Drinks Coasters and Beer Mats (part 2)

 Here's an assortment of coasters and beer mats collected over the years. 

some date back to the 1970s or possibly early 1980s, such as the Watney's Pale Ale beer mat, the Tuborg beer mats, and the Embassy cigarettes coaster. 

I got the Mayr Bier beer mats whilst on a high school skiing trip to Austria in the late 1980s. It was really bizarre - one evening the whole class traipsed through the snow in to town, accompanied by the teachers, and we went to a nightclub. Turns out it was a special evening for youngsters, so no sneaky alcoholic beverages for us, but I collected a handful of beer coasters as a memento.

The majority of these mats/coasters I picked up in the 90s, possibly a few in the 2000s. The Humpty Dumpy Brewery beer mat was a bit later - probably 2010s. 

A few of them feature on another post here. 

If I had to chose a favourite it would be between the Watney's Pale Ale, Coniston Brewing Co. (Bluebird Bitter) and the the Odeon cinema beer mat, but from a sentimental angle any of the mats my Dad got me in the 1970s, and the Mayr Bier mats do bring back a fond memory of how they were acquired. i.e. I can't choose just one!

UPDATE: Here's a couple more I found knocking around the house. I knew I had the Uncle Stuart's Brewery one somewhere! Uncle Stuart's was a brewery that operated in Norfolk from 2002 to 2015. 

Football 78 Sticker Album

Not much to say about this really other than it's a complete football sticker album that's over 40 years old. It's the only complete football sticker album I own. 

Wrist Racer Stunt Cars

Spoiler Alert. I don't actually have the stunt car. At least, I haven't found it amongst my boxes of old toys yet. But I do still have the Wrist Racer wrist strap, so here's a couple of pictures for you.

These toys were made by a defunct American company called Knickerbocker Toys.

I found this advert on Youtube.

I totally forgot the ramp comes out. When I get a moment I'll take a picture with the ramp out.😊

The Donkey And The Carrot board-game

This was one of my favourite board-games, and I have recently played it with my own kids who enjoyed it too.

The aim of the game was to get your little donkey to the stable by rolling a dice (with straights, curves or carrots) to build a path or to move the donkey along the path.

There are some available on ebay, but I'm keeping mine for now because, well, it's kind of like a family heirloom or summat. Ok, I like it and I can win at it too!



 

Have you met Spikey? (Mistar PIGOG)

Ydych chi wedi cwrdd â Mistar PIGOG? 

No, I haven't got crumbs stuck in my keyboard again. That is the welsh language and it's from a pamphlet from the 70s/80s a distant time before this dying language was part of education in Welsh schools.

It looks like we paid 3p for this pamphlet (made by the Brecon Beacons National Park Committee and written by Meg Stevens). I guess as souvenirs go it was a bit different, and the money goes to a good cause. 

I cared for Mistar Pigog by the end of the story, litter-collecting Hedgehog with a lust for life. To this day I'm not sure why PIGOG is in capitals on the cover, though SPIKEY is too, so I guess there's a connection.

I haven't photographed the story pages as I don't want to spoil the ending for you!
Fact: This pamphlet was first published in 1978 and continued to be available until 1993. I got my copy in the mid 1980s.

Battlestar Galactica books

As a kid I didn't actually have any Battlestar Gallactica toys or other stuff. At least, I don't think I did. I don't remember seeing any in the shops, but that's not to say there wasn't any. Let's face it; When you're up against Star Wars, there is only going to be one "space war" winner. 

Actually, I did have one Battlestar Gallactica annual - I used to get loads of these (including Star Wars, Star Trek, The Beano and its contemporaries...) for Christmas as they were great presents for Aunts and Uncles to buy. 

Still, I enjoyed the TV series. Yes, it helped having Face from the A-Team playing Starbuck being all funny and cool, especially as they kid with the robot teddy-dog (Muffett the Daggitt) was a bit annoying. Seriously, what kind of name is Boxey anyway? Starbuck sounded much cooler, although nowadays just sounds like product placement. 

Anyways, I digress. Many moons ago I started collecting books from second hand stores of all things sci-fi. To be honest, this hobby didn't last too long but during that time I picked up a BSG novel and another annual. So, here you go. My 3 Battlestar Gallactica books starting with the annual I got as a kid. 

Oh, I do also own the entire 1970s TV series on DVD too. FYI I enjoyed the first series of the revamp too, though they messed with the formula too much.

AudiSee tape books

AudiSee were the Audible of the day. Audio books were somewhat a novelty in the 1970s, which is probably why I only had a couple of them; Voyage to the Centre of the Earth and The War of the Worlds. I think I was bought these to encourage me to read more!

I'm not sure if I've got the tapes - /I have a box full of old mix-tapes so when I get round to digging through them I'll keep an eye out for these items.

I'm not sure what else I can say about these really, other than the titles were well-known

Evel Knievel Super Jet Cycle - What A Cool 70s Toy

This Evel Knievel Super Jet Cycle (not to be confused with the stunt cycle or any other Evel Knievel toy bike) was one of the coolest toys ever!  Plonk Evel on his bike, attach the bike to the red ramp, crank the handle and let it zoom off across the floor!

Me and my brother both had one each and I think we've both still got them (well, I've got mine). Apart from a bit of fading and general wear and tear it's still in decent knick too.Most importantly, it still works so whenever I fancy unleashing the daredevil in me I'll just set up Evel Knievel and launch him on his bike, hurtling across the canyon (well, the floor), hoping he stays upright.

Want to be a daredevil like Evel Knievel? Here's everything you need to get started. 😊

Bendy Dinosaur

Here's another shelf-dweller for you, a bendy dinosaur. Let's call this one, ahem, a "cereal killer" because he came free with Kelloggs cereals in the late 1970s . Well, not free. You had to send away to collect them. Thanks again Internet for filling in the memory gap!

I think it's supposed to be a Bronotsaurus, but there's a fair degree of licence with the body shape and look of this particular beasty! By the title of this article you've probably gathered it can bend; Head, neck, legs, body, tail - all movable, so it is a little a little bit like a stop motion wire armature.

Quite cool, and this bendy dinosaur is still in decent condition too.

Shinpads

Seriously, the stuff I kept from my childhood amazes me. Perhaps I was keeping these shinpads from my youth for my kids, posssibly because they weren't in too bad a condition and maybe I would use them again, or perhaps..... no, I dunno.

They were probably kept for the same reason why I kept all my own football kits too; Posterity. Sure, I enjoy on occasion going through a hag of old kits and thinking "kits were better in my days" and "I wish new kits were still released only every 3 or 4 seasons."

Anyway, here's my first pair of shinpads from the late 1970s, early 1980s. Sadly I don't seem to have kept my next pair of childhood shinpads - Sondico ankle protecting shinpads endorsed by Bryan "Robbo" Robson.

   

Castles and Forts - An Instant Picture Book

Remember these? A picture book with a transfer sheet to create your own battle scenes by Patterson Blick.

Clearly I created some kick-ass historical battles as Henry II's knights lay siege in Normandy and defended their fortified base in Malta.

I'm particularly proud of the levitating knight over Chateau Gaillard, and the art of bow-warfare whilst falling. 😏

Hankies

Here's a few hankies that my mum probably shoved in my pocket when as infant school. They may have been used, though it's unlikely. Afterall, all boys know that's what your school jumper sleeve is for!

Why did I kept them? No idea. I found them amongst a bag of my old football kit.

A couple of them have the PG Tips chimpanzees on them, so they must've been collected by drinking lots of tea.

Subtle Plug

No, there wasn't a weird toy from the 1980s called a "subtle plug". I just figured that whilst this blog covered some random stuff from my childhood I should also point you in the direction of something that was central to my upbringing. Also, the photo was a bit of a clue.

So, here's a link to my Original Star Wars blog, with pictures of some of my Star Wars stuff. One of these days I'll sell fit on, but I wanted to capture it for posterity.

Drinks Coasters and Beer Mats (part 1)

I'm not 100% sure when and where I got this pair of drinks coasters. It might've been at the Norfolk Show at some time in the early 1980s. It also might have been. My dad would often pick these things up somewhere and give them to me.

In fact I've got a tub of drinks coasters, so here's a few more to delight/bore you.

The first one is a slate coaster from Wales, with a nice red dragon and the word Cymru (Wales). I got this whilst on a family holiday in Wales in the late 1980s.

To give the next one the correct terminology, it's a beer mat. Most of my "coasters" are actually beer mats. This is definitely I didn't personally obtain as it was way before I was legally allowed in the pub!  Given the loud tie and chunky sideburns I think it dates back to the 1970s.

The final one is from the Chatterley Whitfield Experience. Chatterley Whitfield Colliery is a disused coal mine on the outskirts of Chell, Staffordshire in Stoke on Trent and I think this coaster/mat was picked up on a school trip, though it might've been on a family visit. I'm not sure.

The mine closed in 1977 and reopened in 1979 as a museum. In 1986 the Chatterley Whitfield Experience opened, a purpose built mining experience (apparently it had become unsage for visitors to visit the old underground workings of Chatterley Whitfield.). Sadly Chatterley Whitfield Museum closed in 1993, however, the site has been scheduled as an Ancient Monument by English Heritage and can now be visited on Heritage Open Days. If you want to find out more check out Chatterley Whitfield Friends

I may post a few more of the beer mat/coaster collection another time.

Football History Map of England and Wales

This cost one whole pound when purchased in the late 1970s - the sticker is still on, whowing I bought it at Warwick Castle of all places. I have to say it is one of my favourite things ever.

Bartholomew's Historical Football Map of England and Wales showed the founding info of the 161 teams that had been in the Football League (at the time of publishing), and the location of all 92 league teams marked on the map by their kit.

Me and my brother both had one and they adorned our bedrooms wall for many years. It was the first thing I would put up in my room every time we moved house (quite a few times). The blue tack is still on the back - maybe I was worried about removing it or perhaps I had plans to put it back up. Who knows.

Tape Cassette labels

For some reason I have kept a few tape cassette labels. I can't remember the last time I played a tape never mind actually recording with a tape. But I've kept them,and I can't imagine me ever throwing them away either.

FYI, there may also be some Hi8 video tables in there too.

A solitary Weeble

Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!

Weebles. Little round wobbly characters. The ones I had date back to the 1970s. I recall having quite a few of them with the odd vehicle too. I fondly remember having a playground set with roundabout, slide, swings and see-saw. None of that stuff survived the various car-boot sales and clear-outs of the late 1980s at my family home.

I suspect other "Weeble people" ended up with my kids modern day Weebles collection.

This one is on a shelf in my office (there's a lot of old stuff in my office, me included.)

There's even a Paw Patrol version of Weebles nowadays!

Elephant

Any Thoughts On This Blue Toy Elephant?

My guess is this little fella dates back to the mid-1970s. He sits on a shelf in my office and I don't really know what he came from (was he in a set of rubbery toys?). All I know is he was made in Hong Kong and he's been with me for a very long time.

It's possible he's from a set. I say this because I can't imagine he's the sort of toy bought individually. Of course, I could be wrong. As to a value, I have not got the foggiest. There's a collectors market for everything, including elephant fans. Similar items fetch between £10-40 on the vintage circuit on Etsy. Somewhere in there is a reasonable starting point, but I think we'd need to know more. There's certainly sentimental value for me.