30 Toy Cars Collectors Covet

2. 1970 Red Baron

The early ’70s Red Baron was a popular casting and you can find them often in garage sales or thrift stores. However, if you find a Red Baron with a white interior, you can earn up to $3,000. The reason is that a Red Baron with white interiors are rare and nobody knows how many they produced.

3. Number 271 Funny Car

Not all valuable Hot Wheels are from the early days of the brand. The Number 271 Funny Car is a model from 1995. So, what makes it valuable? They made an error in the printing and it is believed that 12 cars had blister packs with errors. So far only six have surfaced. So, if you find one, expect to get up to $3,500 in cash for it.

4. Ed Shaver Custom AMX

In 1970, Hot Wheels released a limited run of Ed Shaver`s Custom AMC AMX models, which only sold in the UK. American buyers didn’t know about this special edition model, however, this toy car is now valued at $4,000. But, since the stickers and decals that make these models special are now reprinted, you’d better be certain you’re buying the real deal.

5. Blue Rodger Dodger

The Rodger Dodger was in the Hot Wheels lineup for decades and they still produce it today. But, if you find a 1974 Rodger Dodger in blue, which is an extremely rare color and possibly a mistake by Hot Wheels, you can expect a $8,000 payday. Of course, that’s only if the car is legit, and in the original packaging.

6. 1969 Python with Cheetah base

The original 1968/9 Python was a Hot Wheels fantasy model that was quite popular with the buyers. Regular versions are inexpensive and for $40 to $50, you can find mint examples in their original blister packs. However, they originally called the Python the Cheetah, and Hot Wheels made several examples with this name on the base. Then the company found out that the Cheetah name was already in use, so they had to change the name of the model to the Python. That means the first ones with “Cheetah” on the bottom are now worth $10,000.

7. Beatnik Bandit in Pink

One of the original 16 Hot Wheels was the famous custom car Beatnik Bandit, which was also a popular model. However, Hot Wheels painted a limited run of an estimated several hundred cars with the special hot pink spectra flame color, which makes those Bandits especially sought after. Believe it or not, today, you can trade your pink Beatnik Bandit for a cool $15,000 in cash, which goes to show that collectors are ready to pay top dollar for rare cars.

8. Mighty “Mad” Maverick

The Mighty Maverick is another example of Hot Wheels producing models before they checked the availability of the name. The Mighty Maverick was a popular early ’70s toy car that sold in the millions. However, before they released it, Hot Wheels called it the Mad Maverick not knowing that the rival toy car company Johnny Lightning had the rights on that name. So, Hot Wheels changed the name to Mighty Maverick. But, they produced several cars with the Mad Maverick name. Their price is not known since no one has offered one for sale; however, the experts expect around $20,000 to be the right number.

9. Rear Loading Beach Bomb in Pink

Hot Wheels toy cars always represented the car culture, and from the beginning, various Volkswagen models were in the HW lineup. One of the most valuable and rarest is the rear loading Beach Bomb in pink. This was a prototype car they made in six to eight copies to give to employees. It featured rear loading surfboards and a narrow body that was inadequate for most HW track sets. They changed the casting into a side loading model, and the prototypes were lost and forgotten. Only one is known to exist, which sold for a staggering $72,000 a few years back.

10. Diamond Encrusted 40^th Anniversary Otto

The exact value of this car is not known, but Hot Wheels commissioned it as their 40th-anniversary special one-off model. They built it with 1,388 blue diamonds, 988 black diamonds, 319 white diamonds, eight rubies and a body of 18 karat gold. Experts say that the cost of making such a piece was north of $140,000, which makes it officially the most expensive Hot Wheels car they ever made.

11. Mac Mutt Daddy

This casting first appeared in 1971, and in the standard version, it was a popular Hot Wheels model. That was due to the fact it had a rear compartment with two tiny dogs in it. However, the rare version they produced in Mexico had different wheels and special paint. They produced the Mexico models for a short period of time. So the Mutt Daddy from Mexico with those features can fetch up to $1,000.

12. Scooby Doo Mystery Machine

Even though this casting costs around $80 in mint, boxed condition, it is still a big return on the original investment of just a couple of bucks. They released the Scooby Doo van from the popular cartoon show in 2012. So, in the premium version and packaging, it was a highly-desirable model.

13. Heroes Spiderman

Hot Wheels often releases fantasy models with paint jobs dedicated to those famous movie, cartoon or comic book characters. And the Heroes Spiderman was exactly that. They produced it for two years only, so it can fetch up to $150 for a perfect example. But the more common versions of the Heroes series from the same period are worth below $100.

14. Batmobile

Over the years, Hot Wheels produced dozens of Batmobiles as part of their mainline or premium series. And all of the cars are popular and common. But in 2004, HW introduced a special model in a gray color for the Comic-Con convention in San Diego. Today, those cars are close to $200 and rising.

15. Hot Wheel Ecto 1A

Everyone knows about the legendary Ghostbusters movies and that white ‘59 Cadillac they called the Ecto 1A. In 2010, Hot Wheels released three versions, one mainline and two premium ones. The premium versions came with a better paint job and details, so it can go up to $1,000 in mint condition.

16. The Demon

The early Hot Wheels lineup featured numerous custom cars. However, the one they based on the ’32 Ford Hot Rod is one of the most expensive. Often in a dark green or blue color, The Demon is a highly-sought after toy. However, if you can find it in magenta or purple, it is even more expensive, going for over $1,500.

17. De Lorean DMC 12 Back to the Future

You can find a mainline Back to the Future Hot Wheels car for $1 at your local grocery store. However, there are several versions including a few limited releases that go for several hundred dollars to the right collector. Hot Wheels produced a dozen variations, but the ones with rubber wheels, high-quality details, and special paint are worth the most.

18. Gold GMC Motorhome

Hot Wheels released in the Gold GMC Motorhome in the late ’70s. It was a popular casting produced in several variants. However, Mattel created a gold version that was extremely rare and popular. But they only built about 30, so each one costs $3,000 or more.

19. Poison Pinto

They introduced this popular Hot Wheels casting in 1976. But since then, they produced it in numerous versions with different colors and wheels. However, look for the early ones in a spectra-flame paint because they can go for up to $200 in mint condition.

20. Corvette Pro Street

In 2002, Hot Wheels introduced their Cool & Custom premium edition series. It featured special cars with high-quality details and paint jobs. And one of those cars was the 1967 Pro Street Corvette, which is extremely rare. Experts claim that the price for one of those cars can exceed $2,000 today.

21. VW Custom Beetle with Missing Sunroof

The VW Beetle is one of the original 16 models Hot Wheels started in 1968 and it has been a popular casting since. All early Beetles had a V8 in the front and a sunroof. However; there was a small series of cars they produced without the opening on the top. And those cars, regardless of the condition, can fetch up to $1,500.

21. Bye Focal

Hot Wheels presented this interesting casting in the early ’70s. It featured a design inspired by the Dodge Challenger. However, they modified the Hot Wheels version and produced it in a wide arrange of colors. However, if you have a mint and boxed purple Buy Focal, you could expect to get up to $7,000 for it.

22. Purple Oldsmobile 442

Another purple cash machine is the early ’70s Oldsmobile 442. There were numerous versions of this casting in lots of different colors. However, the purple one was the rarest. And that means those perfectly preserved examples can fetch up to $5,000 today.

23. Evil Weevil

They based this funny Hot Wheels car on the well-known VW Beetle casting. However, they thoroughly modified it with a special paint job and wheels. And because they produced it in very limited numbers, one recently sold for close to $3,000.

24. Classic Cord in Pink

The early ’70s brought the release of Cord 812 by Hot Wheels. And this model proved to be a solid success for Mattel. However, the pink version was extremely rare, so it is now worth up to $2,000.

25. Custom Cooper Camaro

The 1968 Camaro in white was the first Hot Wheels car they ever made. However, the 1968 lineup included the Camaro in many colors. But the rarest of them was the copper brown color. So, today, if you have one in reasonably good shape, you can earn over $2,000.

26. Opel Diplomat Matchbox

Not just rare Hot Wheels gets top dollar from eager collectors all over the world. The rare Matchbox cars are also quite desirable. So the Opel Diplomat in the green shade can get you over $6,000.

27. Mercury Cougar Matchbox

Another high dollar Matchbox series car is the 1968 Mercury Cougar in the rare cream color. To the right collector and on the right day, the price can go close to $4,000.

28. Dodge Wrecking Truck Matchbox

Interestingly, not all expensive Matchbox cars are cars. In fact, some are trucks, like this 1965 Dodge Wrecking Truck. It can go for around $6,000 in good condition when you offer it to the biggest toy car fan.

29. Mercury Station Wagon Matchbox

Here is another Matchbox car that is a late ’60s Mercury. But this time, it is a station wagon in a rare yellow color. Most of them were green or dark blue, but yellow was sparse, so that is why it is favorite with top end collectors. You can expect to get over $3,000 for one of these beauties.

30. Magirus-Deutz Truck Matchbox

This early ’60s release is extremely rare and unknown to most toy car collectors. Due to its rarity and obscurity, the price is insane, so if you own one, expect to get over $11,000 for it.

These are the rarest and most valuable Hot Wheels toy cars in the world. Do you own any of them? The next time you go to a yard sale or flea market, keep your eyes peeled for one of these beauties. You could resell it and make a fortune.