In an era in which so much of what we consume is made of some sort of plastic, it’s interesting and sort of saddening to think about how much of that stuff won’t have survived long enough to be discovered by archaeologists centuries or millennia from now – if that ever happens. In 2019, the only parts of those nearly 70-year-old models that are deteriorating are those tires. I have some Corgi models from the ’50s and ’60s, upon which every component is metal, save for the tires which are the typical synthetic rubber you see on die-cast- a plastic product. A material that deteriorates, or micro-fragments into dust over time is hardly a material that should be used for something meant to last a long time. The first issue you run into with plastics is longevity, or lack thereof. This whole discussion invokes thoughts of the impacts of plastics in all situations. Until then, keeping a carded collection may be a difficult, anxious, unfun experience. Maybe the way Hot Wheels and Matchbox are packaged needs to change entirely, ditching the card back and blister norm and moving to something totally new. A higher quality blister with a good environmental profile. Maybe there is a packaging solution right around the corner. BUT, blisters with a good chance of cracking en route to the store or over time isn’t a good thing either. That is far more important than a collector preference.
Mattel SHOULD make the materials they use environmentally safe. Simply, does this mean Hot Wheels collecting will change over time? Will the risk of keeping expensive models carded outweigh the joy of keeping them in packages? For me a loose collection is the way to go, but that is my preference. What happens as these carded models age? Get subjected to excessive sunlight, or temperature changes? And the latest Car Culture/Fast and Furious models have been prone to cracking as well.
We have seen Matchbox cases opened with almost all the blisters cracked. We have seen blisters taped to cards like the first release of Japan Historics. We’ve been watching this unfold over the years. Others haven’t, and they’ve all been newer models. Most have survived the journey to their new homes. Recently I decided to simplify my collection down to loose models and my boxed TLV, so my carded stuff is going. I do keep some models carded, either because of the awesome art or because the model is a rare variation or error. Take, for example, the photos below taken by my friend at Walmart. Weather, age, and excessive movement makes them prone to cracking and separating from the cardboard. But it is becoming more and more clear that the new blisters won’t. Ultimately the main purpose of a basic Hot Wheels car is to be ripped from the blister and played with, so as long as that blister stays intact from factory to store to the register, all is essentially good.īut we know there is much more to that. That is a very good development, and to me necessary thing to do. Thankfully we have a lot of tools to keep them safe, like protectors.īut what about the blisters? It is pretty obvious that the blisters Mattel uses have changed over the last few years, my guess to make them more environmentally safe. The card has to remain crisp and crease free, and safe from elements that can cause it to age. Basing a collection on condition of the packaging can be a stressful proposition. For play, there isn’t even an argument.īut there are many other reasons too. As nice as some of the card art is, displaying all the cards together can look like a big jumbled mess. I’ve always preferred the models out of package, obviously to photograph, but also to display. I think everyone is pretty aware that the bulk of my Hot Wheels/Matchbox collection is loose.
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