These are the most valuable Hot Wheels cars on the market
Published on Sep 11, 2023 at 5:28 PM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Sep 14, 2023 at 11:55 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Some of these Hot Wheels cars, worth just a few dollars back then, are now vintage collectables are now worth up to six figures.
From ultra-rare beach cruisers to souped-up muscle cars from the ‘60’s, we’re counting down the most valuable Hot Wheels cars ever made.
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10. 1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal
Hot Wheels used a variety of shades of blue, purple, and magenta for its toy cars.
To the untrained eye, it’s easy to confuse them all, but this purple is the rarest of Mattel’s Bye Focal colors.
The 1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal has an issue with “crumbling”, a condition in which the car’s body suffers significant stress fractures, sometimes to the point of crumbling away.
Value – $6,000
9. 1969 Cheetah Base with Python Body
The car that became the Hot Wheels Python was initially called the Cheetah.
A small number of Cheetah prototypes were assembled and made their way onto the general market.
Reportedly only made in red, these Cheetahs have been hunted by collectors ever since.
Value – $6,000
8. 1969 Brown ‘31 Woody
Issued as part of the 1969 Hot Wheels series, the brown ‘31 Woody is another hard-to-find release.
It’s not known how many of these toy cars exist, but many guesstimate there’s fewer than a dozen, including some prototypes.
Although other ‘31 Woody cars of varying colors (blue, red, yellow, etc.) are valuable, brown is the most valuable of the lot.
Value – $8,000
7. 1969 Ed Shaver Blue AMX
What makes the 1969 Ed Shaver Blue AMX so rare and valuable is the fact it was only sold in the United Kingdom.
According to experts, the only thing that differentiates the Ed Shaver Blue AMX from its US-based counterparts is the Ed Shaver sticker down the side body.
A word of warning, though; should you come across one of these AMXs, check that it’s genuine, as clever forgers have been known to replicate the sticker’s graphic design.
Value – $10,000
6. 1971 Purple Olds 442
The 1971 Purple Olds 442 was manufactured exclusively in Mattel’s Hong Kong facility.
Not only is it considered to be the rarest Olds Hot Wheels cars, but it’s also the rarest of all production Redline Hot Wheels.
Little wonder it’s a hot-ticket item for die-hard fans all over the world.
Value – $12,000
5. 1969 Brown Custom Charger
Manufactured between 1969 and 1971, the Custom Charger was an extremely popular model.
The exception is the brown variant, of which only a few are known to exist.
Hot Wheels aficionados consider it to be a prototype, not a series production model.
Value – $13,000
4. 1969 Mad Maverick Base on Mighty Maverick
There’s no shortage of Mighty Maverick Hot Wheels in circulation, however, there are only a few with its original name, “Mad Maverick”, cast into the baseplate.
Licensing issues forced Mattel to change the car’s name to the Mighty Maverick.
So, the pre-name-change cars are highly sought after.
Value – $15,000
3. 1968 Over Chrome Camaro
The 1968 Over Chrome Camaro was made for media and advertising purposes.
Featuring a rare antifreeze finish, giving its light green coat a distinct glistening gleam, it was a common car used in Hot Wheels’ commercials in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.
It’s believed only 20 of these Camaros exist, each one valued at around $25,000.
2. 1968 Over Chrome Mustang
Like the 1968 Over Chrome Camaro, this Over Chrome Mustang was also created for media purposes.
Although it was never intended to be sold to general consumers, decades later one of the few originals had been found in the possession of a trailer park resident who had passed away.
How it got from the hands of Mattel execs to a mobile home renmains a mystery, but its value of $40,000 is beyond debate.
1. 1969 Pink, Rear-Loading Beach Bomb
It’s hard to believe that there’s a Hot Wheels car worth more than that of an actual Porsche.
But there is, and this is it – a 1969 rear-loading Pink Beach Bomb, a prototype that for years remained in the possession of a Mattel employee.
Apparently, Mattel were unhappy with the car’s design, so replaced it with a newer model that allowed users to load surfboards into the side rather than the rear trunk.
Although a few additional copies in different colors managed to slip into the hands of the public, only two pink versions are known to exist.
Value – $175,000
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.