27 February 2013

[Carded] Snippet Collection

Those I have an extra of, usually highly-sought after, a casting I like or something I want to keep and look at again 10 to 20 years down the road just so I can say to myself "My god, that's what they looked like back then?"



Hot Wheels Boulevards

Hoarded a lot of these for its wheels.
 One of the prettiest Hot Wheels I've seen and one of my favourite cars of all time. The styling is cute, it's elegant, solid red with white walls is timeless. Also hoarded a lot of these for its wheels!


I almost feel bad for those in my area who wanted to get their hands on one of these, but I've gutted about 6 of these for the wheels already. Then there's the one to keep, and this one to keep carded!

 Took a while, but I finally got my hands on one.. or two.


 
Treasure Hunts
 
 Had a bunch more I stupidly bought off eBay, but this is the only one I didn't uncard because it was the only one to have rubber tires.

 There was an abundance in my friend's area so I bought it off him.

 This one I found. It's my first TH discovered for this year.



Premiums and Potential Future Investments

 Redline wheel variation. Worth more than the regular run, but not worth a whole lot.

 
  Flying Customs are new to 2013. It's abundance won't make it worth a ton, but the retro styling of the card may grant it some desirable value years later. Now I'm just waiting for the other Mix cases to get shipped in. I'm done shopping through Mix A, Walmart!

 
 Both Ferraris above are the more common Speed Machines if I'm not mistaken. Nice to have though. The C4 Rally on the other hand. Not sure if that's more rare, but I don't hear many claiming they have one either.

Despite it's slightly "special" quality, it's pretty common. I wasn't around collecting when this was out in the open so I didn't get a chance to build on the Garage series (other than the 15-some cars I already have.

 
 Some people want this badly, but it's not as demanded as some of the other Hot Ones.
 El Rey Special, not really. Grabbed it since there was nothing else that day.
Had quite a bit of access to these, also got them cheap off a seller.

5SP wheel variation.

 
 
 Duplicates I received. Spectraflame finishes sure look pretty!

 Grabbed a bunch of these for its wheels. They're a tad different from the ones on the Boulevards. These have a bit more intricacy to it.

 Didn't mean to, but I ended up winning all 3 bids. Regardless, it's a pretty-looking truck.

 Nothing too too special or valuable, I just like Shelby Cobras. Superfast Americas get a touch more detailing than regular Matchboxes. That's it, but that's also why they don't cost a lot either!


Highly-Sought After


 
I was darn lucky I found one of these Camaros at a Zellers that was closing. 
 The US never got many so they're crazily sought-after. I already have a set, and hoarded the rest of the pegs at Walmart for a friend who wanted a set too (except there was only one of each Corvette so he never got to complete it). A whole set will cost you around $30; $5/47 per car, 6 in a set. On eBay, a Quebec-based seller had auctions soaring past $80!

 
 Paid a huge premium on the second-hand market for this, only because I never seen this Speed Machine being sold by anyone else. I assume it's one of the rare kinds.

 Just a mainline, yet, I never found a single one of these back in 2011. One day, Fall 2012, I run through a bin at Walmart containing tons of 2011 stuff I presume was stock they never sold last year because it was filled with crap castings. This bin never received more items during the month I went. Found 3 on my first visit, found 2 more on my second and found yet another on my third! Was too overjoyed to finally get my hands on a crazily popular casting which we never saw more of.

 
 Crazily sought after for some reason. Probably because they're Japanese cars. People are willing to pay good money for these 2, and a lo of Japanese cars in general. Mattel should take the hint and make some more.


Castings I Simply Like

 Not a First Edition, but it is one of the better looking Truenos. Also the first Trueno mainline I have access to.

 Just a PR5 wheel variation of the First Editions in 2006. It's not rare I don't believe.

Don't know why but these weren't as abundant as I'd thought they be. Didn't think people like the Panamera so much!

 A new casting for 2013. This makes it a "First Editions" which will have some significantly later on.

 Another new casting for 2013. I don't see myself following recolours of this car since I'm not a fan of the Barracudas to begin with. I just happen to really admire the Mopar livery.

 Maisto Fresh Metal has a crappy name. Adventure Wheels are what make it acceptable for Walmart since Fresh Metals have tarnished its own name since it sold itself to Dollarama. The same cars are still used, and it's still $1.00 flat even with the new look.

 
 Had an extra without knowing. Don't matter though. These Defenders turned out to be pretty damn nice to look at.


 Royal Blue... with gold trim? I'm in heaven. The colour scheme presents a sharp and aggressive demeanour, and it works. It's a Lambo we're talking here. 


 One of the first 2012 cars I quickly grabbed when I first laid eyes on them. Haven't paid much attention to its second market value, but I notice all word of this is gone, like no one remembers this. Anyway, it was one of the most highly anticipated new castings of 2012. I only grabbed 4 of these.

 I was lucky to find a red one at a Toys R Us. It was the only one beside some other Ferrari (don't remember what it was... maybe it was a 456M or Maranello). The silver wasn't showing up for the first half of 2012 so I got my first from a friend in the States. Later on these eventually started showing up in later mix cases at my stores. Sigh.

 Acquired from a trade that's been delayed for months. Already got hold of one long before and now I have an extra!

 The popular SRT Viper makes itself known late 2012. Another "First Editions" hence why I kept one. I look forward to its recolours.

 Whoever thought of putting 2 jet engines in the back and making it look psychotic is brilliant. I grabbed several just so I can use the engine on a different car.

 I love the Continental, it grew on me thanks to Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 3. And it's a First Editions!

The black and orange looks sleek. I love it! I need to grab a second Camaro of the matching livery to complete it.


 Older Mainlines (2001 and earlier)

 2001
 Love the colour scheme on this. I ended up buying this accidentally because I forgot I had picked up a loose one from a previous purchase, and thus it's now part of the cast.

 2001
 
 These two Audis aren't special, but knowing that I found it in Walmart in 2012 makes it so. If something shouldn't exist in a store anymore, it would be them. They're 11 years overdue!

  1999
I'm so happy to ever get these cars. They're race cars Mattel never makes or gets license for anymore. Guess it may be too expensive and unpopular amongst kids.

1998
 This car's ugly. If I didn't already have one back in '98, I wouldn't have bought this online. This casting has sentimental value as a result, as well as nostalgic value thanks to Gran Turismo 2.

1998 
I used to have one of these as well, but I "keyed" one side to make it look like it was trading paint. I got the idea when I watched the C5 Corvette scrape the guard rail on a turn around the edge of a hill in the intro animation scene in Need For Speed: High Stakes. I asked myself this (my 9 year-old self) "Why would they show the car grinding against the rail?" I concluded that it was to depict the recklessness of street racing.... and a car being pushed to its limits. Yeah, it didn't turn out to look as nice, so I grabbed myself a fresh one for a dollar off eBay last year to make up for it.

1998
Funny, I got the white with blue & red decals when I was a kid, but not this, the First Editions. Don't matter. I got a lot of these now.

1998

1997

1996
 I had one with UH wheels. I might still do, but if I had to choose between that or this, I'd pick this one. Despite how unfitting the lace wheels are on a Viper, the combination has a strange appeal to me. The uncolour print on the back of '96 cards is also nice to look at. Quite old-school packaging.
 
1986
Was about to open this one, the blister's adhesive is coming off on one side, but old packaging and being the collector of old things I am, I couldn't open it.

 1984
 
 Wanted to gut the back wheels to make a drag racer custom, but after looking at its age, I decided not to even take it out of its card. Maybe if I find a second one. Maybe...



Everything Else

 This will appeal to non-collectors. Collectors know of its abundance.

 Just some extras I had.

 It's not as special as I thought it'd be, but like the BTTF Delorean, it's nice to have.
 
Mistook the Discovery as a Defender! I should really learn to read the label more.

3 comments:

  1. This is sick, the boulevards are sick. do you have vintage cars?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The only reason I ask is because the packaging looks dated as hell

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have some 1984 cards posted above. I also have some 1981 to 1984 matchbox cars in their cardstock boxes. Couldn't bear to toss out what isn't in production anymore.

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