There was only a 5-year span (2007-2011) in which we got regular and super #Treasure Hunts (TH/$TH) of the same casting. This began when Hot Wheels went to the 2-tier TH system in 2007 and ended in 2012 when super Treasure Hunts became hidden in the various segment series. In that span of 5 years, we saw some pretty cool TH/$TH combos and most were awesome. One of the combos that ranks near the top would have the 2010 pair of the #’69 Ford Torino Talladega casting.

Hot Wheels ’69 Ford Torino Talladega from the 2010 Treasure Hunts Series (Both Super & Regular TH)

While #Ford only produced the #Torino Talladega for a couple weeks in 1969, this #Alec Tam designed Hot Wheels casting captures this low production car’s sleek, vintage NASCAR racing style. The casting has appeared in a handful of racing schemes since its introduction in 2008, but this fictional race team design ranks right up there with the two replica #Vintage Racing releases from 2011.

Speaking of that fictional design, this is one of many #Cars featuring names of Mattel Employees as this one honors the then, Senior Marketing Manager at Mattel, Jamie Peters — who is now the Director of Marketing & Design for Vehicles at Mattel. His name is featured on the roof, above the driver-side door. This is in addition to his fictional company, “J.P. AUTOMOTIVE” that graces the sides of this car along with the #68 — a number that often represents the brand since Hot Wheels has been around since 1968. There are also numerous sponsor logos on the car with a large cluster of them being on the front quarter-panel. These are mostly all fictional as they largely represent the Hot Wheels graphics team as well as the designers.

RELEASE DETAILS: Metalflake Green Body (metal). Pink-Tinted Windows. Black Interior. Black 5-Spoke (5SP) Wheels w/ Goodyear Eagle Tampo on tires. Chrome Base (plastic). Made in Malaysia. Toy# R7442. Released in 2010 as #9 of 12 in the 2010 Treasure Hunts series (TH variation).

Part of the reason why this TH/$TH combo is so cool is because of the variances in the green. The metalflake green paint on the regular TH is pretty cool, but its the spectraflame light green paint on the $TH that really stands apart, giving it a smooth, bare metal look — one of the many joys of #Spectraflame Paint. Both versions sit on black wheels with Goodyear Eagle tires, but its the $TH that has an additional yellow line on its #Real Riders that gives the car an ultra-cool, super premium feel — still can’t believe this release sold for $1 at retail.

Its a different story on the secondary market as both TH/$TH releases sell for a lot more than $1. This is one of those releases thats hard to pin down an accurate value on, which is surprising as they are not scarce by any means. Lately, the regular TH sells anywhere between $5 and $15 (mint-carded) whereas the super TH can selling for $25 upwards to about $40 (mint-carded) … just depending on the day and buyers involved.

Often you will see “Pink Window Variation” attached to many listings that involved this release. At first, it was treated as a rare variation, but as more and more have surfaced, it seems evident that what is happening is that the windows (that were originally clear) are turning pink! This can happen for a variety of reasons as it usually comes down to the mixture/materials used in the plastic, as there is precedence for this happening before. As you can see here, both TH/$TH have varying levels of pink in their windows so be careful not to overpay for what is being stated as a “rare variation” of one of the coolest #Treasure Hunts out there!

RELEASE DETAILS: Spectraflame Light Green Body (metal). Pink-Tinted Windows. Black Interior. Black Real Riders Deep-Dish Wheels w/ Goodyear Eagle Tampo on tires. Chrome Base (plastic). Made in Malaysia. Toy# R7454. Released in 2010 as #9 of 12 in the 2010 Treasure Hunts series ($TH variation).

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