What is a blisterpack? It is the package in which Hot Wheels are sold. Cardboard backing with art work and a clear cellophane bubble glued to the cardboard. The Hot Wheel is displayed in the bubble.
The History of the Blisterpack[]
Otto Kuhni was the designer of the art work on most early blisterpacks. Up until 1989 blisterpacks may be hard to date, Mattel did not have names on cards in the beginning, just the Collector's Button. In 1973 they started putting names on the blisterpacks, but that turned out not to be completely reliable, nor was the year dated on the cards. Starting in 1974, it seems they would run a batch of cards and they might have been over produced. It seems the back of the card were made, then the front was later applied to meet the needs of that casting. This really is noticeable starting in 1976 & 1977. This is why the "collector numbers" of the '70's are useless. Multiple cars would have the same collector number or would be listed wrong on the back check list. I have found 1983 cars on 1979 cards. This guide is to help understand some of the changes over the years.
1968[]
The First US market Blisterpack was released in '68
It is referred to as the "Cheetah Blisterpack". No there is not a cheetah on it but on the back it list's the "Python" as the "Cheetah". The Python was released with the name "cheetah" but it quickly changed to the Python.
The back did change to the production name "Python". This is the second Blisterpack
The circle logo under the Hot Wheels logo has Mattey mattel waving from a large "M" and has "Mattel Inc" above Mattey.
The other is known as a "Rosebud", due to the emblem used at the circle portion of Hot Wheels logo. It is a trademark emblem with "Rosebud Mattel toymakers" This was a doll manufacturer in England that Mattel purchased. These cards were only sold in the UK, the cardboard quality varied. Almost all Rosebud cards with have a HK car.
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1968
Original sixteen
Red & Orange
HK
1969[]
1969 was the first year series cards were seen. The Grand Prix series. The Circle under the hot wheels logo was changed to "Mattel", there still is some Rosebud blisters in this year also.
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1969
Rosebud
Red & Orange
1969
Regular
Red & Orange
1969
Grand Prix
1970[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1970
1970
Spoilers
1970
Heavy Weights
1970
Mongoo$e vs Snake
1971[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1971
1971
Mongoose vs Snake II
1972[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1972
Regular
Yellow & Red
Drivin' Gear
1972
1973[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1973
1974 and 1975[]
This blister was a new concept designed to show off those new Flying Colors with cars flying off the card, to me I had hoped.Some of my research in this area, Porsche 917 changes name in 1975 to P-917. Blister follows this timeline with the Porsche on the card at the end of the white loses the name altogether. Also, the advertising (dealer catalog) showed "Flying Colors in blue." There is the chance that the '74 red and blue logos ran together.
Note the card size changed during 1975 to the modern (shorter) size.
The Canadian cards of this era did not contain the Baja Bruiser, it was removed to allow bi-lingual text. These are uncommon.
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1974
Flying Colors
White
Early to ?? '74, Red Flying Color, Die Cast in the yellow area. Porsche 917 w/tampo, back shows '74 collector list, "Die-Cast" in the yellow area, Cars are Porsche 917, Heavy Chevy, Baja Bruiser
1974
Flying Colors
White
?? '74 to ??, Blue Flying Color, Die-cast in the yellow area,
Porsche 917 w/tampo, back shows '74 collector list
1974
Flying Colors
White
late '74 to early '75, Blue Flying Color, Die cast in Orange area, Porsche 917 w/tampo, back shows '75 collector list
1975
Flying Colors
White
early '75 to ??, Blue Flying Color, Die cast in Orange area, Porsche 917 tampo is gone, it is now just a stripe, back shows '75 collector list
1975
Flying Colors
Blue
?? the rest of '75, Flying Colors in a rainbow color, P-917 w/P-917 tampo. Cars change the direction of travel.P-917, Super Van & Emergency Squad
1976[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1976
Regular Line-up
Yellow Flying Colors
1976
Super Chromes
Blue
'76 Early, Collector's Check List just the Super Chromes
1976
Super Chromes
Blue
'76 Late, Collector's Check List includes coming in early '77 models
1977[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1978[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1978
Blue
1978
The Heavies
Blue
1978
Drag Strippers
Blue
1978
Rescue Team
Blue
1978
Speedway Special
Blue
1979[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1980[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1980
Regular Line-up
Blue
1980
Workhorses
Blue
1981[]
The introduction of "The Hot Ones", introduced a new wheel never seen before and a thinner axle. The Heroes series was continued.
The Hot Ones were replaced by a new faster breed, Ultra Hots.
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1984
Regular Line-up
All Blue
1984
Ultra Hots
Dark Blue to white
1984
1985[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1985
Action Command
Battle scene
1986[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1986
1986
Speed Demons
purple
Blackwall on car
1986
Speed Demons
purple
Ultra Hots on car
1987[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1988[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1989[]
Notes: A very short run of what is now known as experimental cards was released. At the time we knew the cards were changing, but because the experimental cards and all blue cards were out at the same time, it was unknown which would stay. They both started the collector # again. But this time they stuck to making them mean something. unlike in the '70's releases. This was the beginning of blisterpacks being made for only 1 year, thus being able to date the car with the date on the blister.
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1989
1989
Experimental Card
short run
1990[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1991[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1992[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1993[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
19
1994[]
Year
Series
Color
Origin
Notes
Photo
1994
1995[]
Notes: This was the first year treasure hunts were introduced. Only one of two years that production numbers were known. The release was to be one per month throughout the year. This did happen in spurts, they were randomly inserted in cases, never to be more than one per case though. It was almost like Hot Wheels Lotto.
Rear Image coming soon
