A Rare Bird

 Well, if by "bird" you mean car. Small, miniature car. Notice I didn't say "toy car." Allow me to explain.

I actually posted about this car a while back. I found it in a box of Matchbox cars at an estate sale. The estate was from a professional European race car driver. 

I wasn't able to identify it at first. When I did a search on sold items on eBay (that's what you can do to find the approximate value of stuff) I was shocked to see that it went for about 250.00! But why? I couldn't find out much more. Here it is, by the way...

Well, while strolling around the interwebs, I found this,

"...1/43 white metal handbuilt and kits from the U.K. All are replicas of MGs (which were made in Abingdon, U.K. plant until plant closure in 1980.)

Abingdon Classics was begun by Max Kernick in 1975. Around July 1979, the JEM range of MG kits appeared (Magic Octagon Series). Many of the patterns were made by Ian Pickering. At first, built models with a "JM" number were sold in Abingdon Classics packaging. Production model MGs were issued in authentic MG factory colors."

So now I know that my car is an early Abingdon Classics model, made in the U.K.,  that was probably pre-built. It's probably from around 1979, and is a model, not a toy. Apparently these models are fairly rare and prized by collectors. 

It makes sense that a professional driver from Europe would have it, and I guess the people running the sale threw it in a box with the other cars not knowing what it was. In this case, I found treasure and didn't even know it! 

So, until next time, keep searching for treasure!