Any of you comic people collect Hot Wheels? 4 4

[Robot Man]

Back story. My younger daughter and her husband are gear heads. She has a vintage Mustang Box 302 and he has a '69 Camaro Z-28. Their daily driver is a new tricked out Gladiator Jeep. They both live out of state and work from home. They both know and love muscle cars. My son in law is good with tools and has taught my daughter to work on her own car.

About 6 months ago she told me she started picking up Hot Wheels off the pegs at the grocery store as well as Target and Walmart. So, being the good dad I was, I started buying them for her when I ran into them. And, being a good comic and junk collector, I started reading up on the internet. I learned all about "Treasure Hunts", "Super Treasure Hunts", ID cars, "Chase" cars and the like. Watched a bunch of unboxing videos and kind of learned what to watch out for. 

I have always been all about the hunt. This is a cheap and fun hunt. Being lucky to be the first one on a new box of peg hangers. The cars are also very cool. Detailed and cool colors. 

So, I started asking the clerks at stores and kind of figured out what times they put out their stock. You never know what day but I've been pretty good on the times. I don't make a religion out of it like some of these crazed collectors but if I'm in the area, I pop in. Hard to know when they will turn up. There will be long 3-4 weeks of empty pegs then the stores get new boxes. 

Been real dry for the past month or so. But on Monday I went into my local 5 minute away Target and the nice lady was loading the racks! Had 1st chance. I don't take them all or multiples but just one of each my daughter would like. This morning, we went to the grocery store early and I was blown away. 4 full boxes of un-picked cars. I have never been this lucky. What a fun rush.

So far, I have avoided the urge to start collecting these. It is hard but I just don't need them. I have put away a few scarcer ones from the stores or the flea market but not many. I look for the comic book and pop culture ones. Like dollar comics and often not worth a whole lot (except a few). 

One thing I have found. Hot Wheel collectors love their cars intensly. Generally, it's not about the money but the love of the vehicles and the thrill of the hunt. There are greedy DBs like anywhere, but most are very generous and genuine. I have had guys give me some of the better cars. They actually seem to go out of their way to help each other. Refreshing coming from the cut throat world of comic collectors who seem to value money far more than the books themselves.

Anybody else here into these diecast beauties? 

Photos: 1.) The untouched rack at the grocery store this morning. Nice surprise after such a long drought. 4 untouched boxes and nobody there except me!  2.) A few scarcer cars I've run into and put away for myself. 

[musicmeta]

I used to have the original 16...All but one car the Beatnik Bandit.   Somebody at work I knew spent some money on Hot Wheels cashed out and made a tidy. profit.   
Do you have the Skyshow Fleetside car?  That was really expensive years and years ago.

[MattTheDuck]

I've been to a couple of estate sales in the past year that had gigantic numbers of Hot Wheels in original packaging.  They did not seem "vintage" to me or anything (I still have mine around here somewhere - I can't remember what packaging those came in), but they certainly could have been - there must have been 100 or more at 2 or 3 sales.  

Is there something specific your daughter's looking for?  Like other toys, I have no clue what a Hot Wheels collector would be seeking but would be happy to keep my eyes peeled with more info.

[ADAMANTIUM]

I bought a few and kept them sealed, but nothing vintage to my knowledge. I started to though 😂

 

[sfcityduck]

I've got a few issues.  Toth, Cardy, Giordano, Adams, what's not to like?

When my son was young loved Hot Wheels cars.  To play with, not to keep locked upon their plastic vaults.  One of the greatest toys ever to play with. 

The one Hot Wheel I wouldn't mind owning, and not opening, is the Wonder Woman invisible plane they had at Comic Con.  Better than a CGC "invisible comic" LOL!

[shadroch]

I have the original 16, and copies of the ones I collected myself. My originals are long gone except for one Woody in really bad shape. I collected and played with them until 1971 and then for a few years I'd buy an odd ball one if I liked it. I remember buying a Good Humor truck at Toys R US but it wasn't until I moved to Vegas that I bought large amounts of them.  I've no idea how many I have, except it is too much and I'd love to unload at least half of them. I doubt I have many rare ones, but some of the variations I have seen uncommon. For example- I have a tray of ambulances that all have Columbia Childrens Hospital on the side. I've seen lots of this ambulance being sold but none with this logo.  I imagine it may have been a special order/promo/giveaway but I'm just guessing.  I also have several dozen that were supposed to be Fuji film mail away orders.

I like the modern Marvel ones, especially the Alex Ross ones. I have a Captain America AirFlow van that is off the charts. 

I just wish they would market larger versions of the original redlines.  I'd love to display 12 inch Twin Mill or Demon.

Edited March 30, 2022 by shadroch

[Robot Man]

On 3/30/2022 at 12:55 PM, sfcityduck said:

I've got a few issues.  Toth, Cardy, Giordano, Adams, what's not to like?

When my son was young loved Hot Wheels cars.  To play with, not to keep locked upon their plastic vaults.  One of the greatest toys ever to play with. 

The one Hot Wheel I wouldn't mind owning, and not opening, is the Wonder Woman invisible plane they had at Comic Con.  Better than a CGC "invisible comic" LOL!

What a concept “to play with not to keep in their plastic vaults”. Oddly, like comic books. I haven’t looked but I suspect someone “grades” these too.

My daughter often buys dupes so she can open one. Hey, how much fun can you have with a buck these days?

[cortown71]

I've collected them since the 70s when I was a kid.got really serious about them in the early 90s.and then of course late 90s to now with ebay.

I've had pretty much the entire line of every car released.i had a pretty crazy redline collection.but sold a lot of it off from 08-2012. I turned all of it into other hobbies.tons of comics of course.

I still peg hunt.but online buying is at a stand still now.

Some of my current redlines.nothing like I had.

[Robot Man]

On 3/30/2022 at 12:39 PM, MattTheDuck said:

I've been to a couple of estate sales in the past year that had gigantic numbers of Hot Wheels in original packaging.  They did not seem "vintage" to me or anything (I still have mine around here somewhere - I can't remember what packaging those came in), but they certainly could have been - there must have been 100 or more at 2 or 3 sales.  

Is there something specific your daughter's looking for?  Like other toys, I have no clue what a Hot Wheels collector would be seeking but would be happy to keep my eyes peeled with more info.

Thanks Matt!

She buys what she likes that is current. Hard to completely miss out except the Super Treasure Hunts which rarely appear in a box. I got her her first one on Monday. Only one I have seen.

[Robot Man]

On 3/30/2022 at 12:58 PM, shadroch said:

I have the original 16, and copies of the ones I collected myself. My originals are long gone except for one Woody in really bad shape. I collected and played with them until 1971 and then for a few years I'd buy an odd ball one if I liked it. I remember buying a Good Humor truck at Toys R US but it wasn't until I moved to Vegas that I bought large amounts of them.  I've no idea how many I have, except it is too much and I'd love to unload at least half of them. I doubt I have many rare ones, but some of the variations I have seen uncommon. For example- I have a tray of ambulances that all have Columbia Childrens Hospital on the side. I've seen lots of this ambulance being sold but none with this logo.  I imagine it may have been a special order/promo/giveaway but I'm just guessing.  I also have several dozen that were supposed to be Fuji film mail away orders.

I like the modern Marvel ones, especially the Alex Ross ones. I have a Captain America AirFlow van that is off the charts. 

I just wish they would market larger versions of the original redlines.  I'd love to display 12 inch Twin Mill or Demon.

Those “variants” are probably special order as promos. Probably worth more than you might think. I know there are “Private Label” vintage Tonka trucks from the ‘50’s that are quite rare and valuable. 

[shadroch]

On 3/30/2022 at 1:46 PM, Robot Man said:

Those “variants” are probably special order as promos. Probably worth more than you might think. I know there are “Private Label” vintage Tonka trucks from the ‘50’s that are quite rare and valuable. 

Thats what I was hoping but I have not found any values yet. The Fuji mail aways were supposed to be rare and expensive but I tried an auction with a $19.99 minimum and got no bids. The same estate sale yielded some unusual Pepsi brand delivery trucks I can't find online. I spent a few hours researching them but then some new stuff came in and those got put on trays, shrink-wrapped and put in a bin until I have time.  

[Robot Man]

On 3/30/2022 at 1:38 PM, cortown71 said:

I've collected them since the 70s when I was a kid.got really serious about them in the early 90s.and then of course late 90s to now with ebay.

I've had pretty much the entire line of every car released.i had a pretty crazy redline collection.but sold a lot of it off from 08-2012. I turned all of it into other hobbies.tons of comics of course.

I still peg hunt.but online buying is at a stand still now.

Some of my current redlines.nothing like I had.

Wow! Beautiful and impressive collection! Looks like you got some of the pink and other scarce color ones. 

Being a part time antique and collectible dealer, I have bought and sold tons of Redlines over the years. Used to be pretty easy to find but not anymore. Carded or not, still fast sellers as are slot cars. 

[shadroch]

Hot Wheels can be tricky when they are not in their packs. Many models have been re-released multiple time and many later releases look very much like the originals. 

A car may say 1967 Hong Kong on the bottom but have been made in China in 2020.  I''ve seen auction houses selling 21st century repros as originals.  Some of the Original 16 that I have on display are true originals and some are reproductions and 99% of people can't tell them apart. The originals are worth hundreds and the repros possibly $10. 

[Robot Man]

On 3/30/2022 at 2:01 PM, shadroch said:

Thats what I was hoping but I have not found any values yet. The Fuji mail aways were supposed to be rare and expensive but I tried an auction with a $19.99 minimum and got no bids. The same estate sale yielded some unusual Pepsi brand delivery trucks I can't find online. I spent a few hours researching them but then some new stuff came in and those got put on trays, shrink-wrapped and put in a bin until I have time.  

Knowledge and hard work is key in the business. Too many people are to lazy to put in the time then whine when someone who has “rips them off”.

You are wise to hang on to them until you can find out what they are worth.

I never mind giving folks a good deal but like to know I am doing so. 

[shadroch]

On 3/30/2022 at 1:38 PM, cortown71 said:

I've collected them since the 70s when I was a kid.got really serious about them in the early 90s.and then of course late 90s to now with ebay.

I've had pretty much the entire line of every car released.i had a pretty crazy redline collection.but sold a lot of it off from 08-2012. I turned all of it into other hobbies.tons of comics of course.

I still peg hunt.but online buying is at a stand still now.

Some of my current redlines.nothing like I had.

Very nice. One of the things I like about collecting 1/64 and 1/72 vehicles is you can display an awful lot in one display case. 

[shadroch]

On 3/30/2022 at 2:07 PM, Robot Man said:

Knowledge and hard work is key in the business. Too many people are to lazy to put in the time then whine when someone who has “rips them off”.

You are wise to hang on to them until you can find out what they are worth.

I never mind giving folks a good deal but like to know I am doing so. 

I have two guides to Hot Wheels that Krause put out but they are far from being definitive. I have more than enough run of the mill Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars to  sell before I get to the rare stuff.  I just bought a collection of Matchbox military vehicles that came with a bunch of 1/72 and 1/144 WW2 tanks. Some of the Matchbox are from the late 1950s, but they are all loose and have some wear on them. Some are from the 1990s so I imagine they came from various collections.

[wormboy]

I collect the vintage MOC unpunched Marvel Hot Wheels, and MOC unpunched funny cars with basic wheels.

As with comics, I severely limit my focus so I don’t buy everything that I like.

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[zuckuss2003]

Those scene machines bring me way back. Very cool items you have there!

[Robot Man]

On 3/30/2022 at 3:01 PM, wormboy said:

I collect the vintage MOC unpunched Marvel Hot Wheels, and MOC unpunched funny cars with basic wheels.

As with comics, I severely limit my focus so I don’t buy everything that I like.

0

 

Very cool and hard to find carded let alone unpunched. 

[Robot Man]

I have zero nostalgia about Hot Wheels. I was in high school when they came out. I was much more interested in girls, cars and music by then.

My era was Matchbox cars. All of which went the way of my other childhood stuff.

Over the years, I have picked up some nice loose ones. I like the VWs, motorcycles and any with vintage advertising. I need to dig them out for a photo…