244 Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt Cars Can Cost More Than a 2024 Ford Mustang

Once you dive deeper and deeper into a hobby, it will consume a lot of resources. It's tough with project cars, as good quality parts are costly. But I've been comparing this hobby to collecting diecast vehicles for some time now. As I've gone through 17 years of Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt items, I've pointed out how expensive these can be. But I've always wanted to do the math and see how much all 244 cars would cost.

I knew the total value would be rather scary. And I also knew that gathering data would take a bit of time. Here I am after almost 24 hours of analyzing listings and prices. This review is not a scientifically accurate study, as that would imply ten times as much work. But it's a fun little guide to either help you in your STH-collecting journey or deter you from ever starting it. Now, several factors will influence the price of a Super Treasure Hunt car.

Short cards are usually rarer and more expensive. A mint card will always cost more than one with cracks or damage. Fantasy vehicles are cheaper in 99% of cases. And then there are trickier things to measure, like scarcity, demand, and popularity. A specific STH item can rank higher because it replicates a famous model or has a particular livery. One thing I've entirely ignored for this story is "Error cars." These are popular for some collectors but think of it this way. If someone sold you a vehicle with a significant fabrication flaw, would you be happy about it or send it back?

Another thing is that I've only considered carded vehicles for this test, which means you could get the entire collection cheaper if you are okay with buying loose items. For starters, I'll tell you about the minimum budget required to purchase every one of the 244 STH Hot Wheels released between 2007 and 2023. Adding up all of the cheapest listings on the market, you're looking at a budget of $10,864. Of course, you must also consider shipping costs, potential seller problems, and the time to process every order.

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If you find one seller that owns all the items, you can negotiate your way through to at least a 20% discount. But the chances of finding someone willing to let go of the complete STH collection are slim. And the more you look for cheaper items, the bigger your chance of problems. Some people are known to make custom STH cars out of regular vehicles; avoid falling into that trap! One other thing you need to consider is that you can look for the Super Treasure Hunt set for each year. That will save a lot of time as you're buying in bulk, and it can be cheaper sometimes.

Still, getting all 17 sets will cost around $11,505, assuming you need to improve your negotiating and can't get further discounts. Judging by the cheapest listings, the most expensive Super Treasure Hunt series is the 2015 one. Handpicking the most affordable items, you'll still have to pay about $1,011. That comes up to an average of $67.4 per vehicle.

At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest series came out in 2009, with a total cost judging by eBay listings of $326. That's an average of $27.16 per vehicle. I've overcome my repulsion of scalpers, and now I'm mostly amused by their attempts to sell Hot Wheels items at ridiculous prices. So, for this exercise, I'll list the most expensive series, judging by the most costly listings online.

2007 Series

Mattel changed things in 2007, splitting the old Treasure Hunt series into two. Now, collectors could get their hands on Trea$ure Hunt$ items, which were a bit more special with their Real Riders wheels and Spectraflame paint jobs. How did the first year look like with this change?

Well, five out of the 12 items were fantasy vehicles. A sixth one was a tooned version of a '69 Camaro Z28. I'm a massive fan of the Corvette C6R that came out that year. But the two highlights of the series were the race-spec Nissan Skyline and the Ferrari Enzo. The Japanese sports car had a new iteration coming out last year. But the Enzo is long gone due to Mattel losing the Ferrari license to a Chinese rival.

I've looked for the cheapest options for these two vehicles, but they will still cost you $480. And this is where things get tricky. The most expensive Enzo I've found has an asking price of $3,000. Meanwhile, the Skyline can get up to $650. Following this path will lead you to a budget of $4,308 for the whole series. And that's six times more than you'd have to pay if you bought the cheapest versions. So be mindful of the sellers you interact with!

2022 Series

By comparison, the 2022 STH series is much cheaper at a maximum price of $3,148. That's just a little over five times the price of the most affordable items in the series.

The '99 Honda Civic Type R (EK9) and the '71 Lamborghini Miura SV are the highlights for 2022, as they can both sell for more than $500 each. The Honda is the fifth most expensive STH item on the market, while the Enzo and Skyline are P1 and P4. But the Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X will also fetch a premium price, as it can get up to $325.

As mentioned earlier, a special livery can go a long way. That explains why some '32 Fords can have an asking price of almost $200. Gulf Oil cars are always vastly popular in the community, even outweighing exciting vehicles like the '73 BMW 3.0 CSL Race Car.

2023 Series

The 2023 Super Treasure Hunt line-up is almost on par with the 2022 one regarding cost. Worst-case scenario, you'll pay about $3,123 for all 15 cars. In a best-case scenario, you're looking at $668. But you can save more cash if you find the proper Red Line Club exclusive STH set for sale.

The market value for last year's cars will still fluctuate throughout 2024. But for now, the Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510) is still the most expensive, with prices ranging from $145 to $372.

Someone was bold enough to ask $700 for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, but that doesn't mean you should pay that amount. The '82 Toyota Supra is next on the list, going for as much as $299.

2020 Series

Add up all the most expensive 2020 STH items, and you'll have to pay $2,652. That's less than four times as much as the cheapest line-up from that year. The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento could be the hardest one to get, with top-of-the-range prices reaching $400.

The Ford GT-40 featured a Gulf Livery, so market value ranges between $90 to $350. And the '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is just a little behind: the most expensive one costs $315.

Finding an R32 GT-R for less than $85 is nigh impossible, but don't pay $297 for the love of God. Sure, you want a mint card and all, and it's even better if it's short. But these vast gaps should not exist; these are not numbered items like we used to have in the RLC series.

2012 Series

Mattel came up with an impressive line-up of STH items in 2012. But the two main stars were the Honda S2000 and the Ferrari 599XX. If careless, you could spend as much as $1,170 for two Hot Wheels! And if you do everything you can to get the cheap, you're still looking at a budget of around $300.

The entire collection could cost as much as $2,564. But I know you're itching to find out how much you'd have to pay for all 244 Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt items. The answer is simple: more than you'd pay for a brand-new Ford Mustang. The MSRP for a base model is $30,920 before taxes ($1,595 destination charge.) Worst-case scenario, all 244 items will cost $35,748.

That's almost Toyota GR Corolla money! Buying all the STH sets will be much more affordable, ranging between $11,000 and $20,000. And at this point, I still need to consider the 1995-2006 Treasure Hunt line-up. We have yet to begin to discuss Premium or RLC models. If you're still keen on completing your STH collection, I hope your bank account looks like your phone number!