This motor car was a classic top of the range Jaguar of its time. Corgi released their model one year after the 1961 release of the real car. I wonder if Corgi had planned to release this model in so many colours! I cannot think of another Corgi car with so many colour variations.

The Great book of Corgi quotes that 1,121,000 models were produced. In this book two colour shades are shown; the common Sky Blue with red interior and the common Cerise but with a rare red interior, which I have never seen.

Description

The Jaguar MK10 was produced with either a solid or metallic paint finish. Its moulded interior was either a red (which was often used) or lemon. It had silver shaped spun wheels with black grip tyres, a silver steering wheel and four jewelled headlamps. With all round suspension, the front, when pressed down, would lift the bonnet slightly to allow a grip to raise it by hand and the opening boot revealed a large and small suitcase. The large could be opened. The base of the model was always in silver.

The box remained, I believe, the same printing throughout its life and within would be a membership slip to join the Corgi club.

Colour Identification

The various colour descriptions can be contentious, however through my research I have listed my own models and those I have additionally identified in order to produce the following list, which does not match that of the Ramsey Price Guide.

The first list below shows the colour range I have observed and a price guide to a mint and mint boxed version. Because some colours are scarce I may have estimated some values, as no mint example could be found listed and sold from the two sources I have used for my research. These were a main auction house and another direct sales website similar to my own. There are up to 15 years of past recorded sales from these two sources.

Because there are many different metallic blues I have listed first the darker shade, moving to the lightest. It may well be that there are further clear variations of blue shades, but judging off picture scans alone is dangerous and I have played the safer route of those I have clearly identified. The area that causes the most difficulty is the mid metallic blue range excluding the dark and steel blue. It helps to look first at the models with yellow interior, then study what is left with red and this is where the main identification problem lies.

  • Sky Blue body with red interior                                                  £180-£230
  • Turquoise (non metallic) with red interior                                  £240-£300
  • Metallic Cerise body with yellow interior                                   £150-£200
  • Metallic Cerise body with red interior                                          NGPA
  • Metallic Emerald Green with red interior                                   £220-£260
  • Metallic Dark Blue with red interior                                            £240-£280
  • Metallic Peacock Blue with red interior                                      £340-£380
  • Metallic Deep Blue (lighter than above) and lemon interior       £250-£300
  • Metallic Kingfisher Green with lemon interior                            £350-£400
  • Metallic Steel Blue with red interior                                            £150-£225
  • Metallic Silver with red interior                                                   £250-£320

NGPA means no guide price available.

Sales History and prices realised

The second list shows the amount of sales not influenced by condition, but all condition models sold. This is to identify what is truly common and scarce as a colour variation which should justify any price variations, but this is not always the case.

The total models sold used in this survey is 217. The sales are made up of the following colour variations:

  • Sky Blue body (non metallic) with red interior                          57 = 26%
  • Turquoise (non metallic) with red interior                                 10 = 4.5%
  • Metallic Cerise body with yellow interior                                  48 = 22%
  • Metallic Cerise body with red interior                                         0 = 0%
  • Metallic Emerald Green with red interior                                  18 = 8.3%
  • Metallic Dark Blue with red interior                                           22 = 10%
  • Metallic Peacock Blue (lighter than above) and red interior       9 = 4%
  • Metallic Deep Blue (lighter than above) and lemon interior        6 = 2.8%
  • Metallic Kingfisher Green with lemon interior                             6 = 2.8%
  • Metallic Steel Blue with red interior                                          24 = 11.6%
  • Metallic Silver with red interior                                                  17 = 7.8%

Summary

Though this is generally an easy model to describe, identifying the colour shades and naming the colours in a way everyone can identify with, is not an easy task.

The Cerise and Silver Blue models can produce a number of various shades, but I am not sure these are intentional and I have retained them each as one colour.

The Kingfisher Blue is more like a green than blue, so I have named it Kingfisher Green.

The Cerise with red interior was probably a colour trial within the Marcel van Cleemputs collection and therefore possibly unique.

The price guides at the top estimate are actual prices realised for mint models and boxes, not me dreaming! Prices will fall dramatically by around 50-75% for generally nice model condition with minor play wear, so please do not expect, or think, your own models are that value when looking to sell. Auction fees and traders selling fees will reduce this and rarely will a model reach a previous peak price attained.

Hopefully this article has brought a fresh approach and update to its availability as a colour variation and given a fair price at the top end of quality.

If any reader can add substance to this article I would be very pleased to hear from you. If there are colours not named, please let me know your own findings, supported by some pictures.