I, officially and technically, started collecting Redline Hot Wheels back in July 1968. July 1st, 1968, my 8th birthday to be exact, and I remember the day well. If you’ve read my book, “REDLINE ARCHEOLOGY”A History of Diggin’Up Original Hot Wheels Collections, well, you already know the story. I guess I could claim that I’ve been a Redline Hot Wheels collector for more than five decades. Hard to believe, especially for me, but in reality, I began searching out original childhood one owner Redline Collections since the early nineties. I’ve been at it ever since and have purchased hundreds of collections, yes, I said hundreds, which equates into thousands of cars and accessories. If I would have kept everything I’ve dug up over the last three decades, I would need a second home.
Over the years with the many discoveries and thousands of cars, I have really taken note of the cars that rarely ever show up in these Rally Tire cases, Stack cases, Flat cases, and Gear Boxes! I’ve noticed how collectors in this hobby, over the years, have categorized the Redline Hot Wheels cars into “Common,”“Mid-Range,” and “Rare.”I agree with them for the most part, but there are certain exceptions to this rule that I’ve noticed with all the collections that have crossed my path. Drumroll please….. Here we go with what I, Bob Young, self-proclaimed Redline Archeologist and true passionate collector of the most amazing and innovative toy car line ever created, are the 5 MOST RARE Redline Hot Wheels to find in original one owner childhood collections:
#5 – Rolls Royce Silver Shadow in any color other than Grey. In almost three decades of hunting down original Redline Hot Wheels collections, I still, to this day, have never seen a RRSS in any color other than Grey appear in any case I uncovered.
#4 – Carabo. A common casting that rarely shows up in childhood collections. A very cool casting that never really gained much popularity. I have seen this car show up twice in my collecting career. Once in a BP collection out of NorCal and once from a former Mattel Employee collection out of Tucson, AZ but that’s where the buck stops.
#3 – Olds 442. We all know that they are rare, but other than Magenta, they rarely appear complete and with the back spoiler in any color.
#2 – Racer Rig. Another car that I’ve only seen a couple show their faces over the years. Of the two times that they have actually appeared in an original collection that I dug up, once it was missing the white enamel cab. A tough, tough piece.
#1 – Strip Teaser. I have this argument all the time with fellow collectors. This car has only appeared twice in almost three decades of collecting for me, and both times in Aqua. I have scored more of the 1973 Shell Promos than the original Strip Teaser from 1971. I equate the scarcity of this 1971 casting due to its unpopularity back in the day with children of the seventies. It must have just not appealed to them in many ways. It is a very odd concept car casting I admit, but it took me over 26 years for one to finally show itself in a collection I dug up, and of course it was Aqua.
Well, there you have it, a list of the Top 5 rarest Redlines from my perspective. I’m sure this will raise many an eyebrow in the hobby, but this is my experience with what I’ve experienced over the many years of hunting down these cars from people’s attics, basements, etc.
NEXT BLOG: I’ll discuss how I approach the difficult task of discovering Redline Hot Wheels in the wild, per se. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Hunting! Remember, it’s all about the “Hunt”and “Capture!”
If you have the old REDLINE Hot Wheels and are thinking of selling them, Look No Further!
You now ask yourself the age old question: “How do I sell my old Hot Wheels?”
Here at REDLINE ARCHEOLOGY, we will appraise your collection, at NO COST and NO OBLIGATION, and make the highest offer in the hobby for your cars, if they are from the years we are looking for 1967 – 1977.
With almost 30 years of diggin’up original one owner childhood Hot Wheels collections from the sixties and seventies, REDLINE ARCHEOLOGY is the only place to have your old Hot Wheels appraised by one of the most successful collectors in the hobby, Bob Young. Bob has recently authored a book titled “REDLINE ARCHEOLOGY”“A History of Diggin’Up Original Hot Wheels Collections”now available on AMAZON + Barnes & Noble.
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