5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 1999

It was a carefree style of life, although I suspect it wasn't as easy for my parents. Still, many of my friends agree that the '90s were great. None of my friends had even heard about the Internet until 1999. So friendships were more personal, more genuine. I'm nostalgic by nature and like to invite you on this trip down memory lane.

So, let's revisit some of the highlights of the year 1999, which will be the main topic of this story for the next few minutes. Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker launched Napster in June of that year. Suddenly, the world saw what it could achieve by using the Internet. Many artists opposed the concept, but it proved highly beneficial for some. NASA launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which has provided humanity with valuable information for over 24 years.

The 1999 Solar Eclipse was a massive event for me as a 10-year-old, and I must have kept those special glasses for years before my mom finally disposed of them. Here's one that might help you realize how long ago this Eclipse happened: F1 driver Lando Norris was born that year! Speaking of F1, Michael Schumacher suffered a broken leg after an incident at the British Grand Prix and was out for several races before recovering.

His teammate, Eddie Irvine, would take P2 in the championship. It was a close battle for the title, as Mika Häkkinen scored two more points in his McLaren-Mercedes than Ferrari's driver. Over in the FIM Road Racing World Championship, drivers were still riding 500cc 2-stroke motorcycles. Àlex Crivillé won the World Title that year, becoming the first Spanish rider to do so.

Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi won the 250cc class for Aprilia. Over in the WRC, Tommi Mäkinen won his fourth consecutive and final title. Ten automotive manufacturers in that era were part of the series; only three exist today. Before I move on to how things were going on over at Mattel HQ, let me remind you of some incredible cars that debuted that year: the Audi RS 4 B5, the BMX X5 E53, the Ferrari 360 Modena, the Honda S2000, the Pagani Zonda C12 and the first-ever Porsche 911 GT3 model (996 series).

I suddenly feel very old remembering all of this. But let's move on to the main topic: the 1999 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt collection. Sadly, none of the 12 cars featured Real Riders wheels. But we can appreciate that the entire set had only three fantasy items. I didn't include the Hot Wheels 500 on my list because of the terrible color combo.

The 2001 Final Run Series variation was infinitely better. I'm equally unimpressed with the '59 Chevy Impala and the '32 Ford Delivery. Also, I've already reviewed the '70 Mustang Mach 1, as it was part of the 2005 Treasure Hunt line-up. So that leaves us with what I consider to be the five best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt models of 1999.

Mercedes 540K

The Mercedes 540K is the first of two Larry Wood-designed castings on this list. It's also one out of four castings from Mattel that are no longer available. The diecast manufacturer created 27 variations between 1982 and 1999. That's right, the TH iteration was the penultimate release of the 540K.

The team in El Segundo only used Real Riders wheels on it once, with the 1997 60th Anniversary '37 European Classics 2-Pack. I'd say this is the best iteration out there, but the two FAO Schwarz models from 1994 and 1995 are pretty decent, too. The best part about this casting is that it had a metal base, a common occurrence for Hot Wheels cars in that day and age.

The 540K TH featured a simple two-tone, red, and black finish with no unnecessary decals to ruin the fun. The five-spoke wheels were all right but didn't bring any excitement to the table. This situation explains why you could purchase this item for as little as $6. All 12 cars can cost as little as $120, but if you want the 1/3500, Limited Edition, Factory Sealed Box, that quickly goes up to $300.

T-Bird Stocker (1997)

The T-Bird Stocker debuted in the 1997 Pro Racing: Basic series. Mattel released 11 variations that year alone, all of which used Goodyear Eagle 10-Spoke wheels. These continued to be a feature of the Stocker for the first two 1999 iterations, too.

Switching to a simple five-spoke design for the Treasure Hunt model was less than ideal, but that happened. The livery was just what you'd expect from a racing car, and the T-Hunter decals on the rear pointed to the special nature of this item.

Expect prices between $5 and $50, but you can find a mint card for $20 or less. There were eight more variations of this casting until its demise in 2011, bringing the total to 22 units.

'97 Corvette

Dave Weise designed this casting for its 1997 First Editions debut. It appeared in the 2023 Corvette 70 set of eight cars, and I'm shocked I still haven't found one yet. A complete collection of this casting will require a dedicated display area, as it contains 50 iterations.

The 1999 Metalflake Light Purple variation is the only Hot Wheels '97 Corvette that reached Treasure Hunt status. It didn't have Real Riders wheels, but it's the only one to roll on 5-DOT rims.

I've seen one on eBay listed at $80, as Michael Heralda signed it. That aside, you should pay at most $15 for this 'Vette. If you don't care about the TH label, you might be better off buying the 100% Preferred: Corvette variations. At least those have some nice wheels to showcase.

Ferrari F512M

The Ferrari F512M is undoubtedly the best car of the 1999 Treasure Hunt series. By now, you might have learned that Mattel lost the Ferrari license almost a decade ago. And it's not likely it will get it back anytime soon. I've covered the topic extensively in my 25 Coolest Ferrari Hot Wheels Cars story, so I'll focus more on the 1999 TH details for today.

I think yellow is the perfect color for a Ferrari, and Mattel came out with three similar iterations over the next few years. The F512M TH used PC5 wheels, the predecessors of the Real Riders Exotic design. The PC5 design does not include rubber tires, but its looks are far superior to the basic mainline rims. Reportedly, this TH model has one variation with six-spoke wheels on the front axle, but that may be either an error or a custom model.

Speaking of error models, someone is trying to sell one for $895 on eBay. Frankly, the concept is ludicrous, and I'd much rather buy a standard vehicle. You won't have much luck with this one, either. Even the cheapest ones will cost at least $45. But I'd say it's worth it, and I'd choose this collectible over any other item in the 1999 series.

Jaguar D-Type

The last vehicle on the list also hails from Europe. Mark Jones designed the Jaguar D-Type casting, and it had a very short lifespan. It debuted in 1998, had 13 variations, and vanished in 2004.

The last two items featured Real Riders wheels, and one was a limited edition with only 10,000 units leaving the factory. The 1999 Treasure Hunt featured a Metalflake Black finish with a touch of gold, white and red.

The Mainline 5-spoke wheels are underwhelming for a vehicle like this, but we can do nothing about it now. Prices range from $4 to $75, so it's up to you how much you want to spend on it. If you'll excuse me, I might order the F512M; it's just too good to ignore.