Cheapies

Aussie Match Company skillet and packet, 1987

These matches started to appear in Australia in the late 1970s, undercutting the locally made Redheads matches in price but not quality, and were given the name “Cheapies“. There was also a similar range of labels and skillets issued in New Zealand. Manufactured overseas, some brands were subject to complaints and the odd recall was implemented. They were sold by smaller supermarket chains, tobacconists and discount variety stores. Not all were sold in all the states of Australia with them being mainly for sale in the Eastern states like New South Wales and Victoria.

They were issued as a single label or skillet and in sets featuring Coats of Arms of Australian cities, flowers, Australian animals, Americas Cup, cars and pictures of world cities. Some series were on sale for a longer period than others. Indonesia was a country of manufacture for most with Korea, China, Sweden and France adding to the mix.

Here are the pages from my album showing some Cheapies, click on an image below to enlarge it.