Mattel Is Rereleasing the Original Hot Wheels Cars

In 1968, Mattel decided to take a shot at the die-cast toy car crown. Matchbox, the champ at the time, was popular for its toy replicas of real vehicles, and had been since its inception in the early ’50s.  Mattel took a different approach, offering more tricked-out toy cars that blurred the line between reality and fiction. The first batch of die-cast cars released is a perfect example, and you can see that for yourself if you drop the cash on this 50th anniversary commemorative. Recreations of the first 16 cars are all included in a replica store display that looks pulled from the shelves of a now-defunct department store. Only 1,500 of these sets will be made and Hot Wheels club members get first crack. If you want one, consider signing up or scouring eBay after the release.