5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 1995

Do you ever think about how cool it would be to go back in time for 24 hours? You could relive a particular moment or experience a more straightforward way of being. I'm nostalgic like that, so I've always been fascinated by memorabilia and various collectibles. I have been diving into Mattel's Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt history for several months.

I've shown you some of the best items from each year, returning to 1996. And that leaves us with one last thing to do. The diecast manufacturer started the series in 1995, which was a good start. Each of the 12 castings had a limited run of 10,000 units, something you won't even see in the RLC series anymore. You could get an exclusive JC Penney set, which featured the entire collection, also limited to 10,000 units.

But before I tell you how much that will cost, let's remember what 1995 felt like. That should help set the mood for the rest of the story. So hit play on either "Gangsta's Paradise" or "This Is How We Do It" (two of the most popular songs that year), and let's get to it. Whereas "Dune: Part Two" is my only hope of seeing a good movie in 2024, Hollywood was still on a roll almost 30 years ago.

Comedy lovers will remember "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" and "Friday." If you're keen on epic flicks, think "Braveheart," "Waterworld," and "Jumanji." But I'd also nominate two foreign movies, which are excellent in their way: "La Haine" and "Ghost in the Shell." Blizzard Entertainment launched "Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness," a game that would have both me and my dad playing for years!

What about the automotive industry? BMW came up with the E39 5-Series and the Z3. Honda launched the sixth-gen Civic, and Ferrari revealed my favorite car of all time: the F50. But then the RUF CTR2 flew past at 217 mph (349 km/h). Michael Schumacher won his second F1 title while still racing for Benetton-Renault. Colin McRae won the World Rally Championship with Subaru for the first and only time in his career.

Now that we've settled in, let's talk Hot Wheels—the exclusive JC Penney set of 12 items costs between $1,900 and $4,100 these days. If you think that's expensive, buying each item one by one will be worse. I've done the math, and you're looking at anywhere between $2,500 and $7,300 for the complete collection. In choosing the five most exciting items, I've set aside the castings I've discussed in previous stories.

That includes the Olds 442 W-30, the Gold Passion, the '57 T-Bird, and the '67 Camaro. The latter can cost anywhere between $1,200 and $4,500, and most sellers will refer to it as the Holy Grail of the Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt series. Three more cars didn't make the list: the VW Bug (as we already looked at it in the Big Hits story), the '31 Doozie, and the '35 Classic Caddy. I'm too young to be a fan of '30s cars, although I'm sure I'd be amazed to ride in the Duesenberg. With five items left, let's see what they're all about.

1. Split Window '63

I'm about to enter a Corvette frenzy here, and I know I need one before I turn 40. Almost half a century ago, Larry Wood designed the Split Window '63, which debuted in the 1980 HiRakers series. Mattel fitted it with Real Riders wheels in 1983, and multiple such variations came out during the next two years.

The diecast manufacturer gave up on the Hi-Raker design by launching a retooled version of the Corvette in 1987. I'm a big fan of the 1990 California Custom iteration in Pink Chrome, which you can buy for about $30 today. This casting was also part of the 1990 Billionth Car Collection, and it's wild to think how many more billions Mattel has sold since.

The company retooled the Split Window '63 again for its 1995 release and used an excellent Metalflake Blue paint job for the TH variation. This item alone will cost between $110 and $145, and it's just one of 120 different Split Window '63 variations!

2. Stutz Blackhawk

I'm sure many kids today have no clue what a Stutz Blackhawk is. Many famous people owned one back in the day. Think Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Muhammad Ali, Al Pacino, and even Evel Knievel. Despite being in production for almost two decades, only about 600 cars left the factory.

It reportedly took 1,500 man-hours for each vehicle to reach that stage, so that's one way to explain the project's downfall. Its Hot Wheels career was slightly longer, with 18 variations between 1980 and 1999. Only two featured Real Riders wheels: the 1999 Final Run edition and the 1995 Treasure Hunt.

The latter displayed a lovely black and red combo, with Red Line Deep Dish rims to complete the look. At best, it's one of the most affordable models in the 1995 TH series, with a price tag of $60. But some sellers will insist it's worth almost $200 if you're willing to pay that much.

3. Rolls-Royce Phantom II

Rolls-Royce has been making Phantoms for 100 years now. I drove the Phantom VIII in 2022, and it's up there with some of the best cars I have ever experienced. So, seeing a tiny version of the Phantom II in Mattel's portfolio attracted my attention.

Once again, Larry Wood is responsible for the design. Sadly, it was a short-lived model. You will only find 11 iterations of the Rolls-Royce Phantom II. It debuted in 1984 and ended in 1995. The final FAO Schwarz release is too heavy on the gold for my taste.

So, I'd rather have the Metalflake Dark Red variation instead. I'm not entirely sold on the red PC6 wheels, but I like how the tan roof balances things off. You'll see listings on eBay ranging from $85 to $175, and there are certainly cheaper iterations out there.

4. Classic Nomad

The Classic Nomad is the oldest casting on this list, debuting in 1969. With 140 variations, the only other vehicle that's more popular in this set is the '67 Camaro (170 variations). As you'd expect, Mattel retooled the casting in the '80s and brought it back in 1991.

By 1993, it already had Real Riders wheels to show off. The 1995 Treasure Hunt Nomad had a Metalflake Aqua finish and Turbo Wheels. The stance was a bit off, but other than that, it was an exciting appearance.

If you want one, you'll need a budget of $95 to $150, which means it's one of the more affordable tiny Nomads on the market. We have yet to see a new iteration for 2024, but it did show up in the mainline series for 2023.

5. Classic Cobra

Last but not least, it's the Classic Cobra. This Shelby Cobra 427 S/C replica has been around since 1983. Back then, it still had an opening hood! After just one Mainline appearance, Mattel developed several Real Riders variations, albeit with minor differences. It appeared in the 1994 FAO Schwarz Gold Series Collection alongside other castings on this list, and it rolled on PC5 wheels.

The 1995 Treasure Hunt Cobra felt special, thanks to a Metalflake Green paint job, gold stripes, and PC6 wheels. Given its reputation, you can bet it will be costly. Even the most affordable version will cost $230, while more ambitious sellers will ask $400. That's still infinitely better compared to the '67 Camaro.

But with over 90 variations to look for, you'll need a serious budget to keep up. Don't even bother looking for the RLC Cobra if you aren't willing to spend at least $800 for one. And this concludes my review of the Hot Wheels 1995 Treasure Hunt series. I might add all the numbers up soon to tell you what the 1995-2006 series will cost.