Bruce Pascal — based in Gaithersburg, Md. — is one of the most prolific collectors of Hot Wheels and has a private museum that he opens to the public a couple times a year. Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images
56-year-old Hot Wheels are the best-selling toys in the world.
Why it matters: That's in part because both kids and adults — some of whom have 1,000-strong collections of the cars — are driving the sales, The Washington Post reports (gift link).
Adult collectors drive about a third of the revenue, Roberto Stanichi, who oversees Hot Wheels at Mattel, tells the Post.
Mattel makes around 709 million cars every year. Last year, gross sales jumped 14%, to $1.43 billion.
📉 Zoom in: The cars, which start at $1.25, have actually bucked inflation and gotten cheaper.
In 1968, they cost 69 to 89 cents — around $6 to $8 today.