LGB STAINZ - The Train Sets, Years 1992-1994

After a smaller edition of the Christmas train set was selling well in 1990 LGB went down that road again in 1992:

LGB 22540

LGB 22540 - Courtesy of worthpoint.com

The difference to LGB 20540: the number "4" on the engine (was "2"). The big difference was the edition volume. This time 10,000 were made. And sold 'worldwide'.

That same year the LGB New Item flyer also presented the Circus Train set No

LGB 22988

LGB 70988 (1993)

LGB 22988 - Courtesy of picclick.com

LGB 70988 - Courtesy of picclick.com

10,000 were made and sold 'worldwide'. The set included 3 figurines and a little box on the truck bed. These Circus train sets are still offered on the internet at the time of writing.

1994 saw these Stainz train sets being offered:

LGB 70545

LGB 70545 - Courtesy of workwithyoung.com

After two red Christmas train sets in 2 years, not differing much, LGB saw the great trick in offering a blue version. Edition is not known but an educated guess points to another 10,000 edition volume. And the price was raised to a plump US$ 500.00. These blue Stainz train sets today are offered for US$ 650.00 to $ 750.00 or more.

And since LGB was already in the copying mood they continued the  series for the German Toy-Dealer-Marketing-Associations. 

LGB 70994

LGB 70994 Vedes - Courtesy of picclick.com

VEDES  hat to take 10,000 of these sets while the competing association of "Toy-Ring" (German: Spielzeug-Ring) also received 10,000 as a marketing 'special', same time, same train set, the only difference  was a logo printed on the yellow boxcar: Grafitti-Express

LGB 70996

LGB 70996 Spielzeug-Ring - Courtesy of picclick.com

Both had to be sold in the very same toy dealer stores since both associations supplied the same toy dealers. You can imagine how happy those toy dealers were...Yep, LGB made great friends back then in the retail business....

And to make matters funnier they made a 3rd edition with a blank yellow boxcar as a special for the MC stores only- also a group of toy retailers. This time the edition was 500

LGB 70995

LGB 70995  - Courtesy of grootspoor.com

And all three sets were standard LGB 'fare' which were produced for the annual catalog-offer anyway. That at least kept the costs low which LGB had to learn as a new virtue.

+++++++++++++++ to be continued...