Hot Wheels, made by Mattel, are still a hot commodity. The playful little toy cars never really went out of style, and in 2019, the company sold nearly a billion dollars worth of the stuff.

But more impressive or bizarre than the staying power of this toy are the collectors, who have amassed massive collections, worth into the millions of dollars.

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The Hustle profiles some of these collectors, who track down the oldest, rarest, and most hard-to-find models, many of which can be worth much more than a real, drivable car.

Indeed, the most sought after model is the 1969 Rear-Loading Beach Bomb van, pained bright pink, with a surfboard coming out the back window. If you happen to have one of these little beauties in your junk drawer, you could be holding onto a $150,000 prize.

People like Bruce Pascal have amassed 7,000+ cars, with a collection worth over $1.5 million. He’s even fashioned a large portion of his home for his impressive collection.

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While it’s absurd to us to spend your life dedicated to pursuing tiny metal toy cars, we’re fascinated by these collectors, and admire their drive….

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Ben VanderVeen is the founder and editor of Moss & Fog, one of the web’s longest-running visual culture destinations. Since 2009, he’s been finding and framing the most beautiful, surprising, and thought-provoking work in art, architecture, design, and nature — reaching over 325,000 readers each month. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

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