615 Basic Set
General Information
The following information has been collected from original newspapers, catalogs, and magazines, some of which are freely available for reference below. The rest can be found in the site’s gallery. No aggregate catalogs (BrickLink, Brickset, etc.) were used.
Advertised Part Count(s): 615 pieces
First Year Confirmed Available: 1965 (USA)
I’ve written an extensive article about the 1965 wave in particular.
1966 (Canada)
The 003, 450, and 615 are the only US 1965 sets to have released in Canada in 1966.
1966 Eaton's Christmas Catalog
Most Likely Retirement Date:
1968 (USA)
Final appearance in a 1968 idea book/USA newspapers
1972 (Canada)
Regular appearances continue in Canada each year into 1971:
1971 Eaton's Christmas Catalog
And there is no evidence of a production beyond 1972.
Last Year Seen Available:
1968 (USA)
Honolulu Star Bulletin, November 27th, 1968
1971 (Canada)
1971 Eaton's Christmas Catalog
Aliases: No. 615 Basic Set, Combination Modular Set, Super Lego Set, 615 Piece Set
Retail Price(s): $14.95 (USA) / $17.95 (Canada)
Discounted Example(s): $8.88 (1968)
Rarity Score (Index): 4/7
Known Box/Packing Variants
As the 615 Basic Set was retired early in the USA, it does not have as many variants as other 1965 basic sets.
The original 1965 version will have a drawer/sleeve style box, two patents, and "AGES - 3 TO 8":
Then in ~1967-68 it had a drawer/sleeve style box, two patents, and "FOR ALL AGES":
There is at least one Canadian variant, there may be more.
If anyone has better images or images of any other variants of this set in particular, please submit them.
The 615 is unlikely to have a mailer box variant.
Box/Overview
For me, the 615 Basic Set is the most interesting basic set from the 1965 wave (regular set, as we're obviously not counting the promotional 93-Piece Set). Not only was it the largest basic set of the wave (not the largest 1965 set, the 004 Master Builder takes that title), but its also one of the few sets cut from the original wave.
It's unknown why exactly the 615 was cut from the US line but continued production in Canada. It's likely that sets like the 004 Master Builder and the 450 Basic Set were outperforming and thus competing with the 615 set. It's not just a guess, as the 004 was not available in Canada until much later, which supports the theory. There's also the possibility that because several sets released in the US in 1968, the 615 was decidedly retired (as it was just a basic set), though that's completely conjecture.
Shown below is the 1967 version featuring "FOR ALL AGES":
I made sure to grab images of the sides, as these are incredibly important for a point I will make below:
Contents
The set, much like other 1965 basic sets, contains two drawers of typical basic elements. There should be no surprises, but I have no high quality images of the inside currently.
Historical Examples
While the 615 set doesn't have much to mention in this regard, it is what happened in the US after the retirement of the 615 that is important to note.
For one, the unique bridge, castle, and house models shown on the back of the 615 reappear in the Three Worlds exclusive E-054:
As that is very close in piece count, along with it releasing the same year the 615 retired(1968), it is likely that the E-054 is a 615. The issue is, why is it eight pieces short?
One thought is that the 615 piece count counts trays. Each drawer contains 6 trays, so because the 615 has two trays, 615-12=603. The Three Worlds set contains four trays: 603+4=607. I don't really support this thought, as surely the baseplate counts towards the piece count, but its worth noting.
Another option is that the E-054 set excluded/substituted some elements so that it'd fit in the case.
Hard to say, but either way, interesting note.
Another note is another, but more blatant, reuse of the 615. The 630 Diplomat Set released in 1970, and its box was directly built from the 615's. The decision makes sense in context of why the set existed, you can read more about it on the 630's dedicated article.
This is the back of the 630 Diplomat Set:
Then the back of a (Canadian) 615 Basic Set:
But then see if you can find any differences between the sides of these sets. This is the 630 Diplomat Set:
And this is the 615:
I've not owned the 615 Basic Set before, so to find this set had a rich life after retirement was very interesting.