How to Tell If Your Hot Wheels Are Worth Money

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Look for these toy cars in your collection that could be worth a fortune
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Did you just find your old Hot Wheels from your childhood? They were so much fun racing around the track when you were a kid, and now some of those classic cars might sell to collectors for big bucks. Hot Wheels that are from specific series or have unique features are more valuable than the others, and we’ll make sure you know how to recognize them right away. After you finish reading and go through your collection, you’ll be able to spot the Hot Wheels that can make you some cash.

Things You Should Know

  • Check for any classic Hot Wheels cars with “redlines,” or red stripes on the tires, made from 1968–1977 that are worth up to $200 USD.
  • Look for the “Sweet 16” cars from the first production run, like the Custom Camaro or Custom Volkswagen without a sunroof, that are worth up to $200 USD.
  • Look for Treasure Hunt cars worth up to $200 USD that have a decal of a flame inside a circle or the letters “TH” since they’re rarer than other cars that look similar.
  • Check your collection for a 1969 Pink Rear-Loader Beach Bomb ($175,000 USD), 1969 Brown Custom Charger ($13,000 USD), or Purple Olds 442 ($5,000 USD).
Section 1 of 5:

What Hot Wheels series are worth the most money?

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  1. Redline cars have red stripes on the sides of each wheel and were the standard look for the first 10 years Hot Wheels were produced. They also have “Spectraflame” paint, which has a sparkly appearance like glitter. Since these cars are classics from 1968–1977, they tend to be worth more than more recent models. [1]
    • More common redline cars, like the King 'Kuda or Chevy Nomad, sell for around $15–20 USD while rarer models, like the Bye Focal or Six Shooter, are valued around $200 USD.
    • Some vintage re-releases of Hot Wheels also have red stripes on the tires. Original redline cars were only manufactured in the United States and Hong Kong. If the “Country of Origin” label on the bottom of the car says any other location, then it’s not authentic.
  2. Also known as the “Original Sixteen,” these cars were the first 16 models that came out when Hot Wheels launched in 1968. Since they were the first Hot Wheels that were ever released, collectors will usually spend anywhere from $50–200 USD to get their hands on one in good condition. The Sweet Sixteen cars are: [2]
    • Beatnik Bandit
    • Custom Barracuda
    • Custom Camaro
    • Custom Corvette
    • Custom Cougar
    • Custom Eldorado
    • Custom Firebird
    • Custom Fleetside
    • Custom Mustang
    • Custom T-Bird
    • Custom Volkswagen
    • Deora
    • Ford J-Car
    • Hot Heap
    • Python
    • Silhouette
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  3. Treasure Hunt cars were rare variants that started being released in 1995. Since these cars were randomly mixed in with common ones on the shelves, they were tougher to find. Some Treasure Hunt cars are labeled “Treasure Hunt” directly on the packaging, either on the top or behind the car. If you don’t see it listed on the packaging, look on the car for a symbol that looks like a circle with a flame inside. That symbol means you have a rare collectible Treasure Hunt car. [3]
    • The symbol may be hidden on a logo or spoiler on the car, so carefully inspect the entire model.
    • Treasure Hunt Hot Wheels usually sell for around $15–30 USD.
  4. Super Treasure Hunt cars are even rarer since they have rubber tires and glittery Spectraflame paint. Look on the side of the car for a decal with the letters “TH” to ensure that it’s an authentic Super Treasure Hunt car. [4]
    • Super Treasure Hunt cars can sell for anywhere between $30–$200 USD.
    • If the car is still in the packaging, check behind the car for a gold circle with a flame inside to signify that it’s part of the Super Treasure Hunt series.
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Section 2 of 5:

Most Valuable Hot Wheels Cars

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  1. While other colors were made of Mattel’s first attempt to make a Volkswagen Bus, the pink variant wasn’t popular and didn’t sell well. The surfboards stick out the back window, but make the car top-heavy. There are only 2 known to exist in the world, but if you have one, it could sell for more than $175,000 USD. [5]
  2. While many Hot Wheels have a bright lime-green color, the Camaro with a chrome finish was only made for advertisements. Since there are only about 20 cars in the world that have a chrome finish, they can be worth up to $25,000 USD. [6]
  3. The Custom Charger was one of the most popular models between 1969–1971, but many people were put off by the brown variant. Since they didn’t sell well, Hot Wheels only made a limited run. For a brown Custom Charger in perfect condition, you could get around $13,000 USD. [7]
  4. The blue model of the AMX was only released in the United Kingdom when Mattel sponsored the racer Ed Shaver. The only differences between this model on the standard AMX are the Ed Shaver decals on the side panels, but an authentic car could bring home $10,000 USD. [8]
  5. Even though the model car is pretty common, the purple coloration was much rarer. In mint condition, you could get up to $5,000 USD for selling one.
  6. The Camaro was part of the original Hot Wheel Treasure Hunt series and it’s one of the most popular cars from the set. If you have one of these cars still in the packaging, then it could be worth anywhere from $1,500–3,000 USD. [9]
  7. While most of the Volkswagen Customs in the Sweet Sixteen have a sunroof, the variant without a sunroof was only available in Europe. While most of the models without a sunroof are blue, they may also be orange, red, green, or copper. These cars can easily sell for over $1,500 USD.
  8. The Datsun 510 Hot Wheels model was released in the early 2010s, but the rarest model came out in a 2011 Vintage Racing set. This white card with “46” printed on it, the number of the racer John Morton, can sell anywhere from $700–1,500 USD. [10]
  9. While all the Chevy Bel Air Gasser models go for a few dollars more than the original selling price, the bright pink “Candy Striper” variant only had about 4,000 copies made and can be worth more than $1,000 USD when you sell it. [11]
  10. The Mighty Maverick was based on a popular Ford vehicle, and the first production had the word “Mad” stamped onto the bottom base. When they found out another line of toys already had a car named “Mad Maverick,” Hot Wheels dropped the stamp on future runs. An original “Mad Maverick” could sell for between $100–200 USD. [12]
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Section 3 of 5:

What affects the value of Hot Wheels?

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  1. Collectors want their model cars in perfect condition, so Hot Wheels that have no damage or wear will sell the best. If your cars have dents, dings, or paint coming off, you can still sell them but not for as much money as you normally would. [13]
    • Hot Wheels sell better when they’re still in the packaging since they’ll stay in mint condition, but people will still buy them when they’re opened.
  2. While most Hot Wheels that are the same model look the same, they still produce smaller variant runs that have different colors, wheels, windows, and graphics. Since fewer Hot Wheels variants are produced, the ones that you can find have a higher value. [14]
    • Variant prices can vary depending on how many were made, so try searching on eBay for the specific model and color that you have to see what prices they’ve sold for.
  3. Errors happen when there’s a mistake in production, such as mismatched wheels, incorrect decal placement, or wrong packaging. Since it’s really rare for these errors to make it all the way through manufacturing, having a car with them in your collection makes it one-of-a-kind. [15]
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Section 4 of 5:

How do I check the value of my Hot Wheels?

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  1. Search for the model on eBay to find the sale prices. Type in the model, year, and color of the Hot Wheels car you’re selling into the eBay search bar. Sort the results by “Sold” so you see the transactions that have actually gone through. Scroll through the prices to find out the value and see how much people were willing to pay for the car. If your car is in a similar condition, then it will likely sell for around the same price. [16]
Section 5 of 5:

How do you sell Hot Wheels?

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  1. Take clear pictures of your Hot Wheels car from all angles to show the condition that it’s in. Create a listing on eBay and fill in all of the information, including the model, color, and series. Set the starting price at the value you’ve seen other similar models sell for and make the post public so buyers can find it. [17]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.motortrend.com/features/hot-wheels-history-toy-cars/
      2. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/hot-wheels-most-collectible-valuable
      3. ↑ https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/pocket-rockets-what-makes-hot-wheels-so-collectible
      4. ↑ https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Treasure_Hunt
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/b55pNh71LtY?t=75
      6. ↑ ​​ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g25616442/rarest-most-valuable-mattel-hot-wheels/
      7. ↑ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g25616442/rarest-most-valuable-mattel-hot-wheels/
      8. ↑ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g25616442/rarest-most-valuable-mattel-hot-wheels/
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/HlH1nFeiuXA?t=421
      1. ↑ https://www.motortrend.com/features/rare-hot-wheels-modern-collectors/
      2. ↑ https://www.motortrend.com/features/rare-hot-wheels-modern-collectors/
      3. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/hot-wheels-most-collectible-valuable
      4. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/hot-wheels-most-collectible-valuable
      5. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/hot-wheels-most-collectible-valuable
      6. ↑ https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/pocket-rockets-what-makes-hot-wheels-so-collectible
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/j4qmTvvYiIc?t=43
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/_UNui8lc8es?t=507

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