Catalog
Matchbox > 2000 > Basic
The Matchbox Millennium 2000 basic range offered a total of 100 models for the U.S. market, nearly half of which 48 vehicles were exclusively available in the United States. This was the year when Mattel introduced the "Treasure Hunt" concept for the first time, marking 10,000 selected models with a special "Matchbox2000" logo. This logo could be placed anywhere on the vehicle, though it most commonly appeared on the front windshield.
The ROW (Rest of the World) line included 75 models, but none had the "Matchbox2000" logo, not even those identical to the US version. This collection also served as the foundation for national editions in Germany (GER), the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia (AUS), each of which received 10 exclusive models numbered 11-15 and 36-40. Additionally, these three markets featured 13 more unique models compared to the U.S. range, appearing in positions 2-4, 31-35, and 66-70. Based on these numbers, it is evident that 52 models were shared between the U.S. and ROW series.
Originally, the ROW range was supposed to have its own exclusive models, but this was only partially realized, limited to numbers 11-15. When further exclusives (36-40) were planned later in the year, only the GER, UK, and AUS markets placed orders. As a result, the ROW range was capped at 70 models, since production for these five vehicles was canceled. Interestingly, three of the canceled models were still released in other 2000 collections. The TV News Truck was included in the FAO Schwarz German Collection (10 Pack/Set), which was released in the U.S. market. In contrast, the 3 Pack/Set Rescue, featuring the Ambulance and Airport Fire Truck, was part of the ROW market.
