Written by Are there any Hot Wheels fans here? I bet some of you have great memories of playing with these classic toy cars!
Hot Wheels has been a favorite toy for kids for years. Mattel first launched them on May 18, 1968, and they have been a popular gift, especially around the holidays. They usually come in different colors and styles, including race cars, trucks, and creative cars.
But did you know that while originally meant for kids, Hot Wheels has also become popular with adult collectors because of the limited edition models available?
Here’s another fun fact: Many car companies have licensed Hot Wheels to make scale models of their cars based on real designs. Because of this, both kids and adults collect realistic car models at affordable prices.
Pretty cool, right?
Now, Hot Wheels cars are usually seen as affordable toys, but they’ve also released some rare, limited-edition models over the years that are worth thousands now. Believe it or not, these Hot Wheels cars are more expensive than real-life cars!
Curious?
Well, read on, and I’ll share with you some of the most valuable and rare Hot Wheels ever made.
1969 Pink Rear-Loading Volkswagen Beach Bomb
Now, this is by far the most expensive Hot Wheels car made, estimated at $175,000! This toy car is designed with surfboards that you can slide or load through the rear window.
The rare prototype Hot Wheels toy car was Mattel’s first try at designing a Volkswagen Microbus. It’s also expensive because only two prototype models are known to exist.
It was purchased by Hot Wheels collector Bruce Pascal, who has been collecting Hot Wheels cars since he was seven years old in 1968. Now, he has over 3,500 Hot Wheels cars, including over 175 prototypes.
1968 Strawberry Over Chrome Mustang
The second on our list is this Hot Wheels car, which is estimated to be worth $40,000. There are only two of these toy cars, and they were made just for Mattel to use in their commercials.
However, one of them ended up in a private collection belonging to someone who lived in a trailer park.
No one knows how it ended up in the hands of someone living in a trailer park, but after the owner passed away, the car was sold.
1968 Over Chrome Chevy Camaro
Next up is this Hot Wheels car from the original “Sweet 16” lineup, estimated to be worth $25,000.
This Chevy Camaro model has a shiny, lime green, and chrome look. It was made in Hong Kong, and only 20 cars were produced. It was also created for advertising purposes.
1969 Brown Custom Charger
The fourth one on the list is this custom Charger made between 1960 and 1971. This Hot Wheels car was also part of the original “Sweet 16” series.
This model is painted brown with sleek lines and a design resembling a real Dodge Charger car. This toy car was never mass-produced, making it one of the rarest Hot Wheels cars.
1969 Redline Custom Charger
Larry Wood began his career as a car designer at Ford before joining Hot Wheels in 1969. He later received recognition in the Diecast Hall of Fame, which honors people and companies that have contributed to the model car industry.
One special part of his collection was this Custom Charger prototype he had before joining Hot Wheels. He sold this model on eBay in 2020 for $15,000.
1971 Purple Olds 442
This Hot Wheels car is worth around $12,000. It was designed by Larry Wood during the first ten years of production, known as the Redline era, which lasted from 1968 to 1977. This makes it one of the rarest Hot Wheels cars out there.
The car is modeled after the Oldsmobile 442, which features a unique purple color that wasn’t widely released. Only a few were made, and it’s believed that there’s another prototype from Hong Kong.
1969 Ed Shaver Blue AMX
This car model can be sold for around $10,000! It’s a custom AVX made as part of Mattel’s sponsorship deal with racing driver Ed Shaver.
This Hot Wheels car is based on the American Motors Corporation’s sporty AMX. It features bright blue paint and unique decals (printed design) of “Ed Shaver.” It’s also only available in the UK and was used for promotion.
1969 Classic ’31 Ford Woody
For the last one on the list, this Hot Wheels car is worth around $8,000. It’s modeled from the classic 1931 Ford Woody wagon and was part of the Redline era
Redline experts consider this toy car rare because the brown paint is hard to find. It’s considered a prototype or part of a small test run.
