Casting #: 6205
Custom Cougar
Designer: Harry Bradley
Production Run: 1968-1969
Note: White interior was fairly difficult to find, and black roof variations were made in HK only. "Painted tooth" refers to the center of the front grille having a strip of paint on it. Most were unpainted.
Picture and description thanx to NCHWA.comOpenAI/ChatGPT Collector Guide
## Quick Value Snapshot
### USA Pricing
| Condition | Estimated Price Range |
|---|---:|
| Play-Worn / Poor | $35 - $90 |
| Good / Average (Visible wear) | $90 - $225 |
| Excellent / Near-Mint | $225 - $1,200+ |
| Mint / Carded (Unopened) | $900 - $5,000+ |
### Hong Kong Pricing
| Condition | Estimated Price Range |
|---|---:|
| Play-Worn / Poor | $30 - $85 |
| Good / Average (Visible wear) | $85 - $250 |
| Excellent / Near-Mint | $250 - $1,500+ |
| Mint / Carded (Unopened) | $1,000 - $6,500+ |
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## Collector Summary
### Why Collectors Want It
The 1968 **Custom Cougar** is a core early Redline casting designed by **Harry Bradley** and issued during the peak Spectraflame era. Its sharp pony-car profile, exposed hood detail, and broad color range make it a staple casting for 1968 collectors.
The casting is especially popular because it offers multiple collecting layers: USA vs. Hong Kong production, white interior scarcity, black roof HK-only cars, and the desirable “painted tooth” grille variation.
### Condition Red Flags
| Area | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Front grille | Painted tooth examples must show correct factory paint in the center grille strip. |
| Roof | HK black roof cars should have clean factory black paint with no touch-up. |
| Hood edges | Common area for chips and high-point wear. |
| Rear corners | Often show silvering, chips, or casting rubs. |
| Base | Check for heavy toning, axle damage, or swapped wheels. |
| Interior | White interiors are tougher and command a premium when clean. |
| Wheels | Correct setup is **2 medium, 2 small** Redline wheels. |
### Color Desirability - Ranked
| Rank | Color / Variation | Collector Demand |
|---:|---|---|
| 1 | Brown USA | Extreme |
| 2 | Light Blue USA | Extreme |
| 3 | Red USA | Very High |
| 4 | Aqua USA | Very High |
| 5 | Purple USA | High |
| 6 | HK Black Roof Purple | High |
| 7 | HK Black Roof Red | High |
| 8 | HK Black Roof Aqua / Green | High |
| 9 | Olive USA / HK | Moderate-High |
| 10 | Orange, Gold, Lime, Green, Blue | Moderate |
| 11 | Common HK Blue / Orange / Painted Tooth | Moderate |
### USA vs. Hong Kong
| Feature | USA | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Base origin | U.S.A. | Hong Kong |
| Typical colors | Wider standard Spectraflame range | Includes exclusive black roof variations |
| Interior | White interior harder to find | White interior also desirable |
| Grille variation | Painted tooth known on select colors | Painted tooth more commonly associated with HK data |
| Collector appeal | Strong for rare colors | Strong for black roof and variation collectors |
### Carded Examples
Carded Custom Cougars are highly desirable, especially on clean blister cards with bright Spectraflame paint and no wheel melt. Rare colors, black roof HK cars, white interior examples, and painted tooth variations can bring significant premiums.
A **10% Museum Premium** may apply for exceptional eye appeal, bright toning-free paint, crisp tampos/trim, clear glass, clean base, and problem-free blister presentation.
---
## Spectraflame Color Guide & Mint Loose Values
### USA Mint Loose Values
| Color / Variation | USA Rarity Rank | Estimated Mint Loose Value |
|---|---:|---:|
| Antifreeze | 6 | $275 - $450 |
| Green | 6 | $275 - $450 |
| Blue | 6 | $275 - $475 |
| Lime | 7- | $300 - $525 |
| Gold | 7+ | $325 - $575 |
| Olive | 7 | $350 - $650 |
| Orange | 8 | $375 - $700 |
| Blue Painted Tooth | 9 | $500 - $900 |
| Lime Painted Tooth | 11 | $650 - $1,100 |
| Antifreeze Painted Tooth | 11 | $650 - $1,100 |
| Purple | 12 | $750 - $1,300 |
| Aqua | 17 | $1,000 - $1,900 |
| Red | 21 | $1,300 - $2,400 |
| Light Blue | 23 | $1,700 - $3,000 |
| Brown | 31 | $2,500 - $4,500+ |
| Orange Painted Tooth | MARKET_DATA_INSUFFICIENT | MARKET_DATA_INSUFFICIENT |
### Hong Kong Mint Loose Values
| Color / Variation | HK Rarity Rank | Estimated Mint Loose Value |
|---|---:|---:|
| Blue | 4 | $225 - $375 |
| Orange | 4 | $225 - $400 |
| Blue Painted Tooth | 4 | $275 - $450 |
| Orange Painted Tooth | 5- | $300 - $525 |
| Olive | 7 | $350 - $650 |
| Olive Black Roof | 4 | $350 - $650 |
| Gold Black Roof | 7 | $450 - $800 |
| Green Black Roof | 27 | $1,600 - $3,000 |
| Aqua Black Roof | 29 | $1,900 - $3,500 |
| Red Black Roof | 31 | $2,300 - $4,250+ |
| Purple Black Roof | 35 | $3,000 - $5,500+ |
### Notes on Premiums
| Feature | Typical Premium |
|---|---:|
| White interior | +20% - +60% |
| Strong bright Spectraflame | +10% - +25% |
| Toning, haze, or heavy fade | -20% - -50% |
| Painted tooth verified factory-original | +25% - +75% |
| HK black roof, clean factory roof paint | +30% - +100% |
| Museum Premium for top eye appeal | +10% |
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### Data Import Snippet
- SLUG: 1968-custom-cougar
- TAGS: Spectraflame, 1968, Redline
- PRIMARY_COL: Blue
- SEO_DESCRIPTION: 1968 Hot Wheels Custom Cougar pricing guide with USA, Hong Kong, black roof, painted tooth, rarity, and Spectraflame values.
Online Redline Guide / Color Reference
Wheels: 2 Med, 2 Sm
US Colors
| Color | Comments |
|---|
| blue | common |
| lime | common |
| green | common |
| orange | unknown |
| olive | unknown |
| gold | hard to find |
| purple | very hard to find |
| aqua | very hard to find |
| antifreeze | very hard to find |
| red | rare |
| light blue | rare |
| brown | very rare |
HK Colors
| Color | Comments |
|---|
| blue | common |
| orange | unknown |
| olive | unknown |
| gold | hard to find |
| red | very rare |
| aqua | very rare |
| green | very rare |
| purple | very rare |
| PAINTED TOOTH COLORS: | COMMENTS: |
| lime US | very hard to find |
| blue US | very rare |
| blue HK | very hard to find |
| orange HK | rare |
NCHWA.com Ratings
MINT Loose pricing below probably. Check ebay for blister pricing.
Note that these values are very old. Typical selling prices can be significantly higher now. Check the AI summaries for more info or ebay listings here.
Please see NCHWA.com Grading Page to reduce value due to condition.
| Color | US
Rating | US
Value | HK
Rating | HK
Value |
|---|
| Antifreeze | 6 | $138 | . | . |
| Green | 6 | $138 | . | . |
| Blue | 6 | $138 | 4 | $88 |
| Lime | 7- | $151 | . | . |
| Gold | 7+ | $175 | . | . |
| Orange | 8 | $188 | 4 | $88 |
| Olive | 7 | $163 | 7 | $163 |
| Purple | 12 | $288 | . | . |
| Aqua | 17 | $526 | . | . |
| Red | 21 | $726 | . | . |
| Light Blue | 23 | $826 | . | . |
| Brown | 31 | $2,201 | . | . |
| Olive | . | . | 4 | $88 |
| Gold | . | . | 7 | $163 |
| Green | . | . | 27 | $1,401 |
| Aqua | . | . | 29 | $1,801 |
| Red | . | . | 31 | $2,201 |
| Purple | . | . | 35 | $3,251 |
| Blue | 9 | $213 | 4 | $88 |
| Lime | 11 | $263 | . | . |
| A/freeze | 11 | $263 | . | . |
| Orange | . | . | 5- | $101 |
| | . | | . |
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