Remember the feeling of excitement when we used to throw our Hot Wheels in the air? If we knew that those $0.98 toys will cost a fortune today, we would treat them like gold and diamonds.
Actually, It's weird to think that those cheap toys that every kid used to have in his pocket may be worth a fortune today. In fact, there's not much difference between a $1 and a $100,000 toy in term of materials or build quality, but the real value of these toys comes when they're rare, produced in the early days of the company, or simply because they were discontinued due to mistakes in production.
Today, we’ve compiled a list of the rarest Hot Wheels on the planet and how much they're worth. And remember, if you ever find one of these cars in your parent's basement, you know exactly what to do! Anyway, without further ado, let’s get right to it!
15. Mac Mutt Daddy - $1,000
Via: TheGamer
The first Hot Wheels car in our list is the Mac Mutt Daddy which was designed by Larry Wood and manufactured in Mexico in 1971. This car has an exposed motor on the front, control stick steering, and come with a rear dog compartment which opens to reveal two white dogs. If you want to get this car today it may cost you up to $1,000.
14. Purple Olds 442 - $1,500
Via: Worthpoint
Next is the Purple Olds 442 which was also designed by Larry Wood based on the design of the 1970 Oldsmobile 442. This car is among the rarest of all production Redline Hot Wheels especially that it was manufactured exclusively in Mattel's Hong Kong facility in 1971. This piece will cost you between $1,500 and $3,000.
13. Gold GMC Motorhome - $2,000
Via: Worthpoint
The Gold GMC Motorhome is a unique piece on its own. It was designed by Bob Rosas and Larry Wood and released in 1977 as part of the Flying Colors series. This car is so rare that only 30 pieces had been produced, that's why toy collectors are paying up to $2,000 to add it to their collection.
12. 1970 Red Baron With White Interior - $3,000
Via: Hot Wheels Wiki
The 1970 Red Baron With White Interior is a special car between Hot Wheels collectors. The design of this car was inspired by Snoopy's imaginary battle with the Red Baron from the cartoon Peanuts. The car on its own is one of the most popular Hot Wheels of all time, however, the model with a white interior is so rare that it can sell for up to 3,000.
11. 1995 Collector Number 271 Funny Car - $3,500
Via: Autowise
The only funny thing about the 1995 Collector Number 271 Funny Car is that it can cost more than your real car with its price tag of $3,500. This Funny Car was released in 1995 and only 12 were produced due to an error in the printing, making this car one of the rarest Hot Wheels from the 90s.
10. 1970 Ed Shaver Custom AMX - $4,000
Via: Worthpoint
The only difference between the 1970 Ed Shaver Custom AMX and the regular blue AMX is that this model has a sticker on the door that says "Ed Shavers AMX", That's it. That small difference, in addition to being available only in the UK, makes this car among the rarest Hot Wheels with a price tag of $4,000.
9. 1969 Brown '31 Woody - $8,000
Via: Worthpoint
Now, this is really a unique car. The 1969 Brown '31 Woody was issued as part of the Hot Wheels series in 1969, therefore, the company produced only 12 models of them (including prototypes). The rarity of this car in addition to its unique old-style design makes the 1969 Brown '31 Woody worth up to $8,000.
8. 1974 Blue Rodger Dodger - $8,000
Via: Youtube
Despite being one of the oldest Hot Wheels ever (produced in the mid-70s), the 1974 Blue Rodger Dodger is one of the most popular in the Hot Wheels lineup. It's also worth noting that this car is still produced till today, but Blue Rodger Dodger from 1974 is extremely valuable that it can be sold for up to 8,000 if in its original package.
7. 1968 “Cheetah” Base Python (Hong Kong Base) - $10,000
Via: Antique Trader
The story behind the 1968 “Cheetah” Base Python is so interesting. This car was meant to be called Cheetah, and after producing several copies, the company found that the name was already in use so they had to change it to Python. The few cars that were sold with the initial name "Cheetah" are extremely valuable today that you can sell it for up to $10,000.
6. 1968 Hot Pink Beatnik Bandit - $15,000
Via: Sort it
The 1968 Beatnik Bandit is one of 16 original Hot Wheels produced in the very early days of the company. The car was designed by Ed Roth and was only produced in limited quantities, and because this model was so successful, the company decided to release a new version in the Hot Pink color which is worth up to $10,000 today.
5. 1968 Over Chrome Camaro - $25,000
Via: Caranddriver
This beautiful 1968 Over Chrome Camaro is one of the most valuable Hot Wheels in the world. It was mainly used for advertising purposes and never released to the public, that's why only 20 of them exist today with this special finish. And because of its rarity, this car is worth up to $25,000.
4. 1968 Over Chrome Mustang - $40,000
Via: Caranddriver
Similar to the previous model, the 1968 Over Chrome Mustang was also used for advertising purposes, and therefore, the company has never released this car to the public. However, the few people who got their hands on this rare car can sell it to a toy collector for up to $40,000.
3. The Enamel White Prototype Custom Camaro - $100,000
Via: Road & Track
In the 3rd spot, comes The Enamel White Prototype Custom Camaro, one of the most expensive toys in the whole world. Some reports say that this car is the first Hot Wheels car ever produced. This rare model is currently owned by the toy collector Joel Magee where he thinks it's worth more than $100,000.
2. 1969 Pink Rear-Loading Volkswagen Beach Bomb - $125,000
Via: Hot Wheels
You can't call yourself a Hot Wheels fan if you don't recognize the famous Rear-Loading Volkswagen Beach Bomb which is considered to be the most collectible Hot Wheels ever. The Pink version of this car is so rare that only 2 of them are known to exist, one of them is owned by Bruce Pascal. This unique car is worth up to $125,000.
1. 40th Anniversary Diamond Encrusted Otto - $140,000
Via: TheGamer
Finally, the rarest and the most expensive Hot Wheels car on the planet is the 40th Anniversary Diamond Encrusted Otto. Hence the name, this car was produced by the company to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2007 and the production of the 4 billionth Hot Wheels car. This model has an 18-karat white gold frame, along with 2,700 blue, black, and 40 white diamonds to represent 40 years in the legacy of Hot Wheels. With all these jewelry, this car is easily worth $140,000.
Sources: TheGamer, CarAndDriver, WorkAndMoney, YouTube
