10 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars From 2019

Finding Treasure Hunt items in stores isn't even remotely as difficult as coming across STH collectibles. But they're also slightly rarer than the other mainline cars. So if you can't get one at retail price, you'll generally spend up to twice as much on the market afterward. The thing you have to keep in mind about the Treasure Hunt series is that most of the time Mattel uses original castings for the job, and those aren't always exciting.

Over the past few months, we've looked at both the 2022 and 2020 Treasure Hunt collections, and for today's story, we'll be going back to the year 2019. Back then, we had no clue that a global pandemic was coming our way and things were still relatively calm around the world. "Old Town Road" by Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X topped the Billboard chart that year, Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Model Y and Lewis Hamilton claimed his sixth F1 Championship Title.

Now that we've recalled some of the events that happened almost half a decade ago, let's get back to the world of 1/64th-scale diecast cars. As you would expect, Mattel launched 15 different Treasure Hunt items that year. Only six of them were licensed vehicles, but you might as well cross the '69 Chevelle off that list given the design of this casting. The translucent body signals that this is an X-Raycers model which might sound cool, but this still feels like a fantasy car at the end of the day.

The other four items that didn't make it to our Top 10 list are the Bazoomka, Sting Rod, Twin Mill, and Sharkruiser. We are aware that the Twin Mill is a legendary casting by Hot Wheels standards and that some people would vote it as the best TH for 2019, but we feel that the design is outdated and no longer of interest to the new generation of collectors. So without further ado, let's carry on with the 10 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt cars from 2019.

10. Batman: The Animated Series

We wouldn't normally include a Batmobile in a 10 Best Hot Wheels list, but we were left with few options for the 2019 season. At least the Animated Series Batmobile isn't as common as some of the other ones, given it was first introduced in 2018.

This Treasure Hunt model is the third in a series of six variations, with the most recent one coming up this year. For once, the TRAP5 wheel design doesn't feel as bothersome as it does with licensed castings.

In a rather unexpected twist of events, this is one of the most expensive TH items we've seen on eBay, with prices ranging between $15 to $75 today. Remember, you can always dig deeper and find better deals if you're patient enough, so don't rush to place an order just yet.

9. Head Starter

The Head Starter is an original Hot Wheels casting that was designed by Ryu Asada. It reminds us of a classic F1 racer, so it's not quite as ludicrous as other fantasy cars we've seen from Mattel.

A total of 10 different variations were released until 2022, but the 2019 model was the only one to make it into the Treasure Hunt series. We like the fact that Mattel opted to leave the V8 engine unpainted, and the wobbly head is also a plus worth mentioning here.

Like most other iterations, the 2019 Head Starter is sitting on 5-spoke wheels which have been painted blue this time. While some eBay sellers are asking $60 for a set of nine of these collectibles, you can still find one for about $2 if that's all you need.

8. Honda Monkey Z50

Most Hot Wheels collectors aren't all that enthusiastic about motorcycle castings, but the TH status sometimes tends to change that way of thinking. Jun Imai designed this tiny replica of the iconic Honda Monkey Z50 for its 2016 mainline debut.

The cool part about it all is that it features a metal base, something which is not common for basic Hot Wheels items. There are eight iterations of the Monkey out there, with the most recent one showing up in 2020.

And all of them share the same wheel design: the MC3. The 2019 TH model features the least-inspired choice of colors out of all the variations, and you'll see prices ranging between $5 to $38 on the market today.

7. HW Armored Truck

This casting might have a generic name, but we're all familiar with this design. It was first introduced in 1996, and Mattel had Michael Kollins working on the design before that moment.

In the good old days, this used to have an opening rear door, but not anymore. There are 25 different variations of it to look for if you want a complete collection, and the 2019 TH isn't necessarily the most sought-after one.

The body was painted blue and features SWAT and Police decals, and the flame logo is visible on the front doors. A few people are trying to sell these for over $20, but you know our TH policy: always try to get them for less than $5!

6. Cyber Speeder

The Cyber Speeder takes P6 on our list today, and it's no wonder that Ryu Asada designed this casting too. This feels like something you would see in a Sci-Fi movie, and it has only been around since 2018.

The gray body features a mix of white stripes and blue elements, including the number 3 which is most likely a reference to the fact that Mattel released two previous variations of this casting.

The white and blue Aerodisc wheels fit right in and we can't help but wonder if we'll ever see a premium variation of the Cyber Speeder soon. The Comet Cruiser isn't all that expensive, and you get a set of over 20 of them for $35.

5. Fast-Bed Hauler

The Fast-Bed Hauler might have not made it to the list if it was just a regular truck. But given the fact that it can carry another Hot Wheels casting in the back, it's considerably more exciting.

After all, not everyone wants to spend $20 or more on a premium Team Transport set. With the Fast-Bed Hauler, you can get similar results for a fraction of the cost. Abe Lugo designed this vehicle for its 2014 release, and there are eight different variations on the market to look for.

The 2019 TH version is the best one to get as the yellow paint job makes it stand out of the crowd. You can get a set of eight haulers for just over $30, but a single one will cost less than $5.

4. Humvee

Things are starting to get more and more interesting now, as the Humvee takes P4 on our list. Hardcore Hot Wheels enthusiasts will recognize this casting right away, as it has been around since 1992.

Earlier versions had a turret-mounted machine gun, but the design has changed over time. Starting a Humvee collection might take a while, as there are almost 60 variations to acquire for the whole line-up.

Two of these were released in 2019, and the TH model has a racing-oriented livery as opposed to the army-style of previous models. Pricewise there's nothing special worth mentioning here, as a $10 budget can get you two or even three tiny Humvees for your collection.

3. Custom Ford Bronco

The Custom Ford Bronco made its Hot Wheels debut in 2008, and Mattel unveiled three different variations that same year. A Premium iteration showed up in 2012, and it's probably one of the coolest ones so far.

But the 2019 Treasure Hunt Bronco isn't half bad either. The black body featured a gray rollbar and a mix of red, yellow, and orange stripes. The color design was on point here, with the orange bull bar and the gold Beadlock Off-road wheels.

Photos don't always favor this Bronco, but you might think differently of it if it were in the palm of your hand. Spending $30 on a lot of six of these could be a smart move, as you could trade some of them for other TH items that have evaded you thus far.

2.’67 Camaro

For most collectors, the '67 Camaro was the crown jewel of the 2019 Treasure Hunt series. Larry Wood is the mastermind behind this classic casting, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year!

You'll find Super Treasure Hunt and Premium variations on it, as you might have seen in some of our recent stories. We haven't seen a new release from Mattel in 2023 yet, and the last time this casting skipped a beat happened in 2016. The 2019 TH model was painted Sky Blue and features white, blue, orange, and red stripes.

It's not the best color scheme we've ever seen on the '67 Camaro, but it does a good job of pointing out its TH status. Some eBay sellers are asking STH money for it, but by now you should know better than to fall into their trap.

1. Corvette Stingray

The Corvette Stingray is yet another iconic Hot Wheels casting, and people have been collecting it since the late '70s. Naturally, some changes have occurred since, and you'll need to invest quite a bit of time to get them all.

The 2019 Treasure Hunt was part of the Super Chromes series, which means it has that ZAMAC look to it. The livery consists of white stars running across the red and blue stripes. And the Chrome-finish on the 5-spoke wheels might help you forget that this is just a basic design at the end of the day.

From the information we've gathered, it may be difficult to buy this TH for less than $10. But we feel like it's worth it, especially if you're pursuing the goal of gathering all the Corvette variations ever created by Mattel.