The Hot Wheels series introduced in 1995 with limited-edition cars was Treasure Hunts.
Mattel created Treasure Hunts as a collector-oriented line within the Hot Wheels range. The series originally featured limited production runs and cars decorated with distinctive finishes, making them harder to find than ordinary releases. Early Treasure Hunts were often associated with special Spectraflame paint, flashy graphics and premium-style rubber tires.
The series became especially recognizable through its packaging. Early cards used a green Treasure Hunt or T-Hunt stripe, while later releases adopted a flame-in-a-circle symbol on the car and card. That symbol is now one of the key ways collectors identify a Treasure Hunt.
Treasure Hunts are sometimes confused with Super Treasure Hunts. Since 2007, Super Treasure Hunts have formed a rarer tier, generally using Spectraflame paint and premium Real Riders wheels. Regular Treasure Hunts and Super Treasure Hunts are related, but they are not the same release category.