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The very first line-up of Hot Wheels came to be known as “The original Sweet 16”. Known as the redline series (for the red pinstripe on the wheel’s sidewall) while the first Hot Wheels toy car offered was the Custom Camaro, which went on sale on May 18, 1968. But, the real stroke of brilliance that sealed Mattel’s fate in the market came with the introduction of the first Racing track set which was a separately sold accessory. The oval-shaped orange-colored track came with “superchargers” which were battery-powered rubberized spinning wheels, made to resemble petrol stations that would accelerate cars passing through it, giving rise to one of the most successful and longest-running lines of toys in the world.
Modern-day Hot Wheels is no longer just another brand that sells toys, over time it has morphed into a highly sought-after empire for serious collectors. Some rare and well-preserved examples can easily fetch five-figure sums or more. So let’s look at some of the most expensive Hot Wheels of all time.
“Fun Fact: Elliot Handler and his wife Ruth Marianna Handler created Hot Wheels and Barbie Doll respectively, two of the most famous and profitable range of toys in the world.”
1970 Mad Maverick Base
Estimated Value: $15,000
Prototypes can be rare, especially if it’s a rare Hot Wheels from the early days that never made it to production. The 1970 Hot Wheels prototypes with Mad Maverick engravings on the base were being created to challenge a competing brand.
Allegedly, only four cars got this base out of which two are in blue, one purple, and another unassembled and unpainted. Designed by Howard Rees, the car was based on the 1969 Ford Maverick but due to copyright issues, the name was changed, making the handful of early examples some of the rarest and most desirable Hot Wheels models. The rest of the cars from this line-up finally got renamed “Mighty Maverick” and stayed in production till 1977.
1968 Over Chrome Camaro
Estimated Value: $25,000
Hot Wheels were always big on commercials and promotions, which is what gave rise to this rare set of Hot Wheels. The Over Chrome Camaro hailed to the 1968 collection and is yet another product that owes its exclusivity to production issues at the time.
As the name suggests, the Over Chrome series stood out for its high gloss, chrome-like paint finish intended to make them stand out from other models, and the antifreeze 68 Camaros that got this treatment was intended to be prototypes used for commercials. As a result, only 20 units were produced, making them extremely rare and a highly sought-after example. The private collectors, who did eventually get their hands on one of these, are sitting on a fortune, as a well-preserved example can fetch up to $25,000 according to experts.
1968 Over Chrome Mustang
Estimated Value: $40,000
The 68 Over Chrome Mustang is a similar specimen to the aforementioned 68 Camaro, only rarer. This Mustang also started life as a prototype intended solely for making appearances in commercials. While the Mustang, in general, was a popular Hot Wheels product, only 16 examples were produced in 1968, the rarest of which is a gold chrome version only two of which are known to exist including a rarer “watermelon” colored example owned by Collector Ralph Antone.
To add to that, the attention to detail these examples received was also a notch above the rest with its pop-up hood with a detailed engine and tinted windows, a rare combination for any Hot Wheel product. This is the primary reason for its $40,000 valuation making this the holy grail of Hot Wheels Mustangs.
2008 Diamond-Encrusted 40th Anniversary Special Edition
Estimated Value: $100,000
Here it is, we have finally touched the 6-figure mark and this one is as special and unique as they come. The Custom Otto is perhaps the most “over the top” Hot Wheel in existence. This one-off example is conservatively appraised at over $100,000 and for good reason. Created to commemorate the brand’s 40th anniversary and a celebration of the four-billion hot wheels sold worldwide, it was showcased at the 2008 New York Toy Fair.
This hand-crafted example is cast in 18k white gold and includes more than 2,700 diamonds that weigh nearly 23 carats total the attention to detail is phenomenal, even the taillights are carefully placed rubies and it even comes with a custom-made diamond-encrusted case. Initially, the car sold at an auction for $60,000 but at the time some sources valued it at $140,000, so the current $100,000 valuation makes this a bargain of the lot in some respects.
1969 Pink, Rear-Loading VW Beach Bomb
Estimated Value: $175,000
We have finally arrived at the holy grail, the final frontier for Hot Wheels collators, the Pink, Rear-Loading VW Beach Bomb from 1969 that costs more than most high-end sports cars. The real reason this humbly hot-rodded little microbus is so rare is that after making only two models, they realized that the surf-boards that were sticking out of the rear windscreen threw the back off balance and the pink color which is the rarest of the bunch was done in a bid to appeal to young girls, who at the time weren’t the target demographic for Hot Wheels.
This particular example was also appraised on an episode of the famous TV series Pawn Stars at $100,000 but since then experts reckon that the value has gone up significantly which brings us to the current figure which stands at an unprecedented $175,000. Currently, this pink masterpiece is a part of the world’s most valuable Hot Wheels collection in the world, owned by Bruce Pascal, whose private collection is appraised at
over $1,000,000
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