5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 1996

I still remember chatting with him on Yahoo Messenger. His user was a derivative of Tupac and Makavelli. Whenever I feel nostalgic about these years, I listen to "To Live and Die in LA," "How Do You Want It," or "Dear Mama," to name a few of my favorite songs. And it was this train of thought brought me to today's topic: the 1996 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt series.

Tupac died on September 13, 1996, and it was a sad day for his fans across the globe. But let's explore some other events that happened that year. Nintendo launched the N64 video game console, and we can all remember playing Super Mario 64 on it. I only had a PC at home, so iD Software's Quake was much more accessible. I've also noticed plenty of Heroes of Might and Magic enthusiasts reminiscing about the second installment in the series, aptly called The Succession Wars. What about movies?

I've avoided watching Trainspotting so far despite it being one of the biggest flicks of 1996. I've only recently discovered Primal Fear featuring Richard Gere and Edward Norton. And I've always been a massive fan of Independence Day and Mars Attacks. 1996 was Valentino Rossi's first year in the 125cc class, and he took P5 overall with Aprilia.

Mick Doohan clinched the title in the 500cc class. Makinen won the WRC, while Damon Hill took top honors in Formula 1. What about road-going vehicles? Think Audi S8, Lotus Elise, and Ferrari 550. But 1996 also marked the debut of the Porsche 986 chassis.

I would still love a Boxster today! One of my RX-7 buddies also owns a Nissan Stagea with an RB25DET engine and AWD. The Japanese manufacturer launched this model in 1996, selling multiple variations until 2001. But let's switch back to Mattel and see which TH models didn't make my Top 5 list for today. I'm convinced that people who miss the '30 and '40s would have opted to include the Woodie, the Auburn 852, and the '37 Bugatti here.

I had difficulty letting the Dodge Ram 1500 and the '58 Corvette go. I've talked about the '57 Chevy in a previous story, and the '59 Caddy also came close to the top. You know what to do if you struggle to decide between them. Look for the 1996 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt set of 12 collectibles: it usually costs between $300 to $500 on eBay.

Ferrari 250

The Ferrari 250 was the third Treasure Hunt model in the 1996 line-up. Larry Wood designed this casting, and it only survived the market between 1991 and 2009. That was enough time for 26 variations. I won't talk about the Mattel-Ferrari licensing issue here, as we're all sad it ended about a decade ago.

The diecast manufacturer painted the car yellow for the first few releases, alternating between several wheel designs. In 1995, the Metallic Dark Red 250 almost looked like a Premium model aside from the 7-spoke wheels. It's almost counterintuitive that the 1996 Treasure Hunt sports a Metallic Grey paint job, but there's enough red to highlight its heritage.

The cheapest 250 I've seen on eBay costs $30. But you can pay as much as $75 for a perfectly preserved card. If this variation opened up your appetite for classic Ferrari race cars, there are still a few other exciting models to look for. I'd hunt for any items with Real Riders wheels, including the black Fao Schwarz iteration and the red Milestone Moments 250. But I wouldn't pass on the Ferrari Racers series, though I know the Co-Molded rims aren't quite as lovely.

Jaguar XJ220

If you account for prestige, the Jaguar XJ220 is one step lower than the 250. But it would fly right past it down the highway if it had the chance. You could still buy an XJ220 for less than $1 million. But the diecast route is the next best thing if you can't afford that budget.

Larry Wood is the mastermind behind this casting, too. It debuted in the 1993 Mainline series with a Metalflake Silver finish and Ultrahot wheels. Mattel underwent several rather tedious variations before developing the 1996 Treasure Hunt XJ220. Metalflake Dark Green fits this model like a glove; the gold wheels are spot on.

The diecast manufacturer stopped using the PC5 rim design in 2002, and you will see it less often. The price range for the XJ220 is more affordable, going from as low as $20 to as much as $50. Fast forward to 2010, the XJ220 became a part of the Speed Machines and consequently received CM6 wheels. But other than that, Mattel must pay more attention to the British supercar. Imagine a Premium casting of the XJ220 TWR or a Red Line Club exclusive model!

Dodge Viper RT/10

Larry Wood worked with Michael Kollins on designing the Dodge Viper RT/10 casting. It debuted in the 1993 Mainline series, and Mattel released 16 iterations before unveiling the 1996 Treasure Hunt model. The Employee Holiday Release is the first noteworthy model featuring the same wheels as the XJ220 TH.

The Dodge Showroom Viper RT/10 that Preceded the Treasure Hunt variation used PC5 rims instead, which are the precursor of the Real Riders Exotic design. Switching back to the PC6 wheels, the RT/10 TH sported a white-on-white look. The blue stripes down the middle were there to save the day. Otherwise, the whole thing wouldn't have been so good.

Some people are asking $80 for this collectible, but a budget of $30 could also solve your problem. This casting served a second Treasure Hunt term in 2020. But if you're keen on having one with Real Riders wheels, look for the early 21st-century iterations. You can buy the Hall of Fame: Legends RT/10 for less than $15, and I'm surprised that the same is valid for the black and yellow All Tune & Lube Promotional variation.

Ferrari 355

The Ferrari 355 was the eighth Treasure Hunt model for the 1996 series. This casting debuted in 1995. Interestingly, all the variations that came out that year featured a yellow finish.

At least there were different wheel designs to choose from. The 1996 Treasure Hunt 355 gives off Miami Vice vibes with that Pearl White finish and the gold PC5 rims. The tan interior is also a big plus. We can be happy that the 355 TH has detailed taillights, but would it have killed the design department to paint the headlights, too? We'll never know. Given the background of this vehicle, don't expect to find one for less than $50.

On the other end, prices will go up to $100. If you think that's expensive, don't even search for the 2008 Ferrari Racer variations. So far, the 1996 Treasure Hunt series has proven to be quite impressive. But we're still going.

Lamborghini Countach

The Lamborghini Countach was the tenth vehicle in the 1996 Treasure Hunt series. Seeing another hot Italian on the list after two Ferraris, a Jaguar XJ220 and the Dodge Viper, is excellent. Mattel has several Hot Wheels Countach castings, one of which is a Red Line Club exclusive creation.

When this version debuted in 1988, it featured a white paint job and Ultrahot wheels. The diecast manufacturer developed 20 iterations before unveiling the Countach Treasure Hunt in 1996.

You can't go wrong with an Orange Lamborghini. Collectors spotted two slightly different variations of this TH: one had PC6 wheels, and the other rolled on PC5 rims. I would pick the latter one all day long. It may prove challenging to come across if it's not just a myth or an error model.