You've spoken to a rep at FontShop? Seems to me that they are more than likely still going to work. You should simply license the current version and make it work.

Neil,

There are a couple of paths you could take to get your issue resolved. I recomend you contact me directly at FontShop in San Francisco and I'll see if we can work something out for you. I realize you're in Australia, but I'll see what we can do. Our number is: 415-512-2093 or you can message me for my e-mail address.

- Jeff (FontShop SF)

Tiffany does this mean that ff meta directly translates into metaplus. I have 40 pages of artwork as part of a 64 page book and it is in the following:

metaplusbold-roman
metaplusbook-roman
metaplusmedium-italic
Raceregular

Jeff thank you for the offer but I need these up and running in a few days

Neil,

Call Jeff or send him a private message through his name here on typophile. I would think that as FontShop did updates to Meta over the years that they simply removed the "plus" from the name. I wish I could tell you that it did replace perfectly, but I am not equipped with the necessary typefaces.

Tiffany

I once did a concise explanation about the transition from
FF Meta to FF MetaPlus back to FF Meta. Give me a minute.

Disappeared with the missing archives.

Tiffany thank you and Yves as well.
It turns out that my printer has the Meta family, so no need to purchase it and problem solved.
Thanks too to David Robb and Veronica Hamer for responding to emails.