| As a vintage Hot Wheels collector for over 16 | | | | been declining is that the people who are in my |
| years, I've seen a lot of different phases in this | | | | age range and who would be the most interested |
| hobby and it's clear that we've been in a period of | | | | in Redlines (from a nostalgia point of view) are |
| Redline Hot Wheels values declining over the last | | | | growing older and their priorities are changing. For |
| several years. | | | | example, they may need to raise money for |
| Part of this can be attributed to the economy, | | | | children going to college, or they may be more |
| but I believe there is an overall larger trend that is | | | | focused on building (or rebuilding) their retirement |
| affecting the values of collectible Redlines. | | | | savings, perhaps they are busy looking for a new |
| This larger trend has to do with the demographics | | | | job or starting a new business or any number of |
| of collectors. | | | | other considerations that hit someone as they |
| You see, most vintage Redline collectors are | | | | enter middle age. |
| between the ages of 40 and 50 due to the fact | | | | As these considerations move to the forefront, |
| that Hot Wheels were first produced in 1968 and | | | | the nostalgic hobby of collecting vintage Hot |
| the brand is actually 42 years old. This means | | | | Wheels seems to gradually fall by the wayside |
| most of today's collectors where first introduced | | | | and less and less people are collecting them. |
| to Redline Hot Wheels several decades ago. | | | | While this is a sad thing to see happen, it is not a |
| I know for me, my initial experience with these | | | | bad thing for collectors who are in it for the joy |
| toy cars started when I was 5 years old. (in | | | | of collecting, rather than for the potential |
| 1968, when Mattel Toys first introduced them) | | | | monetary gain that can come from buying and |
| Now, I'm 46 and an active collector of these | | | | selling these little gems. |
| Redline gems. | | | | I know that I've personally seen several of my |
| Other generations of people are into different | | | | collector friends fall by the wayside or sell off |
| nostalgia collectibles, based on the types of toys | | | | their collections. Fortunately, they remain friends, |
| or other popular items that they were into as | | | | even though their interest in collecting has |
| children. | | | | diminished. |
| In fact, as the generations go, less and less | | | | Who knows what the future will bring, but I |
| people seem to be interested in diecast cars (or | | | | believe we may be seeing the gradual decline of |
| cars in general) which I find sad and rather | | | | Redline values now and into the foreseeable |
| discouraging... | | | | future - only because less and less people are |
| So the main reason that Hot Wheels values have | | | | buying them as collectibles. |