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Budgie Miniatures

No.19 Rover '105' Rovermatic

Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105 Rovermatic

No.19 Rover '105' is perhaps the most common model in the Budgie Miniatures collection and mint examples are easily found. It started life in 1957 as Esso Series No.19 Rover '105' and continued in production very little changed until 1970.

 

No.19 Rover was a conventional body & base model made by Modern Products Ltd. based on the 1955 Rover '105' saloon. From the start it was coloured green with silver trim on grille, headlights and front and rear bumpers. The base was painted gloss or semi-matt black and had 'Rover 105 Rovermatic', 'No.19', and 'Made in England' underneath. 'Rovermatic' referred to the automatic transmission.

 

There were a few changes to No.19, the first one being a switch to grey plastic wheels with matt black for the base, and the second to black plastic wheels. There was no change to the body colour or trim until the final variation.

 

During the life of No.19, Budgie made use of the Rover casting for a another model, the No.60 'Squad Car, and changed the base details to add the different name and number. Interestingly, when more models of the original No.19 were needed, Budgie changed the base again with 'Squad Car' blanked out and the number 19 on a raised circle.  The colour of this No.19 type 2 base reverted to a gloss-black finish.

 

The final variation of No.19 had a major change to the colour which altered from the usual green to a bright metallic gold with silver trim on the front only. The black plastic wheels and glossy No.19 type 2 base remained the same. This gold version is very rare and enables the Rover '105' to be both the rarest and, in the green version, the most common Budgie Miniature. 

 

Apart from the Esso Series, No.19 Rover '105' was sold in a variety of boxes and packs. Budgie used both yellow and blue blister-packs, 'Mobile' Vehicle Series and 'Modern' (type 1) boxes. It was included in the Budgie Gift Sets Nos.8 and 12 and in 1967 it formed part of the triple pack No.96b Service Set. In the United States it was also sold by World Toy House in 49cent blister-packs.

Morestone Esso Petrol Pump Series No.19 Rover 105

Variation 1 : first issue in Esso Petrol Pump box with Tanker Coupon

Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105
Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105

Variation 1 : green, umw, semi-matt black type 1 base

MOBILE Vehicle Series box

No.19 Rover '105' Rovermatic

Model Variations

 

  • (1)  GREEN,  black type 1 base,  unpainted METAL wheels

 

  • (2)  GREEN,  black type 1 base, GREY PLASTIC wheels

  • (3)  GREEN,  black type 1 base,  BLACK plastic wheels

 

  • (4)  GREEN,  black type 2 base,  BLACK plastic wheels

 

  • (5)  METALLIC GOLD,  black type 2 base,  BLACK plastic wheels

Variation 2 : green, gpw, yellow Budgie Toys blister-pack

Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105 - bpw, yellow blister-pack

Variation 3 in yellow Budgie Toys blister-pack

Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105
Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105 glossy black base

Variation 4 : bpw and gloss-black No.19 type 2 base

MODERN Vehicle Series (type 1) box

Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105
Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105
Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105 base

Variation 5 : Metallic Gold, bpw, No.19 type 2 base

No.19 Rover '105'

Boxes and Packs

 

1957-59   Esso Petrol Pump Series boxes

 

1961-63   MOBILE Vehicle Series boxes

 

1961-64   Budgie Gift Sets No.8 and 12

 

1962-63   Yellow Budgie Toys blister-packs (Guiterman)

 

1963-66   MODERN Vehicle Series (type 1) boxes

 

1963-66   Blue Budgie blister-packs (Guiterman)

 

1964-70   World Toy House blister-packs (US)

 

1966-70   Blue Budgie blister-packs (Budgie Models) 

 

1967-70   Budgie No.96b Service Set (triple blister-pack)

Budgie Miniatures No.19 Rover 105 - Toy House blister-pack

World Toy House blister-pack (US)

Budgie triple pack No.96b Service Set

The real Rover 105 Rovermatic

Nicholas Martin Diecast
Benbros, Morestone & Budgie Vintage Toys
Britains Lilliput Vehicles     Kemlows Sentry Box

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