Mattel is the largest toy company in the world when ranked by revenue. Since its birth in 1945, they have been cranking out toy after toys that have become favorites of children throughout the past seven decades. As Hot Wheels, See 'N Say, Cabbage Patch Kids, and of course Barbie and Ken have survived through generations, the Mattel company has grown into a titan of children's toys that bring excitement to young boys and girls as they tear open their newest toy. That same kind of excitement is stirred in older fans of Mattel toys, along with a nostalgia and longing for younger days as they shop for vintage Mattel toys. The same toys that they may have once bought for a few nickels are now worth up to hundreds of dollars and are eagerly sought after.
Hot Wheels were rolled onto the scene in 1968. Sixteen different cars were released featuring roofs painted black to look like vinyl, redline tires, and a metal collector button. For the time, these model cars were the most accurate replicas available. The collection included muscle cars like the Firebird, Mustang, Camaro, Chevrolet Corvette, historic cars like the Hot Heap which was based on the Model T, to surfer cars such as the Custom Volkswagen and the Deora which was a replica of a Dodge surf truck. The Hot Wheels "Custom Corvette" was actually released as a model car before the car itself was released. The next year another twenty-four varieties of cars were released into toy stores. One of the more popular models was the Volkswagen Beach Bomb. The original release of this car was nearly identical to a life sized VW bus and had two surfboards sticking out the back window. This first model became known as the Rear-Loader Beach Bomb, because the surfboards were placed in the bus from the back. Going back to the drawing board, the Beach Bomb was modified greatly. Side fenders were expanded, the plastic surfboards were moved to the side of the van, and a sunroof was cut in to make the model less top-heavy. Today, the Rear-Loader Beach Bomb is one of the most sought after and highly valued of the Vintage Hot Wheels cars. While a side-loader Beach Bomb is worth up to six hundred dollars, a rear-loader in mint condition sells easily for tens of thousands of dollars. Several years ago, one of only two of the hot pink rear-loaders known to exist sold more a reported figure above seventy thousand dollars, the most expensive known transaction of a single Hot Wheel Car. Hot Wheels continued their production method until 1981. Cars were heavier, more expensive to create, thick axles that kept the car from moving quickly, and minimum suspension. Finally in 1981, several of the problems were corrected, allowing the cars to move more quickly and swiftly on any Hot Wheels track. Mint condition vintage Hot Wheels released before 1981 are considered the most valuable.
Barbie is one of the most well known Mattel toys and vintage Barbie dolls go for high price tags. Originally released on March 9, 1959, the Barbie doll has gone through dozens of changes to body shape, wardrobe, hair styles and more. The original Barbie doll was available as a blonde or brunette, wore a black and white striped bathing suit, a sideways glance, and an adult body, although the legs were shorter than today's Barbie dolls. The same Barbie doll that sold for $3.00 in 1959 sold for $3552.50 on an EBay auction in 2004. In September of 2006, a world record for “Most Expensive Barbie Doll” was set when Barbie in Midnight Red, a 1965 release was sold by two Dutch women for $17,000 in London.
Vintage Mattel toys seem to carry power with their nostalgia. Perhaps because of the longing for youth, the passion for collecting, or maybe just being a fan of the packaging, classic Mattel toys come with massive price tags and obsessive searches.
