Today we are featuring HOT WHEELS!!!

History of Hot Wheels and the Love of Them

In 1960 Mr. Elliott Handler had the brilliant idea to invent Hot Wheels. He also happened to have been the co founder of Mattel. It took until 1968 to release the first models, included in the release was the Cougar, the Firebird, the Mustang, and even the Hot Heap. There were 16 models in all released that year.

By 1969 they had come out with 24 more models. One of the fun ones was the Volkswagen Beach Bomb that even had surf  boards mounted on the rear. It is reported that this car today is valued at more than $3500.00 in mint condition.

In the 1970's Mattel brought out cars from the Snake and Mongoose to the Heroes and the Scene Machines. They also produced some motorcycles during these years. Mattel also started using enamel paint in 1973.

The 1980's brought such cars as the Hi-Rakers and Workhorses series. In 1982 McDonald's actually issued Hot Wheels for the very first time. In 1983 Hot Wheels celebrated a 15-year anniversary. In 1984 the fastest Hot Wheels were created and called Ultra Hot Wheels. In 1985 Kellogg's actually offered the cars in cereal. In 1988 came the 20th anniversary and Mattel made unique silver and gold chrome models of the cars.

In 1990 cars were brought out based even on "The Simpsons" TV show. Also this year was the first year for a helicopter to be issued. In 1993 came the 25th Anniversary Series that was exclusive to Toys r Us.

These cars have had a surprising popularity over the years. Young boys have sat for hours playing with their cars along with the accessories that can be bought. These same young boys have also decided along the way to make collections of them that can be quite valuable after a few years of collecting. Grown men have full collections of them. Some of these men started their collection not in their childhood but when they became adults. These cars have such marvelous appeal, not only as a toy for boys but also as a collectible for boys and men, that they will stay popular for years to come.