Carded or not, what is important is you always enjoy collecting, playing, and appreciating the hobby...do whatever will make you more or truly happy with those cars...
I personally collect hot wheels, not only for the fun of it, but because it reminds me of my childhood and to always keep my passions alive. I definitely don’t plan on selling any of the ones I own, so it’s not about monetary value for me. Not much beats pulling a car I really admire out of the package and holding it in my hand. I definitely agree with a lot of what you have to say!
You're right for my 14th birthday I ordered an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint from the Doorslammers premium series. It came like a week or two after my birthday but when it did I just opened it right away since it was my first premium HW car with rubber tires.
take a cotton ball with nail polish remover and soak the exact area that the plastic bubble is glued to through the back of the card (really soak it around those edges you don’t need it in the middle obviously) and the plastic bubble will come free with no effort at all and it’s the easiest way to keep your cards. I do this with premium series as well lol
I got into this hobby 1 week ago, already have 6 cars. I only buy what my eyes love, if I feel like meh I dont buy it. First days I kept them sealed. Its cool to see it in pristine condition inside the plastic blister, but eventually I cracked them all open to feel their shape and features and planning on preserving them in small individual seal-bags.
I started collecting about a year and a half ago and I've kept almost everything sealed. The only time I open a car is if there's considerable damage to the card (especially if the plastic holding the car on the card is cracked) or if its a mainline that I have duplicates of. I cant bring myself to open a perfectly carded mainline let alone a Premium or RLC lol! I love opened collections though and I live vicariously through all of you amazing collectors that open your cars and share them for us to see! ( :
Keeping your cars carded also help to preserve the car in its mint condition better! (Most of the time anyways) I think another point that has been always neglected was the card arts made by Mattel designers… I really appreciate the card arts on Hotwheels especially the car culture lineup. It’s just something nice to admire!
@@rtate26695 The selling is just an additional bonus really. It’s undoubtedly true that keeping your Hotwheels carded will retain the value better. You never know what may happen in the future, if you need emergency funds and might need to sell off your Hotwheels for funds. ✌️
@@rtate26695 The selling is just an additional bonus really. It’s undoubtedly true that keeping your Hotwheels carded will retain the value better. You never know what may happen in the future, if you need emergency funds and might need to sell off your Hotwheels for funds. ✌️
@@UnTouchGamingHD There is no garauntee that he will find buyers in future for his hotwheels. For emergency he should have emergency funds or invest in gold or real estate. If he has real estate or gold he can atleast get loan on that. On hotwheels I don't think he will get that. Collect it only for hobby.
@@mein3324 Of course there's no guarantee that someone will buy your hotwheels. I'm just saying that it's a bonus "asset" you can have in the future if you need money in the future. And besides, keeping it carded preserves the car's physical condition better and retains its value much better than a loose. So why not just make the most out of your hobby while you're in it? There's no right and wrong in collecting tbh! And if hotwheels is your only emergency funds in the future, then I think you're doing something wrong already... 🤷♂
I've been a collector myself for about 11 years, and what I've started doing is normally collecting 2 of the same vehicle, whether it would be a licensed model or a fantasy casting, the reason I pick up 2 is so I can unbox one and keep the other carded, on my wall to gain value. At the time I'm writing this comment, I have about 130-135 on my wall, including 3 regular treasure hunts and one super.
I completely agree now as an adult. But with kids of my own who want to play with them, of course I will allow them to play with some of them or keep them for themselves and whatnot. I will put aside the special ones out of sight so there's no question about what they can and can't play with. In my mind, as long as the car is open, they can see it and ask for it, there's no reason for me not to allow them to play with it (most of the time lol) Unless it's some mainline cars that are my absolute favorites. :)
I've been collecting since I was a kid and I used to open up every single hotwheels that I got. I don't remember when exactly I started to buy 2 of each car, but I have been doing so ever since. I buy 2, because I like to keep one carded/stored away and one to open up for display on the shelf. I do love the card art of the premium hotwheels honestly.
I'm in the same boat, l used to crack open every car I bought 15-20 years ago, whatever the scale. I've been collecting carded/boxed for several years now and indeed, when thinning out my collection, the unopened stuff sells so much quicker than the loose ones, especially in 1:64. Collecting carded though does require disciplined storage to keep everything mint. Thanks for the great video👍
Moral of the story: Buy and collect Hot wheels/ Matchbox because you love them or you love that car in that colour. Don't buy it as an investment. It's NOT supposed to be!
i started collecting hotwheels except fantasy casting .... i only collect models which I like .... i don't collect themes / sets all my cars are mixed and 101% uncarded bcoz as you said we get to enjoy it touch - feel it and play with it . but when it's carded - u cant enjoy it ... we can only stare at the carded car nothing else ... and we are collectors - I have made a personal cabin for loose 1/64 diecast cars - it can hold around 3000 cars .... ill keep doing what i like - and i collect for my self not for others .....
I recently got into Hot Wheels, and my current collection is carded. Every car that I do want to open up, I make sure I got a second one, so I can enjoy the model, and still have a spare. :)
I collect both actually. Mostly I collect carded. Displayed on the walls. However I do have a massive loose collection that I display in a lighted curio cabinet and 2 shelf units I built out of shipping pallets. 👊😎
I collect some 1:43, and they usually come in their acrylic cases, which I really like. Well, when Hot Wheels are kept carded, the effect is almost the same, we can clearly see the model, while protecting it from the dust.
*gets new HW. Me: Tries not to open it. Admires it from afar in pristine condish. Also me: [Rip Rip Rip] Oh well. It's a lot nicer to display them in small plastic cases and be able to play with the moving parts.
What I do is keep the rare cars carded and open up cars I really love and want to look at. Cars like my super treasure hunt vette is still kept in carded
Thank you so much for this! As a new collector at 55 years of age I was struggling with the question of opening my cars or not. Thanks to you I'll be keeping them carded because as much as I love them I do want them to increase in value as well. Great video! Thanks again!
I've been collecting for two years, don't care to leave them in a card as I open them and place in display cases. I'm not a reseller the most important advice I received from a reseller was this: be picky. I stopped collecting at around 200 cars
Just do the nail polish remover trick so the card and car will stay in mint condition but you can still take the car out theres plenty of vids if you don't know what I'm talking about. And if you want to sell the car and you did the nail polish trick just put a bit of glue where you put the nail polish remover and it will be as good as new.
I opened many of them but keep the expensive ones carded. I still open some sought after ones like r34 gtr, datsun 510, and silvia though. Sometimes I want to see the cars as a whole and admire them. Selling them carded won't make me rich anyway so I might as well enjoy it.
For Super Treasure Hunts or more limited Premium's I get it but for any basic Hot Wheel I don't get the point, they aren't gonna be worth anything crazy unless it's a freak car that is for some reason
I personally keep all my batman ones in their packaging . Only bc it seems like a never ending saga ( like the comic books) and the box keeps it descriptive. All the other ones are subject to play time lol !
That's why I am gravitating toward the Mini GT, can open the box, admire them and put them back if need be 😊 But so far I'm doing well keeping my Hot Wheels sealed 😅
Basically no different than circulated vs uncirculated coins. Same with Hotwheels. In most cases an untouched item will typically hold it's value. It comes down to condition. I leave my Hotwheels in the manufacturers original packaging.
In my opinion, I have prefer opening up my cars instead of keeping them inside the box because I buy it for entertainment and for collecting, if I open it, I can do both
There are nothing being produced now that will be worth anything in the future, except for a few STHs. I have sold many loose and carded cars when thinning out my collection, and I haven’t noticed any real difference on the two. It is all about if the car is popular or rare, not if it is on the card or not. Unless you have carded Redlines or Blackwalls, it makes no real difference. Personally, I open most of my cars and display them or make customs. If I bought Hot Wheels thinking that I would eventually sell them for a profit, I would have never started collecting them in the 70’s.
Found your video from the Home page, just FYI if you're tracking those metrics Very grateful for your opening statements, we are very much alike there! The carded/loose question comes down to one's perspective and future value in collecting. I collect for the enjoyment _now_ not some perceived future value in my case as a childless middle aged person. Not looking for $TH or RLC models, just what's fun and exciting at the moment. Love your backdrop, very effective for your presentation!!
I like being both loose and carded cars collector . Last night , i just bought a Sesto Elemento Super Treasure Hunt Loose with my dad . And it was 135 the lowest price i can find .
If I remove the card very carefully,and keep it safely and collect the loose car ,then while selling the car, I will be able to keep the car back with card and seal it.
I open my cards because I plan on storing / displaying them loose in order of mini-collection and year. I have zero intention to sell, trade, or otherwise mention the value of the cars, because I'm simply interested in the actual collection, not its monetary value
What I do is I cut around the plastic so you can lift the plastic up then take the car out to play with it, then you just put it back in the packageing. The only ones I reccomend not cutting is the STH or the TH.
I open my cars up, usually they stay on the card until I’m sure I’ll keep it if not I’ll throw them on eBay. Collecting is only half of the hobby for me, the other half is the track set up with a booster, I weigh the cars then put them on an eternity loop
I sold and even gave away most of my collection in my 20's when I got away from the hobby and was mostly focused on women, drugs and rock'n'roll. Now that I have slowed down I have gotten back into collecting and I'm having a lot of fun and appreciate more than ever. But I really regret selling and giving away much of my collection. I would suggest hanging on to some of those great pieces you have. Money will come and go. Find other sources of income other than using your collection as a piggy bank.
I don't care if they will lose money, I just crack every single one of them (even those Ive paid over 100$). I won't have extremly big collection, collecting only premium gassers (no mainlines), and rlc's i like.
As I'm no kid anymore, I don't play with toys like I used to back then and I already know how the cars feel from having and playing with a bunch of diecasts before as a child. So as an adult and now a more serious collector, I personally enjoy looking at them as they're carded. I can see them clearly anyways. The only exceptions are for cars that can't be seen from the outside, such as the Hot Wheels ID series, Mystery Models, etc. Only then should I have to open them up to inspect them and hold them for a while, take a bunch of photos for each one, and then put them back in their boxes/cases/packagings to lock them away until time comes that I miss them, want to show them off, or sell/trade them.
And why would i keep my hot wheels carded? I often when buying, i buy in pairs, one for the shelf (or as i call them Lamley 48 storage boxes) and one that remains carded, so that i always have another one if i need. But everyone collects their own way. If you have place where you can keep large number of cars then you will open them, if you dont you will keep them carded. Personally i dont like to keep them on open shelfs since dust is always problem, dont clean them two weeks and there will be a lot to clean so that is pain in side. I do not collect every single casting, especially not fantasy ones (well Bone shaker and baja bone shakers are exceptions, i love those).
If you start collecting just to monetize, becoming a scalper or like nowdays people say "INVEST", you lost at the start. That's not collecting, it's only speculating to make money without enjoying your hobby. People can tell me "if i don't like anymore one thing i wanna sell it". Ok, do it but stop buying stuff and think if that can lose or not value at the time because it's loose or not. So buy your Hot Wheels or other collectibles and OPEN IT, if your goal is to have that car or whatelse in your house just because YOU LIKE IT. As i said, if you buy just to make money...well, you know.
I would tear up the card. I love to feel and played around with my car. And im collecting for keep to myself, never plan to reselling it. Im also got a dent Ford GT and ferarri 911 (give my children to play with) in my collection around 12 yrs ago. Can't resist to not playing with my hotwheels cars.
I enjoy both worlds of the hobby . I buy 2 of the same and open one and keep the other carded in vehicle protector. I only do this with a classic Jdm like Rx3 , Rx7 , Skylines and so on .
I stopped 'playing' my Hotwheels but i opened the packaging without damaging it. I only inspect it or maybe take a photo that try to tell a story. I couldn't do the same thing with premium hot wheels, since opening them without damaging the packaging is impossible
I wouldn't say I'm a loose collector but also not a carded collector either. Your point of that loose cars can get damaged easily is so true. I once knocked my speed machines bugatti veyron off of a shelf and now theres a small chip in the paint. Definitely something to be wary of when opening your cars.
If Mattel makes the Agera R again I will be super happy I may have gotten out of collecting diecasts to pursue my nerf gun collection but I'm buying in package hot wheels from time to time and would love if they made the Agera R again.
I keep my th's and sthc's carded. I'll also buy 2 of each premiums I like, so I can keep on carded. The rest I've been keeping carded, but have started opening them. I'm not interested in selling my cars, I want to collect for the rest of my life. I've been offered $150 for an RLC lowrider I paid $40 for. But I'd rather just have it on display than make $100
I keep my cars carded for the money reason alone, mainlines are fine to open them or maybe buy 2 open 1 and keep 1 carded. For Premium, RLC, STH... if you want your money back or make a bit you should totaly keep them as mint as posibble.
Heres another solution to keep your hot wheels cars in cards: if you want buy a new hot wheels car in card but you dont want to open them, instead cutting the blister to open it and just keep it carded, just buy a used one that has mint condition that has no scrathes or paint chips sometimes it has but cheaper and the same but cheaper sometimes its expensive but
Well I've been collecting for 20 years and I open a lot of them. My collection is not meant to appreciate in value, it's meant to be looked at and loved. I customize many of them to display and interact with.
im a loose collector but im starting to keep them in the card but its like a present to me I cant resist the urge to open it and play with it for like 5 minutes, then I put it with the rest collecting dust
I have increased my Hotwheels collection value by having all carded cars, I buy only RLC'S and Super Treasure Hunts on second hand market and focusing on sets for Super's and Mainline's 25% increase
I have them carded, but then I had the issue of loosing some space to store them. I didn't want to open them because it will ruin the design, but I also had the feeling of opening them and inspect my cars. I then had the idea to use nail polish to remove the plastic case of the car without damaging them. Some did had a few scuffs, but their miner. Now I can display the car looks and keep the card in a photo album, almost like collecting Pokemon cards and so on. If you feel like this seems to be an ok idea I would recommend buying a test package. That way you can have some experience on how much nail polish is enough to remove the plastic (without any damage). Also for you to see if it's something you would like to do.
I prefer to keep the cars that were featured in the Hot Wheels Unleashed videogame in those 48-car carry cases, labelled as "Featured in the Hot Wheels Unleashed videogame". As for some cars, I'll usually use the display cases bought online.
I love not only opening the card, but opening the cars themselves to do wheel swaps. I feel regular wheels in mainlines are so bad and the car gets so much better with just a wheel swap to something of more quality. I restrain my purchases around things I like. No fantasy cars and only real cars that mean something to me personally, so my collection is not huge and I don't intend it to be. Also, I don't think I'll sell them, so I'd rather have them loose, then I pick some I like to put on my office desk, look at them when I'm thinking, play around a bit. I just love them being there and really don't find a reason in my case to keep them carded. If I like the card, I also keep it trying not to damage it, just for the art. But everyone has it's own take and all are valid. Just enjoy!
I keep mine carded if i really like the art, even on a few mainlines. Otherwise they look just as good, if not better, loose inside an acrylic display! Plus if you open them, you save space and (if youre like me) you wont have to worry so much about trying to keep the card in mint condition. If you arent worried about value down the road, keep them carded or open them (in this case the choice is yours)!
i am 12 rn and live in sweden i have been collecting for almost 2 years now and sweden dosent have any special hot wheels jus normal diecast ones but i still have carded rlc hot wheel and i open my premiums just cus i enjoy them more like that, i think what you like the most you should do it if you like them carded have the carded but i like to have them open much more. and yes i will maybe sell them in the future but rn it is for my own collect not anyones else in the future
One of the issues with carded is though that the cards themselves get dinged on the edges etc. It's not the most stable cardboard ever. It's almost like trading cards, every miniscule damage counts even if the factory machine created it faulty. it will loose value I have seen it on ebay the prices are a bit higher for carded units that are in perfect mint condition.
This is why I try to buy two of everything. 1st one stays on the card, 2nd one is opened and enjoyed. The only problem with carded cars is storing / displaying them without damage. I hate dropping carded cars and I must have dropped 4 today whilst rearranging.
I just started collecting and the people that say that its a toy, yeah i know but its my collection not urs so i can open if i want, not by peer pressure
Space is the problem with every collection. These tiny cars add up and take up so much space. I used to buy up every single release. But now I'm more selective
The only reason I keep my cars carded is because I don't have a shelf to put them on but I just bought a display case for my cars and I can't wait for it to come so I can open my cars :)
I just picked up a 50 car pack, it's been years since I got hot wheels cars or other brands. I sometimes within the last few years would walk by them at wallmart or dollarama (Canadian dollar store chain) and look briefly and remember back when I was a kid 10-15 years ago when I'd get them and just miss it. So when I saw this box I couldn't resist getting it, especially now that I'm playing forza horizon 4 now, it sparked that joy of cars that I used to have. I wasn't even embarrassed as a 24 year old buying it. I'm I'm between wanting to keep them in the pack, but I also wasn't to open them. My brother and I used to play with dinky cars a ton, on our car mat, and make shift tracks as kids and have a huge bin of them, hot wheels, matchbox and whatever other brands.... miss those days And I actually have a ford gt from years ago, like mentioned in this but it's long been open that's crazy. Personal opinion though, I have to laugh at the serious collectors of stuff, like opened VS sealed. It's kinda ridiculous in a sense, especially lego
I can see keeping certain cards still in package for any reason but the rest just enjoy or give to kid to enjoy and know it might have been the kids first cars if any. i can see if u resell any then keep carded but really if not then open and enjoy what u have anytime.
The only Hot Wheels I don't open are those with rubber wheels, and that's because they're not fast on track. If they are regular Hot Wheels with plastic wheels, I open them, add them to my spreadsheet, and store them on shelves or in those two-sided plastic cases. I like to collect variations of the same car and then race them to see which is fastest.
Carded or not, what is important is you always enjoy collecting, playing, and appreciating the hobby...do whatever will make you more or truly happy with those cars...
What a mind👏
I'm a new collector and I've already torn all of the cars out of their card. Just love to touch them and move them around LOL
@@ThanhLai5 🤣
I agree 120%.
I put them in garage playsets for some reason
I personally collect hot wheels, not only for the fun of it, but because it reminds me of my childhood and to always keep my passions alive. I definitely don’t plan on selling any of the ones I own, so it’s not about monetary value for me. Not much beats pulling a car I really admire out of the package and holding it in my hand. I definitely agree with a lot of what you have to say!
Absolutely right man. I feel the same way.
Jesus saves, John 3:16 ❤
Usually I keep the hotwheels on the card, because in the premium series the artwork is cool and sometimes I open it because I'm curious hahaha.
Cut the bubble with razor knife , it's gonna keep the nice artwork .... I'm doing it from my first loose car because i feel bad to destroy the art 😂
Use asheton so it will open without any damage
You're right for my 14th birthday I ordered an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint from the Doorslammers premium series. It came like a week or two after my birthday but when it did I just opened it right away since it was my first premium HW car with rubber tires.
take a cotton ball with nail polish remover and soak the exact area that the plastic bubble is glued to through the back of the card (really soak it around those edges you don’t need it in the middle obviously) and the plastic bubble will come free with no effort at all and it’s the easiest way to keep your cards. I do this with premium series as well lol
I got into this hobby 1 week ago, already have 6 cars. I only buy what my eyes love, if I feel like meh I dont buy it. First days I kept them sealed. Its cool to see it in pristine condition inside the plastic blister, but eventually I cracked them all open to feel their shape and features and planning on preserving them in small individual seal-bags.
Go for it bro. they are so cool.
I just started collecting about 2 weeks ago . And I did the same thing you did
I started collecting about a year and a half ago and I've kept almost everything sealed. The only time I open a car is if there's considerable damage to the card (especially if the plastic holding the car on the card is cracked) or if its a mainline that I have duplicates of.
I cant bring myself to open a perfectly carded mainline let alone a Premium or RLC lol!
I love opened collections though and I live vicariously through all of you amazing collectors that open your cars and share them for us to see! ( :
How's your collection going? Would love to see it! haha
Keeping your cars carded also help to preserve the car in its mint condition better! (Most of the time anyways) I think another point that has been always neglected was the card arts made by Mattel designers… I really appreciate the card arts on Hotwheels especially the car culture lineup. It’s just something nice to admire!
I feel like I your gonna keep them carded, just do it for display, not to sell later.
@@rtate26695 The selling is just an additional bonus really. It’s undoubtedly true that keeping your Hotwheels carded will retain the value better. You never know what may happen in the future, if you need emergency funds and might need to sell off your Hotwheels for funds. ✌️
@@rtate26695 The selling is just an additional bonus really. It’s undoubtedly true that keeping your Hotwheels carded will retain the value better. You never know what may happen in the future, if you need emergency funds and might need to sell off your Hotwheels for funds. ✌️
@@UnTouchGamingHD There is no garauntee that he will find buyers in future for his hotwheels.
For emergency he should have emergency funds or invest in gold or real estate. If he has real estate or gold he can atleast get loan on that. On hotwheels I don't think he will get that.
Collect it only for hobby.
@@mein3324 Of course there's no guarantee that someone will buy your hotwheels. I'm just saying that it's a bonus "asset" you can have in the future if you need money in the future. And besides, keeping it carded preserves the car's physical condition better and retains its value much better than a loose.
So why not just make the most out of your hobby while you're in it? There's no right and wrong in collecting tbh! And if hotwheels is your only emergency funds in the future, then I think you're doing something wrong already... 🤷♂
I've been a collector myself for about 11 years, and what I've started doing is normally collecting 2 of the same vehicle, whether it would be a licensed model or a fantasy casting, the reason I pick up 2 is so I can unbox one and keep the other carded, on my wall to gain value. At the time I'm writing this comment, I have about 130-135 on my wall, including 3 regular treasure hunts and one super.
My point exactly, one to remain carded and one open.
Me too when I can. Makes complete sense plus you can enjoy the feel touch and memories associated with such small awesome toys.
I completely agree now as an adult. But with kids of my own who want to play with them, of course I will allow them to play with some of them or keep them for themselves and whatnot. I will put aside the special ones out of sight so there's no question about what they can and can't play with. In my mind, as long as the car is open, they can see it and ask for it, there's no reason for me not to allow them to play with it (most of the time lol) Unless it's some mainline cars that are my absolute favorites. :)
Respect! Thats cool of you to spread the joy of hot wheels to your kids! 😁
I personally believe every hot wheels car should have the chance to have fresh air and it’s wheels spin
Yep
I've been collecting since I was a kid and I used to open up every single hotwheels that I got. I don't remember when exactly I started to buy 2 of each car, but I have been doing so ever since. I buy 2, because I like to keep one carded/stored away and one to open up for display on the shelf. I do love the card art of the premium hotwheels honestly.
I'm in the same boat, l used to crack open every car I bought 15-20 years ago, whatever the scale. I've been collecting carded/boxed for several years now and indeed, when thinning out my collection, the unopened stuff sells so much quicker than the loose ones, especially in 1:64. Collecting carded though does require disciplined storage to keep everything mint. Thanks for the great video👍
Moral of the story: Buy and collect Hot wheels/ Matchbox because you love them or you love that car in that colour. Don't buy it as an investment. It's NOT supposed to be!
i started collecting hotwheels except fantasy casting .... i only collect models which I like .... i don't collect themes / sets all my cars are mixed and 101% uncarded bcoz as you said we get to enjoy it touch - feel it and play with it . but when it's carded - u cant enjoy it ... we can only stare at the carded car nothing else ... and we are collectors - I have made a personal cabin for loose 1/64 diecast cars - it can hold around 3000 cars .... ill keep doing what i like - and i collect for my self not for others .....
Same
I think the same, I don't wanna keep the beasts in their cages.
@@ThanhLai5 thats my boy
I like them loose, but I have started to keep some in their cards, and any older models that I find still in their cards, I keep them in their cards.
I recently got into Hot Wheels, and my current collection is carded. Every car that I do want to open up, I make sure I got a second one, so I can enjoy the model, and still have a spare. :)
I collect both actually. Mostly I collect carded. Displayed on the walls. However I do have a massive loose collection that I display in a lighted curio cabinet and 2 shelf units I built out of shipping pallets.
👊😎
I wonder how that looks like.. sounds like a creative idea my man haha
I collect some 1:43, and they usually come in their acrylic cases, which I really like. Well, when Hot Wheels are kept carded, the effect is almost the same, we can clearly see the model, while protecting it from the dust.
*gets new HW.
Me: Tries not to open it. Admires it from afar in pristine condish.
Also me: [Rip Rip Rip] Oh well.
It's a lot nicer to display them in small plastic cases and be able to play with the moving parts.
What I do is keep the rare cars carded and open up cars I really love and want to look at. Cars like my super treasure hunt vette is still kept in carded
Thank you so much for this! As a new collector at 55 years of age I was struggling with the question of opening my cars or not. Thanks to you I'll be keeping them carded because as much as I love them I do want them to increase in value as well.
Great video! Thanks again!
I've been collecting for two years, don't care to leave them in a card as I open them and place in display cases. I'm not a reseller the most important advice I received from a reseller was this: be picky. I stopped collecting at around 200 cars
Just do the nail polish remover trick so the card and car will stay in mint condition but you can still take the car out theres plenty of vids if you don't know what I'm talking about. And if you want to sell the car and you did the nail polish trick just put a bit of glue where you put the nail polish remover and it will be as good as new.
I opened many of them but keep the expensive ones carded. I still open some sought after ones like r34 gtr, datsun 510, and silvia though. Sometimes I want to see the cars as a whole and admire them. Selling them carded won't make me rich anyway so I might as well enjoy it.
For Super Treasure Hunts or more limited Premium's I get it but for any basic Hot Wheel I don't get the point, they aren't gonna be worth anything crazy unless it's a freak car that is for some reason
I personally keep all my batman ones in their packaging . Only bc it seems like a never ending saga ( like the comic books) and the box keeps it descriptive.
All the other ones are subject to play time lol !
I’m a loose collector and have over 500+ hotwheels :) I could care less about value. I prefer my happiness over value in the long run
That's why I am gravitating toward the Mini GT, can open the box, admire them and put them back if need be 😊 But so far I'm doing well keeping my Hot Wheels sealed 😅
All Carded since I started collecting in 2014 and that time I did it just for the feel of it.
Well the value has built up indeed.
Basically no different than circulated vs uncirculated coins. Same with Hotwheels. In most cases an untouched item will typically hold it's value. It comes down to condition. I leave my Hotwheels in the manufacturers original packaging.
In my opinion, I have prefer opening up my cars instead of keeping them inside the box because I buy it for entertainment and for collecting, if I open it, I can do both
There are nothing being produced now that will be worth anything in the future, except for a few STHs. I have sold many loose and carded cars when thinning out my collection, and I haven’t noticed any real difference on the two. It is all about if the car is popular or rare, not if it is on the card or not. Unless you have carded Redlines or Blackwalls, it makes no real difference. Personally, I open most of my cars and display them or make customs. If I bought Hot Wheels thinking that I would eventually sell them for a profit, I would have never started collecting them in the 70’s.
All good points if you are trying to save value… I open pretty much everything no need for me to sell
MEANWHILE:my 5 year old cousins going into my hotwheel display room
In India,at least around me,no one collect HW cars. So,I can never sell a car. So I can collect them loose.
I can tell how you're a loose collector...
All your cars are missing form the card in the background
Thats a story for another day hehe
Found your video from the Home page, just FYI if you're tracking those metrics
Very grateful for your opening statements, we are very much alike there! The carded/loose question comes down to one's perspective and future value in collecting. I collect for the enjoyment _now_ not some perceived future value in my case as a childless middle aged person. Not looking for $TH or RLC models, just what's fun and exciting at the moment. Love your backdrop, very effective for your presentation!!
That’s why I always have 2. One loose and one sealed/carded.
I like being both loose and carded cars collector . Last night , i just bought a Sesto Elemento Super Treasure Hunt Loose with my dad . And it was 135 the lowest price i can find .
If I remove the card very carefully,and keep it safely and collect the loose car ,then while selling the car, I will be able to keep the car back with card and seal it.
I open my cards because I plan on storing / displaying them loose in order of mini-collection and year. I have zero intention to sell, trade, or otherwise mention the value of the cars, because I'm simply interested in the actual collection, not its monetary value
"HECKIN NO DONT OPEN THEM THEYLL LOSE THE VALUE!"
Me: proceeds to tear apart the card to a 959, magnus 964 and teggy type r
If I could re-do it, I would take the mainlines out of the cards but leave the premiums in the cards.
What I do is I cut around the plastic so you can lift the plastic up then take the car out to play with it, then you just put it back in the packageing. The only ones I reccomend not cutting is the STH or the TH.
I open my cars up, usually they stay on the card until I’m sure I’ll keep it if not I’ll throw them on eBay. Collecting is only half of the hobby for me, the other half is the track set up with a booster, I weigh the cars then put them on an eternity loop
Buy 2 of each car. One to keep packaged, one to play with.
I sold and even gave away most of my collection in my 20's when I got away from the hobby and was mostly focused on women, drugs and rock'n'roll. Now that I have slowed down I have gotten back into collecting and I'm having a lot of fun and appreciate more than ever. But I really regret selling and giving away much of my collection. I would suggest hanging on to some of those great pieces you have. Money will come and go. Find other sources of income other than using your collection as a piggy bank.
I don't care if they will lose money, I just crack every single one of them (even those Ive paid over 100$). I won't have extremly big collection, collecting only premium gassers (no mainlines), and rlc's i like.
Thats why I bought 2 of it..one for open and second for resell it with decent price..more like retirement price
If you are a true hobbyist don't worry about the value just enjoy the product. You didn't do it for the money you did it because you enjoy it.
As I'm no kid anymore, I don't play with toys like I used to back then and I already know how the cars feel from having and playing with a bunch of diecasts before as a child. So as an adult and now a more serious collector, I personally enjoy looking at them as they're carded. I can see them clearly anyways. The only exceptions are for cars that can't be seen from the outside, such as the Hot Wheels ID series, Mystery Models, etc. Only then should I have to open them up to inspect them and hold them for a while, take a bunch of photos for each one, and then put them back in their boxes/cases/packagings to lock them away until time comes that I miss them, want to show them off, or sell/trade them.
I’ve done like seven laps of my living room contemplating opening this RLC R34 GTR, fml
And why would i keep my hot wheels carded? I often when buying, i buy in pairs, one for the shelf (or as i call them Lamley 48 storage boxes) and one that remains carded, so that i always have another one if i need. But everyone collects their own way. If you have place where you can keep large number of cars then you will open them, if you dont you will keep them carded. Personally i dont like to keep them on open shelfs since dust is always problem, dont clean them two weeks and there will be a lot to clean so that is pain in side. I do not collect every single casting, especially not fantasy ones (well Bone shaker and baja bone shakers are exceptions, i love those).
If you start collecting just to monetize, becoming a scalper or like nowdays people say "INVEST", you lost at the start. That's not collecting, it's only speculating to make money without enjoying your hobby. People can tell me "if i don't like anymore one thing i wanna sell it". Ok, do it but stop buying stuff and think if that can lose or not value at the time because it's loose or not. So buy your Hot Wheels or other collectibles and OPEN IT, if your goal is to have that car or whatelse in your house just because YOU LIKE IT. As i said, if you buy just to make money...well, you know.
The reason I like carded is because you can easily see the name of the car on display.
I would tear up the card. I love to feel and played around with my car. And im collecting for keep to myself, never plan to reselling it. Im also got a dent Ford GT and ferarri 911 (give my children to play with) in my collection around 12 yrs ago. Can't resist to not playing with my hotwheels cars.
I enjoy both worlds of the hobby . I buy 2 of the same and open one and keep the other carded in vehicle protector. I only do this with a classic Jdm like Rx3 , Rx7 , Skylines and so on .
I stopped 'playing' my Hotwheels but i opened the packaging without damaging it. I only inspect it or maybe take a photo that try to tell a story.
I couldn't do the same thing with premium hot wheels, since opening them without damaging the packaging is impossible
I open them because I take photos of them, and it’s a waste to keep them closed. They are a toy and should be played with/used
I wouldn't say I'm a loose collector but also not a carded collector either. Your point of that loose cars can get damaged easily is so true. I once knocked my speed machines bugatti veyron off of a shelf and now theres a small chip in the paint. Definitely something to be wary of when opening your cars.
I open my cars no matter what but i open it super slowly because i like to read the card and like the artwork lol
When i go shopping for hot wheels, I buy two of the same. One to open and the other to keep it carded
If Mattel makes the Agera R again I will be super happy I may have gotten out of collecting diecasts to pursue my nerf gun collection but I'm buying in package hot wheels from time to time and would love if they made the Agera R again.
They have released three Agera R castings so far!
I keep my th's and sthc's carded. I'll also buy 2 of each premiums I like, so I can keep on carded. The rest I've been keeping carded, but have started opening them. I'm not interested in selling my cars, I want to collect for the rest of my life. I've been offered $150 for an RLC lowrider I paid $40 for. But I'd rather just have it on display than make $100
I couldn’t agree more. Carded is the way to go
They only thing I keep carded are my redline clubs, Treasure Hunts, super treasure hunts, white lightnings and convention exclusives.
I'm a collector, I like keeping them on the card and the ones I want to race I get 2 of🏎🏁
honestly you guys do what you want
if you want to open them open them if you want to keep them carded keep them carded
I keep my cars carded for the money reason alone, mainlines are fine to open them or maybe buy 2 open 1 and keep 1 carded. For Premium, RLC, STH... if you want your money back or make a bit you should totaly keep them as mint as posibble.
it is your opinion, loose or carded is up to us, toys supposed to be played its jus a toy car, dont treat them like they can save your life
Heres another solution to keep your hot wheels cars in cards: if you want buy a new hot wheels car in card but you dont want to open them, instead cutting the blister to open it and just keep it carded, just buy a used one that has mint condition that has no scrathes or paint chips sometimes it has but cheaper and the same but cheaper sometimes its expensive but
Thats true but it depends whether you can find someone selling that in the first place
i never open them even as a child sometimes kept them closed 💙
You forgot to add - And have no fun at all.
Well I've been collecting for 20 years and I open a lot of them. My collection is not meant to appreciate in value, it's meant to be looked at and loved. I customize many of them to display and interact with.
im a loose collector but im starting to keep them in the card but its like a present to me I cant resist the urge to open it and play with it for like 5 minutes, then I put it with the rest collecting dust
I have increased my Hotwheels collection value by having all carded cars, I buy only RLC'S and Super Treasure Hunts on second hand market and focusing on sets for Super's and Mainline's 25% increase
I have them carded, but then I had the issue of loosing some space to store them. I didn't want to open them because it will ruin the design, but I also had the feeling of opening them and inspect my cars. I then had the idea to use nail polish to remove the plastic case of the car without damaging them. Some did had a few scuffs, but their miner. Now I can display the car looks and keep the card in a photo album, almost like collecting Pokemon cards and so on. If you feel like this seems to be an ok idea I would recommend buying a test package. That way you can have some experience on how much nail polish is enough to remove the plastic (without any damage). Also for you to see if it's something you would like to do.
I prefer to keep the cars that were featured in the Hot Wheels Unleashed videogame in those 48-car carry cases, labelled as "Featured in the Hot Wheels Unleashed videogame".
As for some cars, I'll usually use the display cases bought online.
Part of the value has to do with condition. People don't want to risk a damaged car.
Buttt 4years ago you said..DONT COLLECT FOR THE VALUE.VALUE WHAT YOU COLLECT..😅
I wouldn't lie I feel temped to open them but something always told me to not open them ,I just started buying them .
i just open the common ones that i like, and keep the rare ones carted :D
so just open cars that you will never sell
I love not only opening the card, but opening the cars themselves to do wheel swaps. I feel regular wheels in mainlines are so bad and the car gets so much better with just a wheel swap to something of more quality. I restrain my purchases around things I like. No fantasy cars and only real cars that mean something to me personally, so my collection is not huge and I don't intend it to be. Also, I don't think I'll sell them, so I'd rather have them loose, then I pick some I like to put on my office desk, look at them when I'm thinking, play around a bit. I just love them being there and really don't find a reason in my case to keep them carded. If I like the card, I also keep it trying not to damage it, just for the art. But everyone has it's own take and all are valid. Just enjoy!
I keep mine carded if i really like the art, even on a few mainlines. Otherwise they look just as good, if not better, loose inside an acrylic display! Plus if you open them, you save space and (if youre like me) you wont have to worry so much about trying to keep the card in mint condition. If you arent worried about value down the road, keep them carded or open them (in this case the choice is yours)!
i am 12 rn and live in sweden i have been collecting for almost 2 years now and sweden dosent have any special hot wheels jus normal diecast ones but i still have carded rlc hot wheel and i open my premiums just cus i enjoy them more like that, i think what you like the most you should do it if you like them carded have the carded but i like to have them open much more. and yes i will maybe sell them in the future but rn it is for my own collect not anyones else in the future
Im not gonna sell them i collect them
One of the issues with carded is though that the cards themselves get dinged on the edges etc. It's not the most stable cardboard ever. It's almost like trading cards, every miniscule damage counts even if the factory machine created it faulty. it will loose value I have seen it on ebay the prices are a bit higher for carded units that are in perfect mint condition.
Hehehe exactly buddy😁 Or you buy two of them, one in carded collectors condition and another one to play or for photos :D
Haha yes, I see alot of other collectors in the comments with the same idea too!
@@DrifterD hehehe :D
This is why I try to buy two of everything.
1st one stays on the card, 2nd one is opened and enjoyed.
The only problem with carded cars is storing / displaying them without damage.
I hate dropping carded cars and I must have dropped 4 today whilst rearranging.
I'm a new collector, and I'm not gonna keep any car carded because I don't plan to sell any of them
I just started collecting and the people that say that its a toy, yeah i know but its my collection not urs so i can open if i want, not by peer pressure
Space is the problem with every collection. These tiny cars add up and take up so much space. I used to buy up every single release. But now I'm more selective
The only reason I keep my cars carded is because I don't have a shelf to put them on but I just bought a display case for my cars and I can't wait for it to come so I can open my cars :)
I just picked up a 50 car pack, it's been years since I got hot wheels cars or other brands. I sometimes within the last few years would walk by them at wallmart or dollarama (Canadian dollar store chain) and look briefly and remember back when I was a kid 10-15 years ago when I'd get them and just miss it.
So when I saw this box I couldn't resist getting it, especially now that I'm playing forza horizon 4 now, it sparked that joy of cars that I used to have. I wasn't even embarrassed as a 24 year old buying it.
I'm I'm between wanting to keep them in the pack, but I also wasn't to open them. My brother and I used to play with dinky cars a ton, on our car mat, and make shift tracks as kids and have a huge bin of them, hot wheels, matchbox and whatever other brands.... miss those days
And I actually have a ford gt from years ago, like mentioned in this but it's long been open that's crazy.
Personal opinion though, I have to laugh at the serious collectors of stuff, like opened VS sealed. It's kinda ridiculous in a sense, especially lego
I can see keeping certain cards still in package for any reason but the rest just enjoy or give to kid to enjoy and know it might have been the kids first cars if any. i can see if u resell any then keep carded but really if not then open and enjoy what u have anytime.
Great to know this after years of collecting loose cars
I just love their details, damn like so good
The only Hot Wheels I don't open are those with rubber wheels, and that's because they're not fast on track. If they are regular Hot Wheels with plastic wheels, I open them, add them to my spreadsheet, and store them on shelves or in those two-sided plastic cases. I like to collect variations of the same car and then race them to see which is fastest.
spreadsheet collectors are a whole new breed, mad respect 😳
Additional Advice from the Nobody:
*BUY 2.* One carded, one loose. Only if it's highly demandable.
I open all of my hotwheels unless the artwork is cool