AWe wouldn’t use this new Matchbox model as a cake decorator after all. Not even as a decoration of a “Coronation Quiche” for the coronation of Charles III. was devised. There is a historical precedent: 70 years ago, on June 2, 1953, Great Britain celebrated the coronation of the young Queen Elizabeth II royal house was embellished. The miniature was made of die cast metal, including eight magnificent horses. The British manufacturer Lesney sold more than a million copies of its royal carriage 70 years ago. Today, collectors refer to it as the “small Coronation Coach” to distinguish it from slightly larger models.
The carriage coup of 1953 was the cornerstone of a miniature automotive success story that also began 70 years ago. Lesney actually specialized in the manufacture of supplier parts for the British automotive industry. Then co-owner John William Odell, known as Jack, built a small road roller for his daughter.