(written from a Production point of view)
Corgi Toys is a British company that has produced die-cast vehicle models since 1956 under the Corgi and Corgi Jr. brands, among other trademarks.
Following its acquisition by Mattel in 1989, the company regained its independence as Corgi Classics Limited in 1995 and headquartered itself in Leicester, England. Since 2008, the brands have been owned by Hornby, a renowned English model train manufacturer.
Star Trek releases[]
Corgi Books, a subsidiary of the company, published Star Trek novels in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Corgi re-associated itself with the Star Trek franchise prior to the release of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan when it licensed and retailed two entirely new die-cast starship miniatures, similar to Dinky Toys' earlier three-inch releases.
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| Packaging for the 2006 starship releases | ||
In 2005, the company obtained licensing to release die-cast models based on starships seen in various Star Trek episodes and movies. Five to eight-inch long die-cast models of the USS Enterprise, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, and the USS Enterprise-D debuted at retail in February 2006.
Later in the year, the company released unpainted versions of each ship in its "40th Anniversary Limited Edition" line. Each came with a numbered certificate, four AAA batteries, and an electronically-adjustable LED-illuminated stand.
Resin and metal prototypes
Replicas of the USS Defiant, the USS Voyager, and a D'deridex-class Romulan warbird were scheduled for release in September 2007 but did not reach production. [1] The USS Enterprise-E was also tentatively scheduled for a future release but prototypes were not shown to the public and the model was not mass produced.
Corgi obtained a multi-year license to produce collectibles based on props and ships from 2009's Star Trek film in January 2008, though it appeared that most releases were intended to be released under the Master Replicas brand, [2] a company that Corgi had acquired on 4 October 2006, which was euphemistically presented as a "merger" at the various 2006 November/December shareholder meetings. [3] Master Replicas' prospective involvement was widely lauded by collectors, as the company's earlier high quality prop replicas from the Star Wars franchise and its groundbreaking "studio scale" three-foot model of the USS Enterprise (TOS) had been enthusiastically received.
Master Replicas' and Corgi's association with Star Trek ended abruptly in September 2009 when CBS Consumer Products announced that licensing to produce replica ships and props had been awarded to eFX Collectibles (who immediately reissued an upgraded version of the then very recent, below-listed TR-590 Mark IX Tricorder, as the "Star Trek: First Contact Mark IX Science Recorder" which came with a certificate autographed by Brent Spiner) and QMx. [4]
Yet, on 5 April 2023, the news broke that Corgi had acquired a new Star Trek license, which was followed by the news on 2 September that the first two items expected for a winter 2023/2024 release under the new license would be two 20 cm die-cast models of the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-D. The license though, did not apply for the US and Canada, but was otherwise extended worldwide. [5][6][7]
Die-cast starships[]
| 1982-1984 releases | |||||
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| Item | Item No. | Issue | Scale | Notes | |
| USS Enterprise (refit) | 148 | 1982 | n/a | early card variant with "The Vengeance of Khan" imprint |  
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| n/a | 1984 | re-issue of 148 | 
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| Klingon Warship | 149 | 1982 | n/a | early card variant with "The Vengeance of Khan" imprint |  
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| n/a | 1984 | re-issue of 149 | 
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| USS Enterprise (refit) and Klingon Warship Doublepack | 2542 | 1982 | n/a | 
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| Crimefighters Gift Set | 3116 | 1984 | n/a | two versions include 148 USS Enterprise (refit) | 
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| 2006 Releases | |||||
| USS Enterprise NCC-1701 | CC96601 | 2006 | 1:1430 | 
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| CC96607 | numbered 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (7,510 pieces) on illuminated display stand | 
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| Klingon Bird-of-Prey | CC96602 | 1:1000 | 
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| CC96608 | numbered 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (7,510 pieces) on illuminated display stand | 
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| USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D | CC96603 | 1:3160 | 
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| CC96609 | numbered 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (7,510 pieces) on illuminated display stand | 
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| Canceled releases | |||||
| USS Defiant | D6333 | 2007 | n/a | 
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| USS Voyager | D6334 | 
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| Romulan Warbird | D6335 | 
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| 2008 Releases under Master Replicas brand | |||||
| Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Assault Phaser | ST78002 | 2008 | 1:1 | Limited edition (2000 pc); with removable clip and type 1 phaser, as well as realistic lights and sounds digitally recorded directly from the film. | 
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| Tricorder TR-590 Mark IX | ST78003 | Limited edition (2000 pc); authentic light and sound effects taken from the original sound files | 
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| Releases under new 2023 license | |||||
| USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (The Original Series) | CC96610 | 1:1430 | Essentially reissues of the 2006 CC96601 and CC96603 releases, but with revised detailing | 
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| USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D (The Next Generation) | CC96611 | 1:3160 | 
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See also[]
External links[]
- Corgi.co.uk – official homepage
- Corgi-USA.com – official US web site
- Corgi Classics Limited at Wikipedia
- Corgi International Limited at Wikipedia