Most Valuable Hot Wheels Cars

Hot Wheels launched by Mattel in 1968 are sought-after collector’s items worth thousands of dollars.

*Most Valuable Hot Wheels Cars

Valuable Hot Wheels: 1971 Red Oldsmobile 442

Remember the feeling of getting a brand-new Hot Wheels car?

You’d rip open that package and have that hot rod tearing all over the house and driveway for hours on end. You’d have makeshift drag races and demolition derbies. You’d compare your collection with your buddies' Hot Wheel garage.

Believe it or not, some of those toys from your fond memories are now selling for thousands of dollars as highly sought-after collector’s items.

How It All Started

Original "Sweet 16" Hot Wheels Are All Valuable

Hot Wheels sold its first toy cars in 1968. The inaugural set, called the "Sweet 16" by collectors, features 16 cool cars, most of which are worth a pretty penny today.

The first 10 years of Hot Wheels production are referred to as "Redline" Hot Wheels because they all displayed a red line on the tires.

The vast majority of the most valuable Hot Wheels cars come from the "Redline" era.

Make Sure Your Cars Are in Mint Condition

Mint Condition Hot Wheels "Sweet 16" Cars

Before you get too excited and go rummaging through your old cigar boxes full of dinged-up Hot Wheels cars, you should know that condition plays a big part in the value of any collectibles.

To bring in top dollar, the cars need to be in nearly perfect condition. Ideally, they’ll still be in the unopened blister packs, but not too many kids wanted to keep them like that, did they?

Here are the most valuable Hot Wheels of all time.

37. 1995 Treasure Hunt 1967 Camaro — $931

Valuable Hot Wheels Cars: Treasure Hunt Camaro Hot Wheels

Treasure Hunts are a line of Hot Wheels limited edition toys only identifiable by small markings on otherwise normal-looking packaging.

They are, quite literally, treasure hunts for collectors.

But unlike traditional treasure, you don’t want to open the box.

37. 1995 Treasure Hunt 1967 Camaro — $931

Valuable Hot Wheels: Treasure Hunt Camaro 1967

The Treasure Hunt (or T-Hunts) line began production in 1995.

The 1967 Camaro is one of the original Treasure Hunt cars, when the markings on the card were much more prominent (now it’s just a small flame icon).

This one sold for $931 on eBay.

36. 1971 Boss Hoss with Black Roof — $1,050

Originally released in 1970 as a Hot Wheels Collectors Club mail-away club kit offer, the Boss Hoss became an instant hit, spurring Matell to incorporate the Boss Hoss into their next production line.

36. 1971 Boss Hoss with Black Roof — $1,050

The Boss Hoss’ body is based off the Hot Wheels 1968 Custom Mustang, which in turn was based on the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback.

One of these beauties, which were part of the Spoilers series, sold for $1,050 at auction.

It is a Hong Kong-only variant. The black roof variant is the most popular.

35. 1955 Candy Striper Chevy Bel Air Gasser —$1,000-$1,400

The 1955 Candy Striper Chevy Bel Air Gasser Hot Wheels car is a 2014 Hot Wheels Collectors exclusive, with only 4,000 made.

These cars are highly sought-after collectibles, possibly because they’re just awesome.

35. 1955 Candy Striper Chevy Bel Air Gasser —$1,000-$1,400

Gassers were gas-guzzling drag racers that were heavily modified.

During the 1950s, the king of the Gassers might just be the 1957 Chevy, which may have been an influence for this Hot Wheels car.

They typically sell for around $1,000 to around $1,400.

Inspiration for 1955 Candy Striper Chevy Bel Air Gasser

34. 1975 White Porsche Carrera/P-911 — $1,140

This 1975 Redline of the sleek P-911 is a white variation with blue and red racing stripes.

It's quite hard to find, and the one that sold on eBay was a bit banged up.

34. 1975 White Porsche Carrera/P-911 — $1,140

But even though it was in "good" condition, it snagged $1,142.18 at auction.

That means one of these diecast cars in even better condition should be able to find buyers willing to spend more for the tiny replica.

There's an even rarer gold version out there, but it was never sold at stores and may have been for Mattel employees.

Inspiration for 1975 White Porsche Carrera/P-911

33. 1975 White Mustang Stocker — $1,300

The Hot Wheels 1975 Mustang Stocker is based on the 1969-1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302, which came with a small-block 5.0L, V8 engine and was designed to compete in the Trans-Am series.

33. 1975 White Mustang Stocker — $1,300

The actual Boss 302 retailed for $3,702 when it was introduced in 1969, or about $26,000 in today’s dollars.

That’s about 20 of these 1:64-inch replica Hot Wheels.

One of these Stockers in great condition sold for $1,299 on eBay.

Inspiration for 1975 White Mustang Stocker

32. 1971 Magenta Sugar Caddy — $1,330

The 1971 Sugar Caddy is a popular Redline, with the magenta coloring being the rarest offering.

This car was only released in Hong Kong.

32. 1971 Magenta Sugar Caddy — $1,330

The Sugar Caddy’s body is based on the 1969 Custom Eldorado, which in turn was based on the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado.

Inspiration for 1971 Magenta Sugar Caddy

31. 1968 Orange Custom T-Bird (Hong Kong) — $1,350

The Ford Thunderbird is one of the most recognizable classic cars, and its accompanying Hot Wheels model can still fetch a pretty penny at auction.

The U.S. and Hong Kong variants of this item aren’t too drastic, with some slight variations on the front fender, hood gaps, and a lack of interior dashboard on the Hong Kong variation.

31. 1968 Orange Custom T-Bird (Hong Kong) — $1,350

The orange color of this custom T-Bird is one of the rarest, although there are different colored versions, like the U.S. olive version, that are likely to fetch more.

This particular item sold for $1,350 on eBay.

Inspiration for Orange Custom T-Bird

30. 1983 Greased Gremlin Real Riders — $1,427

Designed after a modified 1972 AMC Gremlin, the Greased Gremlin is a Hot Wheels model that originally appeared in 1975.

The 1983 model was made in Mexico and is colored red and yellow with sponsor logos on the sides.

This new one sold for $1,427 on eBay.

30. 1983 Greased Gremlin Real Riders — $1,427

The original AMC Gremlin came with a 128-horsepower engine, but by 1972, AMC offered a version with a 5.0-liter, V8 engine stuffed under the hood, creating a muscle car out of a compact economy vehicle.

It looks as fun as it was dangerous.

Inspiration for 1983 Greased Gremlin

29. 2018 MEA Candy Cane 1955 Gasser — $1,800

This Hot Wheels car was only available to Mattel employees who attended the Mattel Employee Association (MEA) Dinner Dance in 2018.

Only 425 were made, making this one of the rarest and most valuable Hot Wheels recently made.

29. 2018 MEA Candy Cane 1955 Gasser — $1,800

The car is eye-catching, with huge candy cane-colored rear wheels and a candy cane swirl roof.

The 1955 Gasser is based on Chevrolet drag racers from the 1950s and1960s, which had a unique look.

They were awesome cars, and they make awesome Hot Wheels. Several have sold from $1,700 to $1,800.

Inspiration for 2018 MEA Candy Cane 1955 Gasser

28. 1982 French Blue Auto Hauler — $1,875

The vehicle appears to have been part of the Hot Wheels' Truck Co. action set.

Per the eBay listing, this auto hauler was made in France.

The listing says it was made in 1981, but imprints shown in the listing photos bear a 1982 date.

28. 1982 French Blue Auto Hauler — $1,875

Bidding history says this item listed at $1,000 and reached $1,875 in six days.

While we don’t have much information about it, it’s obviously quite rare.

Inspiration for 1982 French Blue Auto Hauler

27. 1968 Icy Blue Custom Fleetside — $1,903

The 1968 Fleetside was based off a customized 1964 Chevy El Camino owned by Hot Wheels father Harry Bradley.

This car inspired the "Original 16" Hot Wheels car design.

27. 1968 Icy Blue Custom Fleetside — $1,903

1968 Icy Blue Custom Fleetside Hot Wheels

In Bradley's own words, it inspired the "Hot Wheels' 'look': five-spoke mag wheels, red stripe oval tires, a stylized power dome on the hood, bright candy colors and a strong California custom car image. This format led to the eventual inclusion of radical real-life custom show cars."

Inspiration for 1968 Icy Blue Custom Fleetside

26. 1971 Porsche 911 Momo 277 Urban Outlaw — $2,000

The 1971 Porsche 911 was based on one of the top high-performance vehicles in racing history, which had an impressive 2.2-litre engine that was innovative for its time.

26. 1971 Porsche 911 Momo 277 Urban Outlaw — $2,000

There were several different castings of the 1971 Porsche 911, including a white and red version, white and blue version, white and green version, and orange version.

Inspiration for 1971 Porsche 911 Momo 277 Urban Outlaw

25. Red Line Orange Ferrari Diecast Vehicle — $2,025

This Ferrari was one of two cars that was added to the Grand Prix Series in 1970.

It's based off of a series of three Ferraris that were built as part of Ferrari's renewed racing program.

25. Red Line Orange Ferrari Diecast Vehicle — $2,025

The Ferrari 312P came in several Spectraflame colors, plus a red enamel version that's pictured above.

The red, hot pink, and light green versions are the most common, with purple and aqua remaining the rarest and hardest to find.

Inspiration for Red Line Orange Ferrari Diecast Vehicle

24. 1973 Fluorescent Pink Superfine Turbine — $2,000-$3,500

The Superfine Turbine was released only in 1973 (technically, it appeared again under the How Wheels Collectors Series 9 in 2010, but that isn’t worth much).

This car is one of the more interesting Hot Wheels offerings, as it's a unique design.

24. 1973 Fluorescent Pink Superfine Turbine — $2,000-$3,500

The Superfine Turbine wasn’t based off of anything in particular, and for good reason. The carriage-like cab is propelled by a jet engine on the front. This would not have worked in real life.

While all Superfine Turbines are rare, the fluorescent pink one is said to be worth at least $2,000 loose and $3,500 mint on card. Although it’s likely worth more. One loose, red Superfine Turbine sold for $1,000 on eBay.

Inspiration for 1973 Fluorescent Pink Superfine Turbine

23. 1968 Hot Pink Beatnik Bandit — $2,125

Part of the "Sweet 16," the Beatnik Bandit came in about 18 different colors. The hot pink version with a white interior is the one you want.

This futuristic car featured a glass-domed roof and a joystick instead of a steering wheel. It was different. It was cool.

And in 2011, someone sold one on eBay for $2,125.

23. 1968 Hot Pink Beatnik Bandit — $2,125

If you have one in mint condition, it may fetch even more today.

Inspiration for Beatnik Bandit

22. 1968 Creamy Pink Custom Chevy Camaro — $2,184

The Camaro is rumored to be one of the first Hot Wheels models ever produced, and the creamy pink version of this classic toy car is one of the rarest.

The pink variation with a light champagne interior was only released in Hong Kong.

22. 1968 Creamy Pink Custom Chevy Camaro — $2,184

The one pictured sold on eBay for $2,183.88 after 24 bids.

It wasn’t even in mint condition.

One without paint loss will certainly sell for more.

Inspiration for 1968 Creamy Pink Custom Chevy Camaro

21. Tesla Cybertruck — $2,500

The Tesla Cybertruck is the most recent rare Hot Wheels model, released in 2021. It was originally going to be released in 2020 alongside the rest of the Series 2 lineup, but COVID-19 delayed production.

There were two versions released, with one being markedly more detailed and rare than the other.

21. Tesla Cybertruck — $2,500

The cool part about this rare Hot Wheels model is that every detail is actually functional.

It has working headlights, tail lights and all-wheel drive, plus a telescopic tailgate that turns into a loading ramp.

Inspiration for Tesla Cybertruck

20. 2019 Rocket League Blue Octane HW Game Over — $2,599

This rare Hot Wheels model is based on a car from the popular video game "Rocket League."

It's a combination of arcade-style soccer and racing, and the Octane is the most popular Rocket League car ever.

20. 2019 Rocket League Blue Octane HW Game Over — $2,599

There were four 1/64 scale versions made in four different colors: red, lime green, metallic orange and metallic blue. Metallic blue is the most difficult to find.

Inspiration for 2019 Rocket League Blue Octane HW Game Over

19. 1968 Volkswagen Beetle Without Sunroof— $2,600

The copper-colored 1968 Volkswagen Hot Wheels car isn’t rare.

But any Volkwswagen model without a sunroof is extremely hard to find.

This variant was only available in Hong Kong models. All U.S. models had the sunroof.

19. 1968 Volkswagen Beetle Without Sunroof— $2,600

This pictured sunroof-less Volkswagen was snapped up one day after it listed on eBay for the "buy it now" price of $2,600.

That collector wasn’t letting this one slip through the cracks.

Inspiration for 1968 Volkswagen Beetle

18. 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Pink (White Interior) — $2,600

The 442 Oldsmobile Hot Wheels car is a very sought-after one, especially if it’s not in the magenta or yellow variety (those are common colors).

The Hot Wheels Olds 442 is based on the 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass, which had a V8 engine that roared with 370 horsepower.

18. 1971 Oldsmobile 442 Pink (White Interior) — $2,600

This Hot Wheels car is painted in a bright pink and came with a set of white racing stripe stickers with blue stars.

A loose one sold on eBay for $2,600 after 23 bids.

Inspiration for 1971 Oldsmobile 442

17. 1968 Redline Custom Camaro Hong Kong Purple — $3,000

Back in 1967, J.C. Penney was the largest retailer of Hot Wheels cars.

When Mattel showed them their new product line, including the 1968 custom Camaros, the number that J.C. Penney wanted to buy was too many for Mattel to produce with their original manufacturing plant.

That's why they opened another plant in Hong Kong, where this model was produced.

17. 1968 Redline Custom Camaro Hong Kong Purple — $3,000

While the U.S. and Hong Kong versions are very similar, there are subtle differences that set them apart.

The U.S. versions don't have door-lines while the Hong Kong version does.

There are many variations of each, more than any other Hot Wheels car to date.

Inspiration for 1968 Redline Custom Camaro Hong Kong Purple

16. 1974 Flying Colors Heavy Chevy — $3,000

The 1974 Heavy Chevy uses the same 1970 casting from the Spoilers series, although they colored it differently with racing stripes, door stickers and a black interior.

16. 1974 Flying Colors Heavy Chevy — $3,000

These cars were based on the two-door 1960s Chevrolet Camaro.

There are two colors, green and yellow, and the green is the rarest version.

One of these in its blister packaging sold on eBay for $3,076 after a furious 42-bid bidding war.

Inspiration for 1974 Flying Colors Heavy Chevy

15. 1969 Pink Grand Prix Lola GT70 — $3,000-$10,000

A common 1969 Grand Prix Lola GT70, like the green and blue variants, may only go for $30, loose.

But there’s one color variant that is astoundingly expensive, and that’s the pink-colored one.

According to the South Texas Diecast, a loose one of these will go for $3,000 while a carded one can fetch $10,000.

15. 1969 Pink Grand Prix Lola GT70 — $3,000-$10,000

The Lola GT70 is based on the Lola T70 MK3B coupe, a British race car that won several Grand Prix in the 1960s.

Inspiration for Grand Prix Lola GT70

14. 1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal — $3,950

The "Spectraflame" era of Hot Wheels was 1968 to 1972.

With this cool paint, there may not be a harder-to-find car than the 1971 Bye Focal in purple.

The design is based on the 1970 Dodge Challenger.

14. 1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal — $3,950

To make things worse, it’s prone to "crumbling disease," which means the car paint and metal tend to crumble over time.

Still, one sold for $3,950 in 2012, and it may go for substantially more today.

Inspiration for Spectraflame

13. 1970 Green Open Fire — $4,000

You wouldn’t think that a Hot Wheels car modeled after the humble AMC Gremlin would be such a hot commodity, but here it is.

Souped-up with a massive, exposed engine and an extra set of wheels on the front, this oddity is rumored to go for up to $4,000.

Inspiration for 1970 Green Open Fire

12. 1969 Brown '31 Woody — $5,200

Looking for a throwback beyond the 1960s? This is your car.

The 1969 set included this retro 1931 Ford model woody.

The brown color is the hardest to find and, henceforth, the most valuable.

12. 1969 Brown '31 Woody — $5,200

This one sold for $4,000, but its listed value in mint condition is at least $5,200.

Inspiration for 1969 Brown '31 Woody

11. 1971 Red Oldsmobile 442 (Black Interior) — $5,710

The 442 was a sweet ride back in the day.

The Hot Wheels versions looked just as cool, and now a couple of them are worth more than a new, real 442 convertible cost in 1971.

11. 1971 Red Oldsmobile 442 (Black Interior) — $5,710

The red 442 with black interior is a rare find that has sold for as much as $5,710.

Inspiration for 1971 Red Oldsmobile 442

10. 1970 Ed Shaver Custom AMX — $6,600

Ed Shaver was a real-life British drag racer. His sponsor? None other than Hot Wheels. So it makes sense that they put out a special Ed Shaver model in the U.K.

This car was given out at racing events and also available by sending in proof-of-purchase points from U.K. Hot Wheels toys.

10. 1970 Ed Shaver Custom AMX — $6,600

Not many are around anymore.

In 2018, one sold on eBay for $6,600.

That seller probably beat Ed Shaver’s top speed driving to the bank after that one.

Inspiration 1970 Ed Shaver Custom AMX

9. 1995 Collector No. 271 Funny Car — $7,000

With all of these Redline cars on the list, this bad boy from 1995 seems a bit out of place. However, there may be as few as 12 of these in existence.

Even cooler is the fact that only six of them are accounted for as of now.

9. 1995 Collector No. 271 Funny Car — $7,000

To get top dollar, it would need to still be on its collector card, but that "top dollar" could range up to $7,000.

Inspiration for 1995 Collector No. 271 Funny Car

8. 1969 Red Baron (White Interior) — $7,500

One of the most distinctive Hot Wheels cars of all time, the Red Baron was inspired by the WWII flying ace.

This hot rod had a WWI German infantry helmet as the roof of the car with an exposed engine.

8. 1969 Red Baron (White Interior) — $7,500

One collector kicked off 2019 by dropping $7,500 on this car on New Year’s Eve in 2018.

Inspiration for 1969 Red Baron

7. 1974 Blue Rodger Dodger $8,000

This super-cool car based on the 1973 Dodge Charger SE is about as rare as it gets.

Rumor has it, there may be only seven of these in existence in prime condition.

7. 1974 Blue Rodger Dodger — $8,000

One collector was so happy to find one that he made a YouTube video all about his Blue Rodger Dodger. What did he pay for it?

If you scroll through the comments, you’ll see that he fesses up to parting ways with $8,000 to add it to his collection.

Inspiration for 1974 Blue Rodger Dodger

6. 1968 Python With "Cheetah" Base — $10,000

When Hot Wheels started making this one, they called it the "Cheetah."

However, they ran into some naming rights issues. So they renamed it the “Python."

But a few of them slipped out with the Cheetah name still stamped on the baseplate.

6. 1968 Python With "Cheetah" Base — $10,000

Ultra rare and very valuable, it’s brought in up to $10,000 at auction.

Can you imagine finding $10K in your old toy box?

Inspiration for 1968 Python With "Cheetah" base

5. 1971 Purple Oldsmobile 442 — $11,000

All the coolness of the Red Olds 442, but even harder to find. This beauty is dark purple with the classic Redline tires.

It’s the rarest color of one of the rarest castings of the Redline era, so even if yours took part in a few kitchen floor demo derbies, it may be worth a pretty penny.

5. 1971 Purple Oldsmobile 442 — $11,000

In 2018, one sold on eBay for a nifty $11,000.

Inspiration for 1971 Purple Oldsmobile 442

4. 1969 Brown Custom Charger — $13,000

The Custom Chargers were a popular model because, hey, who didn’t love Chargers in the late '60s and early '70s?

The brown Custom Charger from 1969 may have been just a prototype because it’s thought that there are only three of them floating around the world.

Beware, there may be some fakes on the market.

4. 1969 Brown Custom Charger — $13,000

This one lists at $5,200, but it’s been reported to sell for upward of $13,000.

Inspiration for 1969 Brown Custom Charger

3. 1970 Mad Maverick — $15,000

Chalk another one up to a naming issue. This car was originally produced as Mad Maverick until Hot Wheels discovered that a competitor already had a car with that name.

They shifted gears to make theirs the Mighty Maverick, but a few left the factory with the words "Mad Maverick" stamped on the baseplate.

Only five of these bad boys are known to exist. Two of them are blue, one is purple, and one is unassembled and unpainted.

3. 1970 Mad Maverick — $15,000

Their value? It’s a hard one to pin down, but it’s been reported as high as $15,000.

2. 2008 Diamond-Encrusted 40th Anniversary Special Edition — $60,000

This isn’t a Hot Wheels car you’ll be able to find at the store, but it is one of the most expensive Hot Wheels cars ever made.

Heck, it’s not even a toy. This Hot Wheels car was created in 2008 for the toyline’s 40th anniversary and its four billionth car made.

The car is cast in 18-karat white gold and is encrusted with 2,700 tiny diamonds weighing 23 carts total. The taillights are red rubies and the thing came with a custom-made case with 40 white diamonds, each one signifying one year of Hot Wheels’ history.

It was initially valued at $140,000 and went to auction, where it sold for $60,000, with proceeds going to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire.

1. 1969 Pink, Rear-Loading VW Beach Bomb — $100,000

Here it is — the Holy Grail of Hot Wheels collectibles. The 1969 Pink Beach Bomb hit the market with side-loading surfboards. There was an earlier prototype, though, that had the surfboards loaded through the back window. The design proved to be unbalanced and was not produced. There may be only two of these pink models out there.

On "Pawn Stars," this little guy was appraised at "at least $100,000." That’s one little pink toy that’s worth almost seven years of working at minimum wage.

Mind. Blown.