BAYKO Building Sets Price History - Decimal

This is a list of the prices of BAYKO building sets, as advertised over the product's lifetime. The primary source for the prices is 'MECCANO Magazine' adverts; though some come from 'Games & Toys', the trade magazine for the U.K. toy market; and more from assorted BAYKO Retail Fliers, etc. - I'll fill in the gaps as further information becomes available.
The prices here are shown in the decimal format, even though they were never actually sold as such. Decimal currency was not introduced until February, 1971, roughly 3½ years after BAYKO's death.
Alternatively if you prefer, a separate page shows the BAYKO set prices in the £/s/d format of the day.
A small detail that may be of interest. There have been three separate occasions in the life of BAYKO when there have been fundamental changes to the system : -
After the introduction of 'New Series' BAYKO in May, 1939.
New Bases, Corners, Roof, Window Sizes and Styles.
After the war in 1946.
New Set Structure, Roof and [later] New Ornamental Parts.
After the MECCANO takeover of BAYKO in September, 1959.
Complete Retooling for Polystyrene, New Styling and Colours.
Following the first and last of these events, the appropriate conversion sets, which allowed existing BAYKO set owners to continue to upgrade their old system sets, continued to be available for some time - marketing with a heart‽

Pre-War Standard Sets

Year
Month
Year
Month
Standard Sets
Conversion Sets
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
1A
2A
3A
4A
5A
1934
Undated Flier
37½p
50p
75p
£1.05
£1.50
               
1935
Second BAYKO manual
         
£2.10
17½p
27½p
32½p
52½p
 
1935
February
1937
December
37½p
50p
75p
£1.05
£1.50
£2.10
         
1938
Undated Flier
37½p
52½p
75p
£1.05
£1.50
£2.10
17½p
27½p
32½p
52½p
65p
1941
'New Series' Manual *            
27½p
39½p
48½p
76½p
92p
1941
'New Series' Parts Price Card *            
27½p
40p
49p
76½p
92p
* These prices include wartime Purchase Tax.

Pre-War Ornamental Addition Sets

Year
Month
Year
Month
Ornamental Addition Sets
A
B
C
1935
?
1938
?
12½p
25p
37½p

Pre-War Special Sets

Year
Month
Year
Month
Special Sets
Special Conversion Sets
20
21
22
23
20A*
21A*
22A*
1938
Undated Flier
25p
42½p
62½p
87½p
20p
20p
25p

* There is no evidence that these sets never mage it into the real world.


Pre-War 'New Series' Sets

Year
Month
Year
Month
Standard Sets
Conversion Sets
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
1C
2C
3C
4C
5C
1939
September
29½p
42½p
62½p
87½p
£1.25
£1.875
14½p
22½p
27½p
37½p
62½p
1940
HAMLEYS Catalogue
29½p
42½p
62½p
87½p
£1.25
£1.875
         
1940
'New Series' Manual
39p
50p
75p
£1.05
£1.50
£2.10
17½p
27½p
32½p
47½p
67½p
1941
'New Series Manual' *
46p
70½p
100½p
£1.44
£2.02
£2.93
24p
36½p
46p
64p
91½p
* These prices include wartime Purchase Tax.

A brief post-war 'New Series' BAYKO production period between 1945 and 1947 has been identified.
However, none of the limited amount of contemporary literature includes any set price information.
Who said the life of a BAYKO archivist was easy‽

Post-War Sets

Year
Month
Year
Month
Standard Sets
Conversion Sets
#0
#1
#2
#3
#4
0X
1X
2X
3X
1948
Undated Flier
78½p
£1.07
£1.79
£3.015
 
31½p
78½p
£1.225
 
1949
April
Dated Flier &
Dated Parts List
72p
£1.065
£1.72
£2.815
 
34p
65½p
£1.065
 
1949
May
1949
June
72p
£1.065
£1.72
£2.815
 
34p
65½p
£1.065
 
1949
July
1949
December
62½p
94p
£1.565
£2.50
 
31½p
62½p
94p
 
1949
October
Dated Parts List
69p
£1.03
£1.72
£2.75
 
34p
69p
£1.03
 
1950
January
1951
May
69p
£1.03
£1.72
£2.75
 
34p
69p
£1.03
 
1951
May
Dated Flier &
Dated Parts List
75p
£1.125
£1.875
£2.95
 
37½p
75p
£1.125
£3.00
1951
June
1951
July
75p
£1.125
£1.875
£2.95
 
37½p
75p
£1.125
 
1951
August
1952
January
75p
£1.125
£1.875
£2.95
 
37½p
75p
£1.125
£3.00
1951
December
Dated Parts List
75p
£1.125
£1.875
£2.95
£5.94
37½p
75p
£1.125
£3.00
1952
February
1952
December
75p
£1.125
£1.875
£2.95
£5.94
37½p
75p
£1.125
£3.00
1953
January
1953
May
75p
£1.125
£1.755
£2.905
£5.905
37½p
65½p
£1.125
£3.00
1953
June
1955
January
70p
£1.05
£1.65
£2.70
£5.225
35p
61½p
£1.05
£2.525
1955
February
1959
January
70p
£1.05
£1.575
£1.615
£4.965
35p
52½p
£1.05
£2.35
1959
February
   
75p
£1.125
£1.69
£2.80
£5.50
38p
59p
£1.165
£2.75
1959
March
1959
June
70p
£1.05
£1.575
£1.615
£4.965
35p
52½p
£1.05
£2.35
1959
April 8th
Dated Shop Card
72½p
£1.09
£1.64
2.74
£5.225
37½p
60p
£1.09
£2.525
1959
July
1960
May
72½p
£1.09
£1.64
2.74
£5.225
37½p
60p
£1.09
£2.525
1963
April
Dated order form
         
37½p
59½p
   
Year
Month
Year
Month
#0
#1
#2
#3
#4
0X
1X
2X
3X
Standard Sets
Conversion Sets
To put it mildly, the early months of 1959 are chaotic - the writing was clearly on the wall.
These date discrepancies probably reflect the lead time plus the distribution time
which would have been needed for the new BAYKO Fliers and Parts Price Lists.

MECCANO Era Sets

Year
Month
Year
Month
Standard Sets
Conversion Sets
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
11C
12C
13C
14C
1960
May
Dated News Letter
49½p
84½p
£1.175
£1.975
 
37½p
45p
92.5p
 
1960
September
1960
December
49½p
84½p
£1.175
£1.975
         
1961
January
1961
July
52½p
92½p
£1.30
£1.975
 
41½p
54p
92.5p
 
1961
September
Dated order form
53p
94½p
£1.315
£2.005
 
41½p
55p
94.5p
 
1961
October
   
53p
94½p
£1.315
£2.005
 
41½p
55p
94.5p
 
1962
April
1962
July
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
41½p
54p
92.5p
 
1962
August
1962
December
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
41½p
54p
92.5p
£1.70
1963
January
1964
February
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
       
1963
April
Dated order form
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
1963
August
Dated Flier
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
1964
January
Dated Price List
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
1965
January
Dated Price List
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
1965
September
Dated Hamleys Price List
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
1965
December
Dated Price List
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
1966
February
Dated order form
56½p
99p
£1.415
£2.225
£3.75
44p
61½p
99p
£1.725
   
Undated Sets Display Unit
57½p
99½p
£1.425
£2.25
£3.75
44p
62½p
99.5p
£1.75
1966
July
Dated Price List
57½p
£1.00
£1.44
£2.25
£3.80
44½p
62½p
£1.00
£1.765
1967
January
Dated Price List
59p
£1.025
£1.45
£2.29
£3.865
45p
64p
£1.025
£1.775
Year
Month
Year
Month
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
11C
12C
13C
14C
Standard Sets
Conversion Sets
The 1960s began the accelerating inflation trend we all enjoyed through most of the 1970s - and Mr MECCANO played his part!!!

 
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Latest update - March 15, 2023
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WEBMASTER - PETE BRADLEY.