,000.
With auctioneers fees included, the undisclosed buyer paid £22,000 – over five times the high estimate.
The auctioneers believe it to be a new world record price for a Matchbox toy Mercury Cougar.
A Vectis Auctions spokesperson said: ‘We believe this to be a world record for this model.
‘This is a rare model due to the colour.
The Matchbox toy car has sold for a staggering £22,000 – ten times what an actual Mercury Cougar would have cost back in 1968
Matchbox toys were introduced by British manufacturing company Lesney Products in 1953, soon becoming a phenomenon
‘The yellow is a first issue colour and wasn’t produced for very long before changing colours.
‘The standard is a metallic lime green body.
‘It also has clear windows without windscreen wipers and without a rear view mirror which confirms it is an early casting and hasn’t been repainted.’
Matchbox toys were introduced by British manufacturing company Lesney Products in 1953, soon becoming a phenomenon.
The brand was purchased by Mattel in 1997.
A real Mercury Cougar would have cost about £2,200 when it was released in the US in 1968.
