Made by Mattel, Hot Wheels cars were originally a line to directly compete with Matchbox, owned by Tyco until 1996 when Mattel purchased the rights to the name and designs. Now the two lines of competing diecast toy cars are instead working together.

The gambit of Hot Wheels cars runs pretty wide, starting with the original 1:64 scale diecasts we all know and love (and their bonus track sets to run them on). The larger 1:43 Hot Wheels toy cars are purely for collectors to display, really, being highly detailed and popularizing many real-to-life street models we all love.

Of course, the most popular and well-known (and collectible) of the Hot Wheels diecast cars are the limited series of various custom hot rods and muscle cars that have been made since the company’s inception. Not surprisingly, over 10,000 models of various types of Hot Wheels toy cars have been made since 1968 and the numbers keep growing as popularity has not decreased.

Every boy has (or used to have, before he “grew up”) had favorite Hot Wheels cars that he can still name, even 20 years later. What was yours?

The production of Hot Wheel Cars is moved fully to Hong Kong in 1972. Between the years 1968 and 1972 every car had it’s own distinctive trait. Early models had there tyres emblazoned with a red line on the tyre walls. These fresh models developed the Redlines as a very effective trademark, and so a new era of die cast cars was born.

Hot Wheels Cars are as much a part of growing up as TV, and if you are in your forty’s you will know what i mean. Early Redlines were copies of popular car models of the era and were thus ingrained into the American culture. In fact 9 of the cars were fashioned after cars of that era, and the other 7 were more like exhibit cars.

Redlines didn’t just rely on red tyres to grab the public attention. An example of this would be brightly painted colors using a metallic paint called Spectaflame paint. The many styles of car would go on to trigger the imagination of many a young boy all over the world. Your car would arrive strikingly packaged in a blister pack with flashy colored cardboard backs.

Maybe you are someone who is trying to recapture a long lost childhood by collecting these rare vintage early Hot Wheels. The market for collecting these cars in general is on the rise.

With the dawning of the internet, collecting even the rarest of Hot Wheel Cars is now a possibility. Make sure you are able to identify the grade and shape of the Redlines you would like to bid on or buy. Thanks to the internet, finding the car of your choice has never been easier.

The series consists of twelve cars, typically hot sellers in the past, which had new paint and graphic styles applied and sport ‘Real Rider’ tires. Real Rider tires are actually rubber and can be removed from the rim like a real tire. Often times the tires had ‘Goodyear’ or ‘Treasure Hunt’ printed in white on the side of the tire. These cars were produced in limited quantities, 10,000 at first, but were released with the regular series each year. This created an interesting aspect to the Treasure Hunt Series since they were also sold for the $1 price of the regular series. The only exception to this is a box set of the entire series sold exclusively at JC Penny stores around the Christmas and holiday season. The series did experience a few variations over the years. One example is the standard practice from the regular series of re-releasing models with a different paint style. In 2005, in honor of the tenth anniversary, the series released the most popular model from each year of the previous ten years. It was also in this year that a thirteenth car was offered through a mail in offer, which required proof of purchasing twenty other cars.

The value of the Treasure Hunt cars typically spiked for a particular model when it came out. Often times a car found on the ‘pegs’ in stores for a dollar could immediately be sold for fifty dollars. The value would then slightly decrease when the next month’s cars were issued and the spotlight moved to the next model in the series. As is common, the cars for the inaugural year are valued highest. The ’67 Camaro released in 1995, for example, is the most treasured model and is worth over $300.

The Treasure Hunt regular series is now sold in two versions, the new version being one with a higher production quantity. This series was designed with the hopes that children could also have a chance a finding the rare cars. Both versions of the series have packages marked with a green stripe behind the title of the car. It is the only noticeable packaging variation from the standard line of cars. The Treasure Hunt series has now also expanding into other die cast lines of cars made by Hot Wheels including the Racing line. If you are interested in searching for these rare cars be prepared to get to the stores early, just before the new month’s models come out, and look for the green stripe. Good luck hunting!

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Think of what are your favorite real cars and then use those to pick out your first Hot Wheels diecast models. If that exotic German or Italian supercar is just out of reach, you can own it in scale model. You can build a garage of exotic or limited edition cars that would rival any billionaire’s collection. The make new, old and concept cars now. If you want to collect cars from the 40′s, 50′s, 60′s or 70′s you are in luck as there models available. You will be able to find models to collect no matter your passion, from monster trucks to modified cars.

Make sure you stay within your budget. Some cars can be $100′s when they are first released. You will find the prices rise quickly the older the model gets. The quality and the features in the model usually determines the price. A plastic fixed wheel car will be the cheapest option but it will not be as nice as a metal car with working wheels. Size is also a factor in determining the size. The standard 1/64 size of the models can be typically fairly cheap. The larger models such as 1:18 are quite large models and can be quite expensive. As the model gets older it gets more expensive. If you find a 30 year old model it is going to be much more expensive than a brand new model on sale today.

Keep track of what you have already purchased to avoid duplication. Diecast display cases are a great way to do this. It is easier to admire your collection when it is out in the open. It also gives you a handy way to inventory your collection so you do not buy duplicates. You are going to need different display cases if you are collecting different sizes of models. A large model beside a small model will make the small one look even smaller.

If you use these handy tips you will be well on your way to a rewarding hobby of Hot Wheels diecast collecting. No matter what kind of car you like there are models available for you to collect and display. Once you have a good sized collection started you will be proud to show it off.

Collecting Hot Wheels diecast is a hobby that is enjoyed by the author. Some of his favorite models available can be found on Hot Wheels Diecast. Where you will find reviews and comparisons between popular models.

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