When Mattel introduced Hot Wheels back in 1968, the 1:64 die-cast cars were almost an instant hit. Using television to advertise the bright little cars with moving wheels to a wide audience likely helped launch these popular toys to success. The innovative metal cars were California-style mods of models that were big sellers in the late '60s and early '70s, making the original toys appealing to kids and adults alike.
Even today, car enthusiasts love collecting Hot Wheels models of their favorite cars, while children enjoy racing the fast cars on bright orange Hot Wheels tracks designed specifically for the toys. Over the years, Mattel has followed automotive trends, creating new cars and toys that align with current interests. The toy company also puts out limited-edition models and recreates beloved Hot Wheels cars from bygone eras. This, combined with the cars' low price point, has kept Hot Wheels one of the top-selling toys in Mattel's lineup for decades and made them a popular item to collect.
In fact, some rare Hot Wheels cars are actually worth big money to collectors, even going for more than the real car. So, whether you're a Hot Wheels collector yourself, a lover of all things related to cars, or just curious about how much someone would pay for a rare Hot Wheels car, you're in the right place. This is your guide to the incredibly rare Hot Wheels cars collectors pay big money for and what they're worth.
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1970 Ed Shaver AMX — $4,000
Ed Shaver was part of the first Hot Wheels-sponsored drag-racing team in the U.K., so Mattel obviously wanted to honor him with his own Hot Wheels car. Shaver raced an AMX street car, and the 1970 Hot Wheels version only came in blue. What makes the car super rare, aside from its special packaging and custom decals, is that it could only be obtained at race events and by sending in proof-of-purchase points, which were limited to Hot Wheels cars and cereal boxes for the U.K. market.
With very few of these cars in the hands of collectors, finding one would be difficult. There may be as many as 50 still out there, but some believe that only around 10 remain in Hot Wheels car collections. The estimated value for the 1970 Ed Shaver AMX Hot Wheels car is $4,000 on the low end, but it could go for more if its condition were excellent and it was in the original package with the custom decals.
1971 Bye-Focal — $6,000
Loosely based on the legendary 1970 Dodge Challenger, the Hot Wheels spectraflame purple 1971 Bye-Focal is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $6,000. The rare car features a clear plastic hood, usually tinted blue, that lets you see the twin V8 engines. Unfortunately, the 1971 Bye-Focal Hot Wheels car is known to have crumbling issues. The alloy material the cars are made from decomposes, literally causing the car to crumble and fall apart. This heavily contributes to the car's high value, as many have fallen victim to what's enthusiasts call crumbling disease.
The spectraflame purple coloring for the 1971 Bye-Focal Hot Wheels car is the hardest color to find, making it the most valuable. Versions of the Bye-Focal without the fuel injectors are also sought after due to their rarity. This car is part of the early Redline editions that sport tires with a red circle on them. These are some of the most desirable Hot Wheels you can get your hands on today.
An original 1971 Bye-Focal Hot Wheels came with one decal put on at the factory and another you could apply yourself, which was included in the packaging. Having this car in its original packaging with the decal could boost the value of this Hot Wheels car significantly.
Classic '31 Ford Woody — $8,000
While many of the most valuable early Hot Wheels cars have a sporty design, the Classic '31 Ford Woody sets itself apart with a boxy look and exposed engine. The '31 Ford Woody was part of the 1969 Hot Wheels lineup, and it came in a variety of spectraflame colors.
Of course, the most desirable Classic '31 Ford Woody Hot Wheels is the brown version. The reason this one is so sought after is that it's believed there are only about 12 in existence. It's thought that the boxy brown Hot Wheels car is a preproduction model that was only given to Mattel employees. This puts the estimated value of this rare die-cast car at around $8,000.
Included with the original Classic '31 Ford Woody was a metal collector's button. This car's interior color could be white, dark brown, tan, or champagne, with the rare brown Woody having the tan or darker interior, which was more common at the time. Early versions of the Classic '31 Ford Woody Hot Wheels had a smooth, flat black roof, but later versions incorporated a textured, glossy black roof. This car is modeled after a 1931 Ford Model A Station Wagon.
1974 Rodger Dodger — $8,000
In the '60s and '70s, Dodge was known for its peak era American muscle cars, so it makes sense that Hot Wheels would use elements from some of those cars to create its own mini versions. The 1974 Rodger Dodger is one such model, and it was styled after the popular 1973 Dodge Charger.
Mattel released the Rodger Dodger in two enamel paint colors with a white or dark interior. The most common color for the car is plum, but if the plum version has a white interior, it's less common. However, the blue Rodger Dodger with a white interior is the most valuable model, going for $8,000 and up. The yellow and orange flame design on this Hot Wheels car enhances its desirability, while the large engine protruding from the hood gives the blue 1974 Rodger Dodger an unmistakable sign of its muscle car heritage.
The origins of the rare Rodger Dodger in blue aren't well-known, but it's believed that only seven of these cars exist today. It may have been a limited-run version only available in the U.K., making it an ultra-rare model for any Hot Wheels collection.
1968 Python Cheetah — $10,000
In 1963, Bill Cushenberry built a unique car for Car Craft Magazine called the Car Craft Dream Rod. This led to a 1968 Hot Wheels version that started out with the name Cheetah during preproduction. Mattel later changed the car's name to Python, as the company couldn't obtain rights to use the name Cheetah for the car, and it was already being used by GM. This means that a red 1968 Python Hot Wheels with the Cheetah name stamped on the chassis is very rare and valuable. In fact, the die-cast car can be worth up to $10,000 to Hot Wheels collectors.
Being part of the original Sweet 16 Hot Wheels cars released in 1968 adds value to the red Python with the Cheetah name on the chassis. Yellow versions of this toy car are also rare, while several other color variations are hard to find, including creamy pink, hot pink, copper, and magenta. However, since the Python car was never officially released by Mattel with the name Cheetah, the preproduction Hot Wheels car is extremely rare. Only a few of these Cheetah versions were ever made, and most of them ended up in the hands of Mattel employees.
1971 Olds 442 — $12,000
As one of the rarest castings for Hot Wheels cars, the 1971 Olds 442 can be worth $12,000 -- maybe more. The Olds 442 is especially valuable if it's purple. Mattel only produced this model in 1971, and it's based on the 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 that came with an optional 370-horsepower V8 engine.
The high-quality modeling of the Hot Wheels-designed 1971 Olds 442 is just part of what makes this car so valuable. Its other unique features include a plastic rear spoiler and a hood that can really open to reveal the detailed engine underneath. Inside the original packaging were stickers consumers could put on the car themselves. These stickers let you give the Olds 442 white stripes with blue stars. With the original car, you would have also received a collector's button, which was commonly included with Hot Wheels in the early days.
A red 1971 Olds 442 with a black interior is also quite rare. Although its origins are a bit hazy, collectors believe this red version with a dark interior was either a preproduction model or had an extremely limited run. Either way, this car's rarity means that it's considered valuable regardless of the color or condition it's in today.
1969 Dodge Charger — $13,000
Following the initial success of the first Sweet 16 Hot Wheels cars of 1968, Mattel released a new lineup in 1969 that included custom Dodge Chargers in an array of vibrant spectraflame colors. Many of these original custom Dodge Charger Hot Wheels cars are desirable to collectors today. The rarest of the bunch is the brown version, which can be worth as much as $13,000. Many Hot Wheels collectors believe the brown 1969 Dodge Charger was a preproduction version made for store displays only. This model was never mass-produced, making it exceptionally rare.
Mattel modeled the custom Charger after the popular 1969 muscle car from Dodge. The toy car had a hood that opened to reveal the powerful HEMI V8 engine. These cars have a white interior, clear windows, and red taillights. You'll also find that most custom Dodge Charger Hot Wheels have a black-painted grille, but a few are noted to have an unpainted grille, which may be a factory error. With only a handful of these cars out there, it's a coveted model for any Hot Wheels collection.
1970 Mighty Maverick On Mad Maverick Base — $15,000
It's hard to believe a toy that originally cost less than $1 could be worth $15,000, but that's exactly the situation with the 1970 Mighty Maverick with a Mad Maverick base. Based on the 1969 Ford Maverick, Mattel wanted to call the Hot Wheels version Mad Maverick. Unfortunately, the name wasn't up for grabs, so it was changed to Mighty Maverick at the last minute. As a result, only a few 1970 Mighty Maverick Hot Wheels have Mad Maverick stamped on the base, and these little Hot Wheels are among the top-most valuable die-cast cars around.
What made the Mighty Maverick Hot Wheels car so popular? Well, it featured the fun opening hood that's only on a few select early Hot Wheels models, and it had a large rear spoiler that added to its muscular charm. Most interiors for the Mighty Maverick are black, but some Hong Kong versions have a rare brown interior. In good condition, any Mighty Maverick Hot Wheels can be valuable, but metalflake brown and red may be the most valuable, as only one of each color is known to exist.
1968 Chevy Camaro — $25,000
An instant success when it was released in 1967, the Chevy Camaro is an iconic model with plenty of muscle. Hot Wheels wanted to cash in on the car's popularity, so the 1968 Chevy Camaro Hot Wheels was born. The car came in many colors, but the lime green over chrome version is the most sought after. This is mainly because of the car's rarity, as only 20 Hot Wheels Camaros were produced with the lime green over chrome finish, but the 1968 Camaro Hot Wheels was also part of the original lineup of 16, adding to its high value.
Today, this Hot Wheels car could be worth $25,000 or more, depending on the condition. It was used for commercials because the bright color was exciting and full of positive energy. In other words, the 1968 lime green over chrome Chevy Camaro toy was made to promote sales of other cars in the 1968 Hot Wheels lineup, but it was never mass-produced. Just like the real version, the Hot Wheels Camaro of 1968 is desirable thanks to its appealing design, color scheme, and rarity.
1968 Ford Mustang — $50,000
In 1964 the world met the very first Ford Mustang, and by 1968 the pony car was selling hundreds of thousands of vehicles every year. Hot Wheels got in on the action by creating its own version of the sporty Mustang for its initial Sweet 16 lineup. The Hot Wheels Ford Mustang is modeled after the 1967 year model, and the original casting for the car was only used in 1968.
Like the lime green over chrome Chevy Camaro, the strawberry over chrome 1968 Ford Mustang was used strictly for advertising. It's thought that only two of these rare Hot Wheels Mustangs exist today, as the car was never sold to the public.
Since so few of these die-cast Mustangs with the strawberry over chrome finish exist, these ultra-rare versions of car are valued at around $50,000. This makes it one of the rarest and most expensive Hot Wheels cars out there, and it's highly sought after by collectors.
1968 Chevy Camaro— $100,000
Just when collectors thought they'd discovered all the rare Hot Wheels cars in the world, something new came along in 2020. That something was a one-of-a-kind prototype from the first 16 Hot Wheels car models. Early Hot Wheels prototypes got a coat of white or black enamel paint because it made imperfections in the body easier to spot. These prototypes weren't meant for resale, but somehow a few have made their way to collectors over the years.
A few U.S. white enamel 1968 Chevy Camaro prototypes exist, but the most recently found white enamel prototype is from Hong Kong. This is the only known version of the 1968 prototype Camaro Hot Wheels car from Hong Kong, making it an exceptionally rare find. While this example is valued at $100,000, it's so rare, it could probably go for a higher price if it ever went up for auction.
Diamond-Encrusted 40th Anniversary 2008 Hot Wheels Car — $140,000
As you might have noticed, most of the rare and valuable Hot Wheels cars are from the Redline era '60s and '70s. However, the 2008 diamond-encrusted 40th Anniversary Hot Wheels car breaks this trend. It was the 4 billionth car Hot Wheels produced, and the company wanted to create something truly special. This particular design -- sometimes referred to by enthusiasts as a Custom Otto -- came from early Hot Wheels designer Otto Kuhni but was never produced in the early days.
There's only one of these jeweled Hot Wheels cars in existence, and it's not known whose collection the car is in today. With its 18k white gold casting and more than 2,700 diamonds, it's not surprising the owner doesn't advertise having this car in their collection. In its dazzling blue diamond-encrusted exterior, this die-cast model is eye-catching, to say the least. Late in 2008, the Hot Wheels car sold at a charity auction for $60,000, but it's valued at $140,000 because of its superior craftsmanship and jeweled exterior.
1969 Beach Bomb Volkswagen Microbus — $175,000
The most valuable Hot Wheels car on the collectors market is the pink 1969 Beach Bomb Microbus, which can fetch up to $175,000. The Hot Wheels version of the popular VW Microbus from the '60s has some unique characteristics that increase its value. For one, the pink Beach Bomb was a prototype, and only two are thought to exist in this color. The prototype model also featured rear-loaded surfboards, but in final production, Mattel mounted the surfboard to the side of the bus.
Of the approximately 200 rear-loading Hot Wheels Beach Bombs produced, only about 40 are accounted for today. This has helped boost the value of the pink 1969 prototype version as well. At one time, famed Hot Wheels collector Bruce Pascal owned both pink 1969 Beach Bomb Hot Wheels, but he sold one to a fellow collector. He displays the little pink Microbus at his personal museum in Maryland, and he owns about 4,000 other Hot Wheels cars.
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