Case Report: Opening a 2016 Matchbox F Case...

Matchbox 2016 Batch F at Wheel Collectors

Now this is more like it.

If you have seen of my last few Matchbox Case Reports on the blog or Unboxing videos on the YouTube Channel, you know that my biggest gripe is that the assortments are off.  The cases are small with only 24 models, and the hope is that amount means models will move faster off the pegs.  The problem is that the models that would be most popular are not the multiples in the case.  Less popular unlicensed models get that distinction, and that means the models collectors want become harder to find.

Well, that is thankfully not the case in Batch F, at least based on this Case Report.  Yesterday was Mattel day at Wheel Collectors, as they received a pallet full of Hot Wheels and Matchbox.  Batch F was part of that, and all the models can be found here:

Matchbox 2016 Batch F at Wheel Collectors

There are four new licensed castings in this batch, some of which have already been previewed here.  We will get to the full features later, but for now lets see how the assortments look.  As always, Wheel Collectors picked a random case and opened it, documenting its contents 3-by-3.

Tell us what you think:

Now that is a far better assortment.  Sure, there are a few unlicensed models collectors aren't too fond of, but three models come in pairs, and they are all new models, three of the four new licensed models released in the this batch.  The Mudstang, Range Rover Evoque, and Corvette Stingray Police:

The other new model is the much anticipated Mazda MX-5 Miata:

Sure, the Miata would be better off as a multiple, considering how popular it is bound to be, but you can't argue with the other three multiples.

One other interesting thing about this case.  The Miata is sporting the 5-spoke wheels.  If you remember, these wheels were changed by Mattel after collectors were less than excited about the trispokes that were originally on the model.  They were told by the factory that it would be a running change, so trispoke variants were supposedly made and released.  Wheel Collectors usually gets early cases, so if we were to see a trispoke version, there is a good chance it would be here.  Interestingly it is not.

So that could most likely mean that there are earlier batches soon to be released somewhere in the world, or the trispoke variant was never made in mass-production.  Only time will tell, but I would definitely keep my eyes open for the trispokes.  I could be wrong, but it is looking like there won't be very many of them.

To me, the best case of the year so far.  We will see if this is duplicated when I do an unboxing with my own case in a few days...