Hot Wheels: From Plaything to Collector’s Item

One of the more remarkable evolutions in toys is Hot Wheels. What started off as a toy company focused on creating good quality toy automobiles at a low cost evolved into creating collector’s items that appeal just as much to adults as they do children.

But what caused this shift in focus from mass producing miniature cars for play to creating desirable collector’s items to display on the shelf? The answer can be found in the history of the company itself.

Origins

Hot Wheels began life in 1968 when it was released by Mattel. Invented by Elliot Handler, the head of Mattel, Hot Wheels were scale model cars on the miniature side meant as direct competition to Matchbox. Matchbox has been releasing miniature scale model vehicles since 1953.
While Matchbox was more realistic in recreating popular models of vehicles, Hot Wheels focused more on customized and even fantasy cars. Mattel also produced a racing track that consisted of different orange road sections made of flexible plastic that could be put together. Because the tires on the Hot Wheels vehicles were made of wide plastic themselves, the cars flowed smoothly on the track.
Hot Wheels was a massive success and caused Matchbox and other toy brands to rethink their approach. The emphasis by Hot Wheels on the “hot” vehicles at the time, which includes drag racers, VW buses, and other cars that were considered “cool” gave them a competitive edge.

Evolution

Through the 1970s and 1980s, the focus of Hot Wheels was on appealing to children and teens. New models and lines were introduced, such as the Hot Ones in 1981 and Ultra Hot Wheels in 1984. Each succeeding line emphasized greater function and playability, allowing for faster speeds on the track while also being more creative and original.
Other innovations included Thermal Color Change paint which changed color based on temperature and the popular Crack-Ups which allowed the vehicles to fall-apart and be put back together again. But as new lines were introduced, the interest in collecting became stronger.

Collectability

The era of collectable Hot Wheels started in 1989 with the introduction of collectable numbers on each vehicle. For blister packs released from 1989 to 1994, the collectable cars were all blue and were numbered up to 274, although some numbers were skipped.
But a major change happened in 1995 with the introduction of cars split into different series. The Model Series became the First Editions, and the Hot Whells Treasure Hunt Series was introduced as well. By 1997, Mattel had purchased Matchbox, their biggest competitor, which expanded the company’s fortune considerably.


Hot Whells Treasure Hunt Series

As the years passed, there was a greater emphasis on creating collectable cars. Sales of older Hot Wheels on the secondary market were being noticed by Mattel. So, in a manner similar to comic books, the company started producing more limited series which emphasized their collectability.



Today, Hot Wheels is still highly popular with children thanks to their new line of vehicles and accessories. But they are also quite popular with adults thanks to their collectability. Both in terms of bringing back memories of the past and having Hot Wheels of greater value for the future.