After a strange February, where I only picked up 3 new models for the collection (Monthly Acquisitions: February 2018) , it was business as usual in March with 22 new models entering my collection. The month was relatively restrained until the 20th March, when finally some new Hot Wheels models arrived in Tbilisi toy shops (Spoilt for Choice). Of the nine models I marked down as interesting from the 2018 Hot Wheels D Case, I have thus far picked up four.

’85 Honda City Turbo II ✓

2015 Ford Mustang (Super Treasure Hunt) Mazda Repu ✓

2016 Ford GT Race Morris Mini (Urban Outlaw decoration) 1989 Batmobile ✓

’16 Cadillac ATS VR VW Golf Mark 2 ’16 Mercedes AMG GT3 ✓



I also picked up two of the Zamac models the ’67 Ford Mustang Coupe and the ’68 Copo Camaro. The only model I haven’t seen from the D Case, which interests me, is the 2015 Ford Mustang (Super Treasure Hunt)…I would be very surprised to find it as I have only ever found one Super Treasure Hunt (The Mystery Machine).

Hot Wheels account for 13 of the 22 models, Matchbox just two. I found a new hunting ground the Lil Toys Outlet in Dolidze Street, which was selling loose cars (Hot Wheels, Matchbox and other brands) for 3 lari (new carded Hot Wheels are now 7.90 lari).

The most expensive vehicles were both Majorette: a Simca 1100 Ti from Dry Bridge Market, which was “Made in France” in the seventies and a 15 inch long City Express Bus, with three pairs of opening doors. Both these models cost me 15 lari.

At the other end of the scale I picked up a couple of Mustangs for a lari each (one Yatming, one Hot Wheels ). I got a free Apple Juice Trailer and a rather battered VW Passat Variant for 2 lari.

I began the month with a Cadillac Elmiraj, which I found in Carrefour for 6.35 lari. It was a Hot Wheels car, I’d been thinking of getting for a while. The Elmiraj is from the 2017 selection and has an older style card.

Cars added in order of acquisition:

Cadillac Elmiraj (Hot Wheels)…stylish large coupe (6.35 lari) 1966 Dodge A100 Pick Up (Matchbox)… I was happy to find this, it was on my Wants’ List (3 lari) Datsun 620 Pick Up (Hot Wheels)… I like this casting a lot, this is the third variation I have in my collection (3 lari) Aston Martin Volante (Matchbox)… last month I gave a black version to my wife’s godson, this month I pick up the champagne coloured variation (4.88 lari) Chrysler Imperial Dragster (Bluesun)… a Chinese 1/43 model with a friction motor…I love the styling (11 lari) Lotus Esprit S2 (Hot Wheels)… I have two of these in yellow now, I also have the model in white and red. (3 lari) Mazda RX7 (Hot Wheels)… I love this casting this is the fifth variation that I have found (3 lari) ‘63 Ford Mustang Concept (Hot Wheels)… just one lari Simca 1100 Ti (Majorette)…this model was “made in France” in the seventies, it has a frisson of nostalgia and was on my Majorette Wants’ List Probably the highlight of the month for me.(15 lari) Ford Mustang (Yatming). I have a lot of Mustangs in my collection but this is the first I have of the third generation. I prefer the style of the first and second generations but this was just one lari at Dry Bridge Market. Nissan 2000 Fairlady (Hot Wheels). When I went into XS toys on 20 March, I was just killing time, but then I saw they had finally got some new 2018 models. The first I got was this Nissan, I have two other variations of this casting, it looks great in every variation. I’m a big fan of the JDM cars of the sixties and seventies. (7.50 lari) Mazda Repu (Hot Wheels) This model looks very similar to the Datsun 620 Pick Up (7.50 lari) ‘67 Ford Mustang Coupe (Hot Wheels). This is my first Zamac (unpainted) model, I had only seen Zamacs in videos before, they tended to be exclusive to Walmart in the US. ’67 Ford Mustang Coupe (Zamac and regular painted version). Tbilisi shops now have the full series of eight Zamac cars, after some deliberation I chose the Mustang. (11.32 lari). VW Passat Variant Politie (Cararama) This 1:43 model has smashed front and rear windows but was only 2 lari. City Express Bus (Majorette). This is very long, a full 15 inches, I bought it for my grandson, Lazare, I hope he likes it and doesn’t destroy it (he is 3 years old). (15 lari) Renault 5 Turbo (Polistil), Another large model this is 1:22 scale, a previous owner has covered the car in stickers, these I intend to remove. (3 lari) ’85 Honda City Turbo II (Hot Wheels), I should have waited until there was a -30% sale, but I didn’t want to risk not getting it. (7.50 lari) ‘68 Copo Camaro (Hot Wheels). A second Zamac model. This was in a -30% sale (8.40 lari) Honda Odyssey (Hot Wheels) Hot Wheels don’t put out many people carriers. (3.50 lari) Apple Juice Trailer. I was given this model as a present from the stall holder I bought the VW Passat from earlier in the month. There are no markings to indicate a brand or even a country of origin (I suspect China). (Free) Batmobile (1989)(Hot Wheels) I was worried I might have made a mistake when I left this on the pegs at XS Toys, it wasn’t there when I returned the following day, but I found one today in Pepela (Tbilisi Mall) (7.50 lari). ‘16 Mercedes AMG GT3 (Hot Wheels) This was in XS Toys -30% sale, a fantastic looking model (5.55 lari)

A lot of JDM this month, a couple of Zamac US Muscle cars, three pick-ups and lots more, another fun month of collecting!

Totals: 22 Models: 13 Hot Wheels, 2 Majorette, 2 Matchbox, 1 Polistil, 1 Yatming, 1 Cararama, 1 Bluestar and one possibly from China (brand unknown)

10 bought new, 11 bought secondhand (or loose at Lil Toys Outlet), 1 gift

Outlets: 6 Pepela, 5 Lil Toys Outlet, 3 Cheap Secondhand toy store, 2 Dry Bridge Market, 2 XS Toys, 2 Clothing Market, 1 Carrefour and 1 Happy Days

Total cost: 130 lari ($53.50)

1 lari = 41 US cents