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Top 10 Most Expensive Hot Wheels of All Time

Top 10 Most Expensive Hot Wheels of All Time

Hot Wheels cars have been popular children’s toys since the late 1960s. Nowadays, they’re also highly valuable collector’s items! But which of these tiny diecast vehicles are worth the biggest bucks?

The most expensive Hot Wheels is the 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb. This bright pink diecast Volkswagen van is the rarest of all Hot Wheels cars, with an estimated worth of about $150,000. It’s considered the “Holy Grail” of all Hot Wheels cars.

If you own vintage Hot Wheels cars, you might want to take them out and dust them off. After all, they could be worth a small fortune. This ranking will reveal whether you’re sitting on an unexpected four-wheeled gold mine!

Here are the top 10 most expensive Hot Wheels of all time:

10. 2018 MEA Dinner Dance ’55 Chevy Gasser – $5,500

2018-MEA-Dinner-Dance-55-Chevy-Gasser
photo source: Lamley Group

The candy-striped 2018 MEA Dinner Dance ’55 Chevy Gasser is a rare collector’s edition Hot Wheels that was only available to the corporate heads who attended the 2018 El Segundo Mattel Employee Association’s (MEA) dinner dance event.

In 2022, one of these candy-cane-themed Hot Wheels sold for $5,500 on the online auction site eBay.

That’s quite a lot of money to spend on a diecast toy car! But considering the collectibility and rarity of this particular 1955 Chevy Gasser, it’s hardly surprising that the 2018 MEA Dinner Dance Hot Wheels sold for such a competitive price.

Why Is It So Expensive?

This Hot Wheels car is worth a pretty penny due to its rarity. After all, only attendees of the 2018 MEA dinner dance received one!

It’s also designed for collectibility. While most Hot Wheels cars come in plastic blister packs with cardboard backings, the 2018 MEA Dinner Dance ’55 Chevy Gasser was distributed in a protective case with a built-in background display.

In short, this holiday-themed Hot Wheels car was made to be expensive. In fact, this display car is more valuable the several of the most expensive Barbie dolls!

9. Employee-Exclusive 2018 Hot Wheels Rodger Dodger – $10,000

Employee-Exclusive-2018-Hot-Wheels-Rodger-Dodger
photo source: hobbyDB

If you’re fortunate enough to be a part of the Mattel Hot Wheels Design Team, you’ll be familiar with the 2018 Hot Wheels Rodger Dodger.

This gold-painted hot rod was a gift that only the luckiest Hot Wheels employees received, with one notable exception. In 2019, a single 2018 Hot Wheels Rodger Dodger was given to an avid Hot Wheels id game (an app-based game) player.

This car is marked by the number 18 (for its release year), and the names of the individual design teams are listed on the side of the vehicle. It came in a display case that featured a large 50, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hot Wheels brand.

In July 2022, one of the exclusive Hot Wheels sold on eBay for $10,000! Still, you can find the standard store release version of this special edition anniversary car selling online for as little as $3.

Why Is It So Expensive?

Due to its rarity and uniqueness, the Employee-Exclusive 2018 Hot Wheels Rodger Dodger is one of the costliest diecast Hot Wheels cars in the world. The Hot Wheel Design Team only consists of about 40 employees, so likely fewer than 50 of these cars exist.

8. Employee-Exclusive 2016 ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser – $10,000

Employee-Exclusive-2016-55-Chevy-Bel-Air-Gasser
photo source: hobbyDB

The golden 2018 Rodger Dodger isn’t the only employee-exclusive Hot Wheels car. Mattel gives a special gift car to the Hot Wheels Design Team each year, typically around the winter holidays. The 2016 ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser Employee Edition is one such car, and it’s just as valuable as its 2018 counterpart.

Selling on eBay for a jaw-dropping $10,000, this flame-covered 1955 Chevy Bel Air Gasser is the costliest version of the antique car ever produced by Mattel. It’s also exceptionally rare, as only about 30 were given out to employees in 2016.

Why Is It So Expensive?

At first glance, this Hot Wheels car might not look very valuable.

After all, it comes in the standard Hot Wheels blister pack packaging. This sets it apart from the 2018 MEA Dinner Dance and 2018 Rodger Dodger Hot Wheels cars, both of which came in high-quality display cases.

However, due to this diecast car’s exclusivity and rarity, it’s well worth the $10,000 auction price.

7. Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Racing Works Edition” – $12,000

Hot-Wheels-Mercedes-Benz-300SL-Racing-Works-Edition
photo source: Bonhams

In 2021, Bonhams announced that it would auction 50 IWC X Hot Wheels Racing Works Collectors Sets.

These elegant sets consisted of a rare Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (one of only 50) and an IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition. Both items are stored inside a custom-made collectible metallic toolbox.

The estimated value of the Hot Wheels car is $12,000. But one of these sets sold for an astounding $96,500 (originally £70,000)! For perspective, this Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz is more valuable than some of the most expensive LEGO sets!

Why Is It So Expensive?

Mattel only made 50 Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing cars, making them some of the rarest Hot Wheels worldwide. In addition, the diecast car came in a tiny display box, marking it as an instant collectible.

Still, the high-quality IWC wristwatch and custom-built toolbox definitely helped the IWC X Hot Wheels Racing Works Collectors Set sell for incredible prices in 2021.

6. 1968 Antifreeze Over Chrome Custom Camaro – $20,000

1968-Antifreeze-Over-Chrome-Custom-Camaro
photo source: Bruce Pascal

Bruce Pascal might have the most valuable Hot Wheels collection of all time. His splendid array of vintage and rare Hot Wheels cars is valued at $1 million!

The 1968 Antifreeze Over Chrome Custom Camaro is part of that collection, and it’s worth about $20,000. The 1968 Custom Camaro was the first Hot Wheels ever released, although the standard version came in dark blue.

The lime-green version (with a dark roof) is particularly valuable because it’s part of the rare Over Chrome set, which featured brighter, eye-catching paint colors.

Why Is It So Expensive?

As with many other high-value Hot Wheels cars, the 1968 Antifreeze Over Chrome Custom Camaro is primarily expensive due to rarity. But owner Bruce Pascal has also kept the car in fantastic condition, making it even costlier.

5. 1968 Watermelon Over Chrome Mustang – $40,000

1968-Watermelon-Over-Chrome-Mustang
photo source: hobbyDB

There are several reasons Hot Wheels managed to outperform initial competition Matchbox. Firstly, their cars featured wider wheels, allowing the diecast toy cars to slide down tracks more easily and quickly.

Secondly, Hot Wheels produced cars with brightly colored exteriors, setting their toys apart from the dull-looking competition cars. The Over Chrome set is one the most notable examples, and the 1968 Watermelon Over Chrome Mustang might be the priciest version.

Valued at $40,000, this shiny pinkish-red Hot Wheel car was featured in some of the first Hot Wheels commercials in 1968, instantly making it an in-demand item.

However, few Over Chrome cars were released to the public, making them rare and valuable.

Why Is It So Expensive?

Rarity is the name of the game when it comes to this Hot Wheels toy’s exceptional value. Well, that and its recognizability (thanks to appearing in commercials).

In short, the demand for this particular car will always outweigh its supply, resulting in staggeringly high prices.

4. Autographed Hot Wheels Tesla Cybertruck – $50,000

Autographed-Hot-Wheels-Tesla-Cybertruck
photo source: eBay

In 2020, Hot Wheels released the Tesla Cybertruck in two sizes: the original 1:64 Hot Wheels toy car size and a much larger RC-style 1:10 version with remote control.

The latter of these two initially cost about $400. But an autographed version (signed by Tesla founder Elon Musk in 2021) is available for purchase on eBay for about $50,000.

This unique Hot Wheels car isn’t only valuable, but it’s likely to become a historically significant item due to its design, the included “cracked windshield” decal, and Musk’s autograph.

Why Is It So Expensive?

This remote-controlled Hot Wheels car can travel up to 25mph (about 40km/h), but its speed isn’t the reason it’s so expensive. No, the main reason this particular Hot Wheels Tesla Cybertruck is so costly is the blue-inked autograph on its side.

Elon Musk, though a controversial figure, is among the most powerful and wealthy people on the planet, so any item bearing his autograph is sure to sell for incredible prices.

3. 40th Anniversary Diamond and Ruby Otto – $60,000

40th-Anniversary-Diamond-and-Ruby-Otto
photo source: Bonhams

Hot Wheels collectors would love to add the 40th Anniversary Diamond and Ruby Otto to their collection, and not only because it’s covered in precious stones. This car is a one-of-a-kind creation based on the illustrations of Otto Kuhni, one of the original Mattel Hot Wheels graphic designers.

It also comes in a lavish electronically-powered display box that rotates the jewel-encrusted car and keeps the LED display monitor on the inside panel lit. When opened, the monitor displays information about Kuhni, the car’s history, and its production.

This display is flanked by 40 brilliant-cut diamonds, far less than the number of diamonds on the actual Hot Wheels car (2,700). When this car went to auction in 2008, it sold for a neat $60,000.

Why Is It So Expensive?

There’s a laundry list of reasons behind this car’s incredible auction price. Some of the most significant include:

  • The fact that this Hot Wheels car is a one-of-a-kind item
  • It’s a tribute to one of the men who helped make the Hot Wheels brand a success
  • It’s chock-full of precious materials
  • It comes in a custom-designed presentation case with powered features

2. Original Mattel-Produced Hot Wheels Chevrolet Camaro – $100,000

Original-Mattel-Produced-Hot-Wheels-Chevrolet-Camaro
photo source: Carscoops

Looking at the Original Mattel-Produced Hot Wheels Chevrolet Camaro, you might not think much of it.

After all, the black paint along the hood is scratched, and there are some obvious signs of wear and tear along the body. But this Hot Wheels car is worth $100,000, making it the second-most expensive Hot Wheels in the world.

But this 1:64 Chevrolet Camaro isn’t only one of the Original 16, the first set of cars ever produced under the Hot Wheels brand name.

Even better, it’s a prototype for the 1968 Hot Wheels Chevrolet Camaro, making it a one-of-a-kind item.

Why Is It So Expensive?

This white-and-black Hot Wheels Chevy Camaro is valuable due to its rarity and historical significance. It’s also a prototype never meant for public eyes, making it a collector’s dream come true.

1. 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb – $150,000

1969-Pink-Volkswagen-Beach-Bomb
photo source: Bruce Pascal

The most expensive Hot Wheels is the 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb. This hot pink Volkswagen van has an estimated value of $150,000.

Although Hot Wheels released 12 of these beach-friendly diecast cars in 1969, none featured this exterior color. That’s because the pink version is a prototype, never released to the general public.

Like the released versions, this Hot Wheels van comes with two brightly colored (yellow and orange) plastic surfboards. But unlike those other 1969 Volkswagen Beach Bomb Hot Wheels, this prototype’s surfboards are stored in the back of the vehicle, not slipped into the van’s sides.

Why Is It So Expensive?

The 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb was never released to the public. An updated version, with plastic surfboards secured at the sides, was released during the same year, but none in this color.

Consequently, this hot pink diecast car is a prototype and one of less than 150 ever created. Today, there are only about 50 of these beachy Hot Wheels prototypes in private collections. So, getting your hands on one is bound to be challenging.

The 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb heavy-bottom prototype(valued at $150,000), owned by Bruce Pascal, is also in excellent condition, especially considering its age. This like-new condition is yet another factor contributing to its jaw-dropping estimated price.

Still, this Hot Wheels Volkswagen van isn’t nearly as valuable as the most expensive toys of all time!

Why Are Some Hot Wheels So Expensive?

Most newly released Hot Wheels cars only cost a few dollars. So why do some Hot Wheels cost as much (or more) than the average full-size car?

There are three factors responsible for making some Hot Wheels diecast cars so expensive. These factors are:

  • Rarity
  • Condition
  • Demand

Generally, the most valuable Hot Wheels cars are rare, in like-new condition, and sought-after by collectors. These cars are often vintage or special-edition toys, though some are prototypes.

If you’re looking to acquire the most valuable Hot Wheels, you might want to start snapping up special anniversary sets and newly released multi-car collections. Though they might not be worth a ton today, they could be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars in the future.

Of course, if you’ve got plenty of funds to invest in these diecast toy cars, you might want to track down and purchase some of the cars featured throughout this ranking!

What’s the Most Expensive Hot Wheels Car of All Time?

The most expensive Hot Wheels car of all time is the 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb. This tiny Volkswagen van (complete with two scale-accurate plastic surfboards) has an estimated worth of $150,000.

Part of this incredible value stems from the toy’s rarity, but its near-mint condition also influences pricing. Technically a prototype, the 1969 Pink Volkswagen Beach Bomb might not have been the most aerodynamic Hot Wheels car. But it’s undeniably the most valuable.

Check out these related articles to learn more about the world’s most expensive entertainment items!