Hot Wheels Redline Collector button/pin folded or straight?

On the original 1968 to 1971 Hot Wheels Redline blister cards, the little collector button/pin came with a metal tab on the back. Some tabs are bent/folded under, and some stick straight out because of where and how they were packaged.

Here's the basic breakdown collectors usually go by:
- The USA version buttons usually had the tab left straight/unfolded.
- Hong Kong version buttons were often packed with the tab already bent under/folded.

For serious Redline collectors, the folded-tab vs straight-tab button can affect both authenticity confidence and value, but usually not as much as the car and card condition itself.

Straight-tab buttons
- Usually associated with USA issued buttons
- Often considered a little more desirable because the tab stayed flat and displayed cleaner
- Less stress cracking or metal fatigue on the button back
- Many collectors think untouched straight tabs look "factory fresh"
- Copyright - Mattel Inc. USA

Folded-tab buttons
- Common on Hong Kong issued buttons
- Early 1968 HK notched-tab buttons are considered legitimate and collectible variants, not damaged
- Some advanced collectors actually prefer folded tabs because they can indicate an early HK production run
- On certain cars, a folded/notched HK button can be tougher to find than the smooth U.S. version
- Copyright - Mattel Inc. Hong Kong printed on the bottom

The smooth-tab vs notched-tab difference

The 1968 and 1969 Hong Kong buttons are commonly found with the notched V tab. USA buttons are generally smooth-tab and straight

Smooth-tab buttons
These have a plain metal fastening strip on the back.

Characteristics:
- Flat, clean metal tab
- No cut-out notch in the center
- Usually associated with USA made buttons
- Most commonly found with tabs left straight out
- Generally considered the more common version

Notched-tab buttons
These have a small cut or V notch stamped into the metal tab.

Characteristics for Notched:
- Small V-shapethe cut-out in the center
- Usually associated with Hong Kong issued buttons
- Frequently found folded under
- Believed to be among the earliest HK button styles

The back of the notched tab looks more like V: ADD IMAGE

Why the notch-tab exists

Collectors believe the notch helped
- easier folding by the manufacturing equipment
- different supplier tooling in Hong Kong production.

Mattel used multiple subcontractors in 1968 - 1969, so slight hardware differences happened naturally.

Which Hot Wheels Redline button is more rare?

Generally:
- Smooth-tab = more common
- Notched-tab = scarcer and more specialized