Welcome to my new Wix Website on MatchCover Collecting.
My name is Neil Abbott (match1970) from Canberra ACT
A Great Story from the ABC here in Canberra...Just click here on the link below......
Australia's biggest match collector on his eternal search for his perfect match
Me on ABC TV back in 2020......
You need to copy this web link below and paste it as a web address to see me on the ABC TV news.....
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17sVV3AFMY/
More info on Redheads
from the State Library Victoria:
Just copy the link below
blogs.slv.vic.gov.aedhead/
https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/our-stories/evolution-of-a-fiery-redhead/
Another cool article from Region here in Canberra By Sally Hopman
When it comes to collecting, few can match Canberra's Neil Abbott on15 January 2022
Just copy the link and paste it as a web address below....
https://region.com.au/when-it-comes-to-collecting-few-can-match-canberras-neil-abbott/525808/
Nice looking Photo's that I made up using AI
A new Article from 3rd September 2026 Issue
from CBR City News here in Canberra
Old Article from the
Beer & Brewer Magazine
My Redheads Match Bedroom
Next is a Fantastic Article from
Antiques to Vintage Magazine
Spring Issue 2024 (3 pages)
About My Site
Here are some of my favourite Categories...
Hogs Breath Cafe Plus a New Poster
Hard Rock Cafe & Planet Hollywood
Playing Cards that are Match Related
Casino's from here around the World
Radio Stations
Marilyn Monroe
Dunk Island Combo
Match Ink Stamps
Redheads Beanie with some Match Pins and Caps
Big Things Combo
Canberra Local Shops
My Favourite Sporting Teams
Ford Mustangs & Harley Davidson
Alcoholic Apple Cider
1970's Movies & Music
Fishermen's Grotto & Smokey Bear
More to come soon
So join me on my adventures!
My Hogs Breath Cafe Collection
I like collecting these because they feature the HBC name on the bottom of each matchbook.
Plus a cool looking poster of Hogs Breath Cafe.
Some of my Hard Rock Cafe & Planet Hollowood Collection.
These feature the names of the diffent locations printed ron them,
making both of them a fantastic collection to collect.
Match Playing Cards
Some of my match playing cards, which can be very collectable if they're original. I collect these because they look cool and easy to keep in card albums.
Casino Collection
I have a very large collection because casinos were everywhere-and, of course, they were free!
My Radio and Combo Collection
Born and Bred here in Canberra, I always loved listening to my favourite radio station, 2CA and its been great putting them together as a favourite catergory of mine.
Collecting these vintage matchbooks featuring various radio stations makes for a fantastic collection, as you see here.
Marlyn Monroe (Combo) Collection
Since I have some photos of Marlyn all around my house, her matchboxes and matchbooks naturally became one of my favourite catergories of mine as you can see here.
This is my Dunk Island Combo.
I love the Ulysses Butterfly, which is why I put together this combo
collection. For the record Dunk Island was the first offical promotional matchbook made by the Hanna Match Group factory in North Richmond NSW.
My Match Ink Stamps
I have two stamps here....
Redheads Caps & Beanies with Match Pins
Here are some Redheads caps alongside a few cool looking match pins from my collection.
My Big Things (combo) Collection.
Here I have two complete sets of Redheads "Big things"-a total of 16 different designs from around Australia
Plus my personal Combo collection of my Big Things.
Another favourite category is collecting matchboxes and matchbooks from here in Canberra because this is where it all started way back in 1969
Here are some more catergories with my favourite
Sporting Teams, Ford Mustangs, Harley Davidson, Apple Cider, Movie's from the 70's, Plus Music from the 70's and Artists who played here at the Canberra Theatre Matchbook Collection
My Match Club is the (AMCCS)....
Australian Match Cover Collectors’ Society.
This is the primary national body. They handle the big "Postal Auctions" which are perfect for someone in Canberra like me to bid on rare items from across the country.
Website Address is: amccs.org.auMembership:
They have a dedicated "Membership" section on their site.
Being a member gets you their quarterly magazine, which lists private sales and local swap meets that aren't advertised to the general public.Key Contact: David Figg is a primary organizer for the national events (often based in Adelaide, but manages the national newsletter).
British Matchbox Label & Bookmatch Society UK (BML&BS) I'm also a member.
As an International Membership Society our members are interested in matchboxes, matchbox labels, bookmatch covers and all types of match related items from around the globe and always looking for new members and the details are here on their website: https://www.phillumeny.com/
Rathkamp Matchcover Society (RMS) USA
I'm also a member.
Welcomes you to Matchcover collecting, a worldwide hobby with collectors and collecting clubs or societies in almost every country in the world. Collectors share a common bond - their love of matchcovers and matchboxes.
This website provides information on the hobby as well as the benefits of membership in the RMS club and they also have a list of other clubs so join up...more details are on their website below.
The CASINO CLUB in the USA.
I like to collect Casino matchbooks and covers so I'm a member of this club as well and here are the details if you would like to join their club.
A specialty club focusing on Casino matchcovers and boxes. Meetings are held annually at the AMCAL and RMS Conventions.
Dues: $14 ($5 email only; $19 foreign). There are 6 bulletins per year.
Contact: Richard Giardini, 4416 W 6th St., Greeley, CO 80634-1332; USA
The Casino Membership application is here.
John Walker Inventor of the
Friction Match 200 Years Ago.
Checkout my my QR Code
Thanks for visiting Cheers
Last updated October 2026