It’s fair to say I spend quite a lot of time on eBay. Not necessarily buying anything, but *damn* is it a good source of entertainment. For instance: Vintage Small Scale HO? Free Shipping (Frosted sent me that one). Also, if you are still in the market for a $5000 Hypermite mainline (featured in a previous index) from 2009 you are in luck.
One of the perplexing things I have learned working on this blog (with lots of help, of course) and checking eBay is that 1/64-ish Hot Wheels are by far what collectors want. I mentioned this in a previous Index but a 1/64 Super TH Ferrari Enzo can easily double the price of a 1/18 version MADE BY THE SAME COMPANY. Sure Super Treasure Hunts are rare (there could be as few as TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND of them out there) but the larger scale is far superior, in my opinion. Of course, that’s not to say that people don’t ask ludicrous prices for 1/18 Hot Wheels...
For any reader new to the eBay Insanity Index, the concept is pretty simple. I’ll look up the best price I can find on eBay for a diecast and then compare it to the highest price I can find for the Exact. Same. Product.
I’m a fan of the Hot Wheels Classics series. I’ve picked up quite a few in my collecting. It’s a reasonably cheap way to get some of the best castings Hot Wheels has released and in Spectraflame with Redlines, as well. Sure, they’re not Super Treasure Hunts but I’ve tired of flipping through walls of pegs, diving into dump bins, etc. Regardless, awhile back I came across a Craigslist ad offering a Classics’ RLC 1/18 Customized Drag Bus. As a VW guy I was all over it. Not only did the seller have the one he advertised but he had another one he was willing to part with! I grabbed both. I think I paid $60 total. Significant, yes, but I was happy with the purchase. I even got a couple of Hot Wheels Classics thrown in.
Recently, I looked these buses up on eBay. It seems I paid about market for them, which is cool with me. I’ve long given up that idea that collecting Hot Wheels is somehow going to be a solid “investment”. eBay sellers only occasionally consider such things as “market value” or “what is reasonable” of course. Which brings us to the
HIGH
$199.64 + $16.95 Shipping = $216.59
LOW
$15.99 + $15.00 Shipping = $30.99
$216.59 - 30.99 = $185.60 Difference
Both claim to be “Rare” but I guess the word “Super” adds a pair of $100 bills to the price.
As always, it’s your call.