2012 Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt Series Started With a '69 Dodge Coronet Super Bee

Seeing that 2012 revealed a total of 15 Super Treasure Hunt items, this story will be split into two parts. And the first half delivers an almost exclusive American line-up of machines, so more diversity will come with part two. I must also warn you that the farther back in time you'll go, the more difficult it will be for you to locate and purchase these collectibles. So proceed at your own risk.

'69 Dodge Coronet Super Bee

The '69 Dodge Coronet Super Bee is the oldest casting on our list today, as Mattel first used it in 2008. Phil Riehlman designed this, and the First Edition featured a brilliant Metalflake Yellow finish with five-spoke rims. The first Special Edition arrived in 2010 as a 10th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals model in Metalflake Green, rolling on five-spoke Mag-style wheels.

This item alone can cost as much as $175, but let's focus on the STH instead. The Spectraflame Orange collectible appeared in 2012 and had Real Riders 10-spoke rims. It's more affordable than the 2010 iteration, with prices varying between $35 to $70. With 28 variations on the market, this was the only time the Super Bee achieved Super Treasure Hunt status, and we last saw a basic model in 2022.

'67 Chevelle SS 396

Most people will argue that the '60s and '70s were the golden years of American cars, and you can see that judging by Mattel's line-up of special Hot Wheels items. Brendon Vetuskey designed the '67 Chevelle SS 396 for its 2010 release, and there are 27 variations of it to buy before you can have a complete collection. Strangely enough, neither of the 27 items is a Premium model, but I'm still happy to own the 2019 release in Dark Red.

The 2012 STH features a Spectraflame Maroon finish and the same type of wheels as the Collectors Nationals Super Bee. Price-wise, the Chevelle SS 396 isn't all that expensive, and you can buy one for less than $50. Alas, it's a bit too dark color-wise for my taste, but that seems to be a recurrent theme for that period in Hot Wheels history.

'70 Camaro Road Race

The third Super Treasure Hunt on our list today is the '70 Camaro Road Race, a casting that first appeared in 2011. Dave Weise designed this, and you might not be familiar with his name if you haven't collected these cars for a long time. His last design appeared in 2012 and has retired from the business a few years later. The Camaro Road Race is less famous than the previous castings, as Mattel only made 18 variations until 2021.

That's the last we saw of it, but a new design might yet to arrive. The STH featured a Spectraflame Red finish and Real Riders Exotic wheels which sounds like a rather odd choice but does an excellent job at it. Some sellers are asking as much as $100 for one of these collectibles, but you can still find one for less than $60 with some luck.

'73 Ford Falcon XB

Australians and Mad Max fans will instantly recognize this gem, a rare vehicle by any standards. Ford's Australian division built less than 1,000 GT 351 Coupe cars in just a few months. Mattel used it for the 2023 Ultra Hots line-up, but the Rob Matthes-designed casting first appeared in 2010. A Premium, Hot Wheels: Garage Ford edition and a rare Australian Expo variation came to be in 2011. Three thousand of the latter were ever made, and one can sell for up to $500. The 2012 Super Treasure Hunt is far more affordable at $60 or less.

Interestingly, this casting has reached STH status twice, with a Spectraflame Gold model appearing in 2013. The 2012 wears a Spectraflame Purple coat featuring white and black stripes. Another difference is that the first STH used 10-spoke wheels instead of the 5-spoke design in 2013.

'67 Ford Mustang Coupe

Phil Riehlmann designed the '67 Ford Mustang Coupe for its 2011 release as part of the Hot Wheels Garage: Ford premium series of collectibles. This casting joined the Mainline series with a bang in 2012, as you could find two variations in stores simultaneously. One was the regular Metallic Brown Mustang, but the other was the Spectraflame Brown Super Treasure Hunt.

The gold stripes didn't improve this item's look, but at least people were excited to see the Turbine Real Riders wheels on all four corners. These wheels have been around for ages, from 1983 to be more specific, but some updates have been made in recent years. As always, try to avoid the expensive, $100+ listings, as there are plenty of these cars to get for half that price.

'71 Dodge Challenger

Rob Matthes also designed this '71 Dodge Challenger, and this casting has been around since 2011. Of 19 variations, two are particularly special: the 2011 Mopar Premium and the 2012 Super Treasure Hunt. Mattel opted for a Spectraflame Aqua Blue finish for the latter, and the black and white stripes make this casting look even more menacing than it already did.

The 5-spoke Mag-Style Real Riders wheels have a Red Line series air to them, and this is one of the best STH models in part one of our story. But it's not going as high up on the list by the time we're done with part two, as there is at least one spectacular collectible for you to see. The '71 Challenger will cost you between $65 to $100 today, and expenses are already starting to pile up for the 2012 Super Treasure Hunt series.

'71 Maverick Grabber

The last STH we will discuss today is also a '71 model. The Maverick Grabber casting debuted as part of the 2010 New Models set, featuring an orange finish and 5-spoke wheels. 2012 was a good year for the Maverick, with the launch of a limited-edition variation in Spectraflame Ice Blue. Mattel built 4,000 units, and one will sell for about $100. You will only pay a quarter of that price for the STH version, which features less-than-desirable Hot Wheels livery.

Every time that happens, the car is bound to be worth less to collectors, yet the toy manufacturer insists on perpetuating this design year in and year out. People are already buying the product, so it seems futile to keep pushing the brand new through liveries so often. The Real Riders Wire Spoke rims can't save the day on their own, and several Mainline variations of the Maverick are more visually appealing than the STH.

Alas, some of you may have different opinions on these cars, and I'd love to hear you out. I'm certainly more excited to reveal the second part of the story, as 2012 brought forth one of the few Hot Wheels Ferrari Super Treasure Hunt items. I've recently seen one collector selling his item for $200, which should give you an idea of how popular these tiny vehicles are.

We still have eight more STH in part two, with two European models and one Japanese one on the list. Doing the math for part one, you'll need less than $500 for the seven above models. But if you pay close attention to the market, you'll know Mattel issues a complete set of the 2012 STH series at the time. With 2,000 units built overall, you can buy one for about $700 if you've got some negotiation skills to work with and if you find the right seller.