Triang Spacex / Golden Astronaut "NOVA ROCKET" Mint On Card from 1970 (?) Vs. "Apollo Moon Exploring" Set #304D

Click here to open video in a new window.

Got one!!! And it was fresh out of the box enough for me to not realize until filming that its blister card lacks the inner "framing" method. So we took a quick look from Commodore Vreed's Triang Spacex / Golden Astronaut website for reference. For that matter,

Click here for the Sx/GA website reference page on the GA Nova Rocket's design.

And

Click here for the site's reference page on the packaging including the inner frame. 

And

Click here for the site's reference page for the Spacex versions of the Nova Rocket.

And what the heck,

Click here for the site's reference page for the Apollo Moon Exploring set #304D

Focus of this post is this marvelous Nova Rocket from the "Interplanetary Patrol" segment of the Triang / Golden Astronaut range of space goodies manufactured by Multiple Toymakers in Hong Kong, with GA figure by LP Toys. Imported by Miner Industries of NY NY. And if I understand the Sx/GA site's info correctly the un-framed card design suggests a later run of the cards from 1970, perhaps in conjunction with the debut of the "Stage Two" Golden Astronaut vehicle range.

Click here for the site's page on the origin of the vehicle design.

Sweet.

QUICK! What font is that??? Dunno either.

Golden Astronaut = GA = Gerry Anderson, or that's my take on it. The whole toy range derived from marketing strategies used to promote Anderson's "Project Sword" universe of toys, comic book / graphic novels, and newspaper cartoons. So the Brains behind the Triang Spacex toy designs worked in a subtle little homage & likely by happy coincidence, as the astronauts to be included were to be chromed and then made to look Golden. Can just see the meeting where the idea came up.

Just to be sure. The GA included with the sets varied from card to card, and if I understand correctly all of the toy range's astronaut figures were fabricated by LP Toys on contract from Triang. Plus those of the Apollo Moon Exploring series, likely others emulating the Sx/GA toys as well.

Click here for the Spacex / Golden Astronaut site's page relating the tangled web that is the legacy of LP Toy's very distinctive original (or, not) looking spaceman figures, both gilded and not.

Marked "Made In Hong Kong" with the distinctive LP Toys logo.

Heh ... Whoa! wish I'd gotten the middle section too for a big composite. Pix were intended as a clear look at the text on the card face.

NEVER used as a sponge. This was a solid score! And my second carded GA vehicle set, the other being a battered but still complete "Launch Site" three vehicle set with the inner card frame yammered on about above.

AWW MAN ... I want a Golden Astronaut Club pin. And T-shirt. Or hat?? That'd be cool.

Ruler to demonstrate how teensy these things are. The AME 304D will be opened at some point, debating various methods including the acetone trick mentioned in the video. Would be an excellent example to experiment on as it was used as either a sponge or car shammy cloth at some point during its 50 years of existence. A nearly identical sealed unit hangs on the ogle wall and will remain that way.

YEAH BABY. There's an avatar to use. Will bust out the scanner for a hirez. Maybe have my man Charlie Sam print a dozen XXL t-shirts as both positives on off-white and negatives on black. I'd wear em. Hand a few out. No infringement!! Dang.