Lamley Unboxing: How to find the Matchbox Sapphire Gem Chase Models

August 1, 2018

It is late in the year. At least late in the Mattel diecast year. Hot Wheels has only one more mix to officially release, and Matchbox will be wrapping up the year within the next 2-3 months as well.

And Matchbox most surely backloaded the fun. Lots of good new models to come, including the new Basic Plus opening feature models, and yes, the Sapphire Gem Chase models.

The Toys R Us closing has thrown off a lot of brands, Matchbox included. One of the Sapphire Gems was slated to be released there, so a quick fix was in order. For now, what I understand is that all will go to Target, but that doesn’t mean, with wonky distribution, they won’t show up everywhere. Just keep your eyes open.

The VW Golf Sapphire Gem has appeared at Target, but it is the Cuda that has been elusive. Mattel sent me the cases to open for you, so here they are. Look for Case Code N and P. Enjoy.

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13 responses to “Lamley Unboxing: How to find the Matchbox Sapphire Gem Chase Models”

Amc
August 2, 2018
Yes mattel thanks for case FA!! Nothing to TARGET uk. 65 years and the home doesn’t even get a l@ @k in. We will just chase rainbows at our one and only asda. Row too?!?! 50th for hotwheels here. Sorry :-&. Anything for asda uk?!

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pyrrol
August 2, 2018
This is all well and good, but how are we supposed to find these at Target? At my decent sized Target, which was just remodeled, there is very little space for Matchbox. It was just 3 weeks ago or so that enough space was finally shopped for some new cars to be stocked and they were case D cars(!) Almost half the small space is devoted to color changers that have been there a year and sold only a handful (pegs still full). I’ve been to other Targets in larger population areas and it tends to not be a whole lot better. Maybe there are some magic Targets out there where they take Matchbox seriously that I don’t know about, because why else would they bother with exclusives. The only thing Target has thus far been good about is getting in the Jurassic World Matchboxes.

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Matt
August 2, 2018
I’ve had the same troubles w/ Targets in my area, (Iowa) …….same s%#t, different day. An untapped resource that I’ve found is a spot called Dollar Tree, of ALL places. I have yet to find a Sapphire, but some of my favorite models have come from the aforementioned. Happy Hunting to all.

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Connor McCollum
August 2, 2018
I just went to my Target three days ago and I didn’t even see a section for Matchbox anymore. I think they’re in the process of reseting the toy section because there were some empty shelves and no pegs on certain aisles and nothing was fully stocked yet. Where the Matchboxes used to be is now replaced with Star Wars. There’s no dedicated section for Matchbox on the same aisle as Hot Wheels. I triple checked the whole toy area and didn’t see any Matchbox anywhere! I hope they didn’t clearance them off like they did a couple years ago. I’m just hoping that they put what was left in the back for now until they can find a spot for them again. And who knows, maybe they’ll get a new case while they’re at it but the chances are very slim. Like you said, very wonky distribution and chances are new Matchboxes won’t be found everywhere.

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Yankee Tech
August 2, 2018
I found two of the Sapphire Cuda’s at Walmart, haven’t seen any of the other Sapphires yet.

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John
August 2, 2018
I will echo comments here. It is so disheartening to see your target reset for the fall a week ago and still the toy department is empty. There is nothing you can do. This is how Target runs their business. Sad. Truly sad.

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Sonorous Black
August 3, 2018
Chase models aren’t fun when the regular issues might as well be unicorns.

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Jimmy D
August 3, 2018
My local Target’s reset was two mainlines and three color changers. Of course the Hot Wheels’ section was stuffed (with older cars though). Hmmm. I’ll be watching Dollar Tree and Five Below next spring as they’ll be flowing through in-mass then!

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BlackWind
August 4, 2018
All you people complaining about wonky distribution and lack of new cases and here I am sitting in a country where they don’t even sell Matchbox mainlines.

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1. Amc
  August 4, 2018
  Stopped to India in 2013.bizarre, I bet you get hotwheels .it must cost a fortune to collect mbx.shipping and all. Also frustrating. It seems strange how mbx have shrank their world market. It is a shame.
  
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  1. BlackWind
    August 5, 2018
    Yeah, we’ve been missing Matchbox since 2013. Now I have to pay 2 to 3 times extra and plus shipping on top of that to acquire Matchbox from outside. The distribution department seems to be solely responsible for Matchbox’s lack of sales all over the world. It is indeed a shame.
King Joe
August 5, 2018
Matchbox has been completely wiped out from Singapore and didn’t see any in India as well.

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Jefferson Young
August 9, 2018
I’ve got to say I’m disappointed that the “unboxing videos” for N and P only showed the Sapphire Gems….and nothing else in the cases. Yes, a bunch of ‘carryover’ models in each case, but that’s “normal”. What if there was some other actual “NEW” casting in one of the cases? We’ll never know, I guess. (Sure, I could search you-tube for the ‘private’ collectors and their videos….but to me it’s better to find the information at sites like Lamley Group, where the chances are better we see the ENTIRE contents of a case. At least, the chances WERE better here….)

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