Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt Set of 15 Cars Is Coming Up, Feels Like a Solid Investment

While most people haven't abandoned hope just yet, there are two alternatives to having a complete STH collection for every year. The first one is finding them all on eBay or collector forums, but it won't be cheap. While you might pay around $2 for an STH item if you can find it inside a store, you can end up paying a hundred times more if you'll buy it from someone who's only looking to make a profit.

The other alternative involves going straight to Mattel Creations at the beginning of each year. That's because the diecast manufacturer releases a set containing all 15 STH items, usually in January. Getting all 15 from the store will only cost you about $30, but Mattel will charge $250 for it all. But there's more. The tricky part is that they're only making 1,500 sets in total, and chances are tens of thousands of people will be trying to get at least one. So let's look at the Super Treasure vehicles that were available in 2022 to get an idea of how big this moment is for Hot Wheels collectors around the world.

’55 Chevy

The '55 Chevy kicked things off for 2022, as it was the first STH model to arrive in stores. Larry Wood originally designed this casting for its 2006 release, when it had a metal base and a Spectraflame paint job. The first variation to use Real Riders wheels arrived in 2007, and there aren't that many premium versions of this car going around.

Fast forward to 2022, both the regular '55 Chevy and its rarer version were painted blue. You could recognize the STH by the fact that it had the Spectraflame paint job but also the Real Riders 5-spoke wheels, which made it look quite impressive. Of course, there's also a TH symbol on it, and it's not that easy to spot even if the vehicle is still carded.

Prices for this STH range between $49 to $225. Of course, loose items can cost a bit less, but for this exercise, we'll only be looking at collectibles that are still intact in every way possible.

’73 BMW 3.0 CSL Race Car

Case B for 2022 brought with it the '73 BMW 3.0 CSL Race Car Super Treasure Hunt. This casting has only been around since 2016, and Mattel had Fraser Campbell working on the design before its official release.

Since its debut, we've only seen 10 different variations of it, so it's no wonder that collectors are always keen to get their hands on one on every occasion they get. The 2022 Retro Racers appearance featured two almost identical models, and anyone who was anything less than a Hot Wheels expert probably had a hard time telling them apart.

The STH item was painted in Spectraflame Yellow and featured Real Riders 8-spoke wheels while also featuring Castrol, Bilstein, and Hot Wheels decals. Prices for it range between $40 to $99, which is nothing compared to the 2016 Toy Fair edition. One of those can cost you more than $1,000.

Dodge Van

The Dodge Van was the third Super Treasure Hunt released for 2022, and up to that point, it was also the newest casting around. Ryu Asada designed this for its 2021 release, so it achieved STH status after just two initial variations.

You'll only find seven of them on the market today, but there's a good chance more are coming shortly. Once again, telling this model apart from the regular variation was quite tricky for most people. Besides the Spectraflame color, some noticed that the 5-spoke wheels were replaced with Mini Classic 4-Spoke Real Riders ones.

Also, a TH decal appeared right above the Dodge one on the door, but that's about it. As you'd expect, the Dodge Van was less popular than the previous two models. But that didn't necessarily impact its market value, as the most expensive one is rated at about $300. At the other end of the spectrum, there's still hope of finding one for $40.

’63 Studebaker Champ

The '63 Studebaker Champ was up next, but the Spectraflame Black truck wasn't all that popular. A Lamley Group poll had it sitting in P3 on a list of the worst STH collectibles for 2022, and that may be because this is a lesser-known vehicle these days.

Still, there is some history behind this casting, as it was first used in 2011. The STH release marked a new era for it, as Mattel opted for retooling to make it slightly more attractive.

The STH variation used 8-spoke RR wheels as opposed to the standard 5-spoke ones. One of the most expensive '63 Studebaker Champ STH models we've seen on the market has a price tag of $201. But you might be able to get it for just $30 if you're not in that big of a hurry.

2020 Corvette

From our perspective, the 2020 Corvette was one of the coolest Super Treasure Hunt collectibles of the year, but that doesn't seem to be a popular opinion. It arrived with Case E in 2022 and featured a clean look with its Spectraflame Elkhart Lake Blue paint job and Real Riders 5-Spoke Modern wheels.

Before the STH and regular mainline variation, there had been just one other version: the 2012 iD: Supercars Sebring Orange Corvette. So there are just three iterations of the Hot Wheels C8 Corvette on the market if you don't account for the race version.

If you're keen on adding a Short Card 'Vette to your collection, that can cost you up to $225. But $40 could do the trick, too, if you don't mind having the Long Card. That shouldn't be that difficult of a decision, right?

’99 Honda Civic Type R (EK9)
Case F brought the first JDM Super Treasure Hunt of 2022: the '99 Honda Civic Type R (EK9). The late Ryu Asada designed this casting for its 2021 debut, so the world had only seen one previous variation of it before the STH model hit the market.

The entry-level Phoenix Yellow paint job was upgraded to Spectraflame Yellow, and the PR5 wheels made way for a set of more exciting Real Riders 6-spoke Mag rims. Given how few iterations of this casting are around and the fact that the younger generation of collectors loves Japanese cars, it's no wonder that the '99 Civic Type R was voted as the third most popular STH of 2022.

That has an impact on its market value as well. The most expensive one we've come across on eBay recently had a price tag of $400. Finding a carded version for less than $160 sounds like Mission Impossible, but it doesn't hurt to keep trying.

Volkswagen Kafer Racer

The Volkswagen Kafer Racer that was hiding in Case G was the second least popular STH of 2022. This, too, was almost identical to the standard variation, so that may be why people voted this way.

While the Spectraflame Carmine iteration is the latest one to hit the market, the first version of this casting first appeared back in 2017. Mark Jones designed it while drawing inspiration from the Porsche 935 "Moby Dick" race car.

Regardless of its popularity rating, the most expensive Short Card STH Kafer you'll come across will require a $250 investment. Finding one for less than $40 isn't all that impossible either, but you'd better have some negotiation skills to get to that point.

2020 Jaguar F-Type

The eighth Super Treasure Hunt item to come out in 2022 was the 2020 Jaguar F-Type. There aren't that many variations of this casting around since it was just released in 2021. Ryu Asada designed this as well, and the STH model is the only one to feature a Spectraflame paint job and Real Riders wheels.

The previous three iterations weren't quite as good, and one of them even made use of the terrible TRAP5 wheels. The STH Jaguar featured a clean look, a strategy that has proven to be quite effective in recent years.

Still, this collectible was almost as unpopular as the Studebaker Champ. And finding one for the right price isn't going to be all that hard. You'll pay a maximum of $112 for one of these, while some people are even willing to accept $35 or less these days.

Custom ’18 Ford Mustang GT

This may come as a surprise, but the '18 Ford Mustang GT was voted to be the worst Super Treasure release for 2022. Both the regular version and the rare one featured mismatched wheels, but the standard Y5 model was replaced by the Real Riders 6-Spoke Mag design.

Other than that, these two were almost identical, and that may be why this STH has such a bad reputation. Most people will tell you that the 2020 iD series Falken Mustang was infinitely better, but otherwise, your options are quite limited.

Since 2019, Mattel has released 11 different variations of this casting, but you'll probably like the Premium RTR's a lot better. As for the market value of the Super Treasure Hunt, prices range between $35 to $90.

Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X

The Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X was the second and final Japanese Super Treasure Hunt model for 2022. And it was also the third most popular STH according to collectors that voted in the Lamley Awards.

This Jun Imai-designed casting has been around since 2011, and by 2013 there was already a Premium variation going around. In 2016 it graduated to Car Culture: Japan Historics, and there are 18 different iterations to look for if you're going for the complete collection.

The regular and STH versions were almost identical to each other, but the latter had 8-spoke wheels instead of the standard 5-spoke design. Given its popularity, this is one of the most expensive STH cars of 2022. Some people are asking as much as $400 for it, while the most sensible listings have it sitting at $80.

’71 Lamborghini Miura SV

The '71 Lamborghini Miura SV casting arrived in 2019 as part of the Hot Wheels id: Factory Fresh series. So it had a nice Spectraflame Giallo Miura paint job and ID wheels for a decent overall package.

The casting was introduced to the Mainline series in 2022, and Mattel upgraded it to STH status to celebrate that new beginning. The regular item looked quite boring with its MC5 wheels and Arancio Miura paint job, but that was not the case for the STH as it sat on Real Riders 10-spoke rims.

This STH collectible appeared in Case L and can cost as much as $500 these days. Some people might be willing to let it go for $50, but don't expect any miracles beyond that point.

’84 Mustang SVO

If you've been following our series of Super Treasure Hunt reports, you might remember that Mattel has created several STH variations of the Ford Mustang. But the '84 SVO showed up in 2022, hidden away in some of the M cases for that year. The casting first appeared in 2012 and was designed by Jun Imai.

Even so, it's quite rare, as there are only nine variations of it in total. The STH iteration featured a Spectraflame Purple paint job and Real Riders 5-spoke wheels, and American Muscle enthusiasts were ecstatic about it, to say the least. The most expensive ones on the market are priced at around $200, while the cheapest ones can go for about $30.

’94 Audi Avant RS2

European cars are more and more popular with Hot Wheels collectors these days, and Audis have been a big part of the shift. People have almost been fighting for the '94 Avant RS2 ever since it came out in 2021.

So it's no wonder that Mattel has already created four variations of it so far. We haven't seen a Premium version just yet, but that's bound to change over this year.

The regular 2022 model wasn't half bad in Brilliant Black, rolling on Aerodisc wheels. But the STH just took things to the next level, and that's why it took P4 in the popularity competition. One eBay user has listed one of these for $560, but that doesn't mean you can't try and get a similar product for about $40.

’32 Ford

Case P brought with it the '32 Ford, which was instantly popular thanks to its Gulf livery. The Spectraflame Blue chassis sits on Real Riders Steelie wheels, and it's obvious why this casting is quite popular among Hot Wheels collectors.

Gary Saffer designed this in the '90s, and it made its official debut back in 1998. You'll spend a lot of time and resources finding all the variations out there, but it will probably be worth it in the end. Talking about the 2022 STH version, the market value ranges between $60 to $320.

’81 Camaro

The last STH to show up in 2022 was the '81 Camaro. Some people are still finding this one today, so you'd better keep an eye out for it too. The casting has been around since 2012, but there aren't as many variations of it as you'd expect.

The Super Treasure Hunt features a cool Spectraflame Green paint job and Real Riders 5-spoke wheels and will sell for anything between $50 to $200. It's a bit strange that Mattel hasn't paid that much attention to this casting, as there are no other Premium versions of it.

And the color scheme on both the regular iteration and the STH one might remind you of some other vehicles in the company's line up too. Either way, the '81 Camaro STH wasn't as popular as expected, but it still makes for a great addition to any enthusiast's collection.

Now that we've seen all the Super Treasure Hunt models that were available in 2022, let's do the math. You can get all 15 on Mattel Creations for $250 before taxes if you're lucky enough. The set launches on January 17, 2023, at 9 AM PT, and it also includes that cool-looking box. But there's a limited supply of just 1,500 sets, so if you can get one, you might as well go get a lottery ticket too.

Buying all 15 cars on the market will cost you at least $700, so you can easily tell why Mattel's release feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you'll ever want to let go of it, you're almost sure to earn a profit too. But then again, collecting Hot Wheels cars isn't all about finding Super Treasure Hunt cars. There are also the Premium models to look out for, and at the end of the day, those can be just as fun.