Hot Wheels are simple scale model cars created in 1968 by Mattel and were a popular toy for children for years. And now, like most vintage toys, they’re not one of the top collectibles for many. But which are the rare Hot Wheels?
Thanks to the popularity of these small cars, many automobile manufacturers have licensed Hot Wheels to make scale models of their cars, allowing the use of the original design blueprints and detailing. This brought on many unique and interesting cars, some of which have been very limited produced throughout the years. Here are the top 5 rare Hot Wheels and why they’re valued so high.
5. 1968 Over Chrome Camaro, $25,000
This 1968 Over Chrome Camaro not only has a shine that makes it feel expensive but is one of the limited ever produced. The chrome-finish Camaro was used primarily for advertising purposes to show off the beautiful car toys.
The Camaro showed up in commercials with higher production values and wasn’t offered to the public. It’s a rare Hot Wheel, as only 20 Hot Wheels are known to have this special finish.
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4. 1968 Chrome Mustang, $40,000
Another one of the rare Hot Wheels examples based on a muscle car is the Over Chrome Mustang. The Strawberry 1968 car is worth around $40,000 after being purchased from an estate sale in a private collection.
It’s actually only one of two models, and similar to the Chrome Camaro, it was only really meant for advertising purposes. It was meant for internal uses and was never sold, making many collectors wonder how this one was released to the public.
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3. 2008 Jewel-Encrusted 40th Anniversary, $60,000
The next three rare Hot Wheels are owned by Bruce Pascal, the World Champion Hot Wheels Collector. After receiving his first Hot Wheel, he’s since been working on his large collection to fit in his Hot Wheels-themed office.
One of the three items in his collection is the 2008 Jewel-Encrusted Custom Otto, with only one in total ever produced. The car features 2,700 diamonds in total, including red ruby tail lights, and is cast in 18-carat white gold. It was first worth around $140,000 but has since fallen to a decent $60,000, still an astounding number for a toy car.
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2. 1968 White Camaro Prototype, $100,000
Several rare Hot Wheels are popular muscle cars, like Camaros. This one however is a 1968 white enamel custom prototype, with only 16 total ever produced. The mass-produced version of the custom Camaro can be found for around $2,5000, but the prototypes are another story.
In fact, they weren’t supposed to be out in the public at all. Mattel made only 16 so they could be checked for imperfection by the designers, but somehow, they were sent out to stores as well.
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1. 1969 Beach Bomb, $175,000
The prized possession in Pascal’s collection, and the most rare Hot Wheels of all time, is the 1969 Beach Bomb, which was modeled after the original Volkswagen Microbus. The Beach Bomb was to be the final prototype for the VW bus toy before the final pieces were manufactured but was changed due to the awkward nature of how the surfboards were loaded in the rear.
Because of the awkwardness, the mass production was made with the surfboards being mounted on the side. In fact, only two of these buses were made, making the value of a whopping $175,000 understandable. This rare Hot Wheel is definitely one any collector would want to get their hands on.
