Photo: Mattel
I have only found two Super Treasure Hunt cars in my years of collecting Hot Wheels. The first was the HKS Honda Civic Type R. The second was the Lotus Evija. I sold both vehicles for about $120 combined, so I'm not upset about letting them go.
STH collectors have to be patient. And they also need a decent-sized budget to carry on. Year after year, Mattel comes up with 15 new items. They're all shiny, thanks to a Spectraflame paint job. And they all sport Real Riders wheels with rubber tires. There are three ways you can build an STH collection. The cheapest but most difficult one is to seek them out in stores, one by one.
The next option is more accessible, as you only need an internet connection. You can buy each of the 15 cars from eBay or other platforms, but you can expect to pay between $50 to $100 or even more for a single vehicle. Buying in bulk is a good idea, most of the time. I've found last year's collection for $900 to $1,000 on the open market.
Last but not least, there's always the Red Line Club's exclusive way of doing things. Every year, Mattel comes up with a limited edition set containing all the Super Treasure Hunt collectibles. It's your second chance to get one after the Factory Sealed set of 400+ items. That sold out almost instantly. And it's not going to be any different this time.
The RLC-exclusive STH set goes live on January 30 at 9 AM PT. Reportedly, only 2,000 units exist. And each buyer can buy a maximum of one set. Unfortunately, many people have developed an arsenal of skills and tricks to go around this limit. And I'm willing to bet that the set will sell like hot cakes, in less than 60 seconds. If you're lucky enough and have an RLC account, you could buy it for $250 before taxes.
Strangely enough, a few sellers have already listed the item on various platforms. It could mean they're trying to scam you or are sure they can buy the set. Prices vary between $500 to $730, but I would stay away from them now. "Never feed the troll" is always a good rule to follow online. And you can apply it to scalpers, too. If you look at prices for older sets, they vary between $450 to $1,000.
But if you dig even deeper, you might be surprised. I believe the market value is only high in the first few years after launch. Then, when Mattel comes up with newer models, people lose interest in the old ones. So do yourself a favor and think twice before spending an obscene amount of cash on 15 cars. Or even better yet, buy the ones you like the most. The selection is vast enough to cater to any preference.
The next option is more accessible, as you only need an internet connection. You can buy each of the 15 cars from eBay or other platforms, but you can expect to pay between $50 to $100 or even more for a single vehicle. Buying in bulk is a good idea, most of the time. I've found last year's collection for $900 to $1,000 on the open market.
Last but not least, there's always the Red Line Club's exclusive way of doing things. Every year, Mattel comes up with a limited edition set containing all the Super Treasure Hunt collectibles. It's your second chance to get one after the Factory Sealed set of 400+ items. That sold out almost instantly. And it's not going to be any different this time.
The RLC-exclusive STH set goes live on January 30 at 9 AM PT. Reportedly, only 2,000 units exist. And each buyer can buy a maximum of one set. Unfortunately, many people have developed an arsenal of skills and tricks to go around this limit. And I'm willing to bet that the set will sell like hot cakes, in less than 60 seconds. If you're lucky enough and have an RLC account, you could buy it for $250 before taxes.
Strangely enough, a few sellers have already listed the item on various platforms. It could mean they're trying to scam you or are sure they can buy the set. Prices vary between $500 to $730, but I would stay away from them now. "Never feed the troll" is always a good rule to follow online. And you can apply it to scalpers, too. If you look at prices for older sets, they vary between $450 to $1,000.
But if you dig even deeper, you might be surprised. I believe the market value is only high in the first few years after launch. Then, when Mattel comes up with newer models, people lose interest in the old ones. So do yourself a favor and think twice before spending an obscene amount of cash on 15 cars. Or even better yet, buy the ones you like the most. The selection is vast enough to cater to any preference.
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