The condition grading information was obtained from "Tomarts Price Guide to Hot Wheels" which is the price guide used by most serious Hot Wheels collectors. The prices listed in the book are not always accuarate, some are too low and others are too high based on the going rate for specific models and colors. However, the book is especially good for identifying which models you have, the variations of those models, and it has a very detailed way to grade your cars. Use the tables below to grade your Hot Wheels.
Table for "points to subtract" when grading a car that is not mint:
| POINTS | FLAW |
|---|---|
| 1 | small,barely-noticeable scratch or chip |
| 1 | slight wear on decal (if it has decals) |
| 1 | slightly tarnished base |
| 1 | minor wear on wheel chrome (one point for each wheel) |
| 2 | up to 3 barely noticeable scratches or chips |
| 2 | noticeable wear on decals |
| 3 | substantial wear on decals |
| 3 | wheels show considerable chrome wear (3 points for each wheel) |
| 3 | tarnished base |
| 5 | small noticeable scratches or chips |
| 5 | up to 2 small dark spots (toning spots) |
| 10 | very noticeable dark spots |
| 14 | very obvious scratches or chips |
| 40 | most of paint missing |
| 50 | parts missing |
After you determine the points to subtract from a mint Hot Wheel by using the above table, you add the points up and use this table to determine the C rating for the Hot Wheel.
| Total Points | C RATING | % of MINT VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | C10 | 100% |
| 1 | C9 | 85% |
| 2 | C8 | 80% |
| 6 | C7 | 65% |
| 9 | C6 | 50% |
| 20 | C5 | 30% |
| 25 | C4 | 20% |
| 30 | C3 | 15% |
| 35 | C2 | 10% |
| 40 | C1 | 5% |
I am usually not a strict as Tomart's lists for grading the cars. If you can only subtract 5 points, most collectors would still call it a C8. If it grades below a C8, I usually don't want to buy the car unless it is a rare color or model.