60 of the Most Valuable Toys From Your Childhood
Man, we wish we'd held on to so. many. things.
Quick! Check the attic and raid your parents' basement — these playthings from your past are worth a small fortune now. Digging out your old games, comics, dolls, and action figures is a genius idea if you're looking to make some extra cash — or a lot! Over the years, items you once considered to be nothing more than a fun childhood memory are now very, very valuable. Both collectors and people just feeling nostalgic are willing to pay big bucks for your goodies. So start searching through your old attic, garage, and closet — your wallet will thank you later.
Garbage Pail Kids' Cards: $1,000 and up
Ahhhh, the '80s. The surreal Garbage Pail Kids collectible cards have found their ideal home on the equally surreal internet, where a card like "Adam Bomb" can collect around $1,000. Bonus dollars if they are in their original packaging.
1978 Luke Skywalker Action Figure: $25,000
When Nigo, the Japanese designer and founder of A Bathing Ape, decided to offload his Star Wars collection, he turned to Sotheby's. The total haul of the 2015 auction came to over half a million dollars, and included a new boxed Luke Skywalker figurine, one of only 20 out there.
Peanut Royal Blue Elephant Beanie Baby: $5,000
Due to a manufacturing error, only 2,000 of these royal blue "Peanut" elephants were fabricated with a darker color than originally intended. Now, it's the most collectible Beanie Baby in existence, and sells for as much as $5,000. Other valuable versions include Humphrey the Camel, valued around $2,000, and the 1997 Princess Diana Beanie Baby.
PEZ Dispensers: Prices Vary
Sugar fiends will be delighted to know that even that old, candy-less PEZ dispenser might be worth something someday. In 2006, a dispenser known as the Astronaut B, created for the 1982 World's Fair made major bank, selling on eBay for $32,000. Other collectible dispensers include the Mickey Mouse Soft Head dispenser, the 1955 Santa Claus Head dispenser, and the PEZ gun.
The Original Monopoly Game: $146,500
An original hand drawn oil cloth version of Monopoly made in 1933 and owned by the game's inventor Charles Darrow sold for $146,500 at Sotheby's auction house in 2011, nearly double its expected price. But, even if you don't have such a rare version of this beloved game, vintage versions from the 1930s have sold for $3,125 and limited editions sell for hundreds on eBay.
Hot Wheels: Prices Vary
While most of these palm-sized cars go for just a few dollars, rare finds can be worth thousands. Among the most valuable is the 1969 "Volkswagen Beach Bomb" prototype, designed with surf boards hanging out the back window and wheels that made it too large for Mattel's race tracks. Though it never went into wide production, that's what makes it all the more valuable to collectors, who value it around $150,000.
Action Comics No. 1, $3.2 million
The most expensive comic ever sold on eBay, this "pristine" 1938 edition went up for auction in 2014, to staggering results. Why the frenzy? It's the comic that first introduced Superman to the world, and there are fewer than 50 in existence worldwide.
Wun-Dar He-Man: Prices Vary
Also known as naked-with-a-loin-cloth He-Man, this brawny action figure was a giveaway that came with the purchase of Wonder Bread in the 1990s. If you saved it, you're in luck: Your love of white bread could pay off, thanks to the wonder of eBay where some of these go for as much as $200.
Fisher Price's Push Cart Pete: $8,000
If they're in mint condition, vintage Fisher Price toys can make a mint. In 2009, this 9-inch 1936 pull toy raked in upwards of $8,000 — not bad since it originally retailed for 50 cents.
American Girl "Molly" Doll: $3,000
A new American Girl Doll will run you about $120, but isn't it reassuring to know that discontinued dolls like Felicity, Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly live on somewhere? If you have one of these "out of print" dolls at home, with their original clothing and accessories, you could make as much as $3,000.
First Edition of 'Where the Wild Things Are': $25,000
In 2012, a signed 1963 first edition of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book sold on Abebooks.com for $25K. The condition of the book was especially remarkable because, as parents know all too well, picture books rarely survive without any rips, smudges, or smears.
Lionel's Pennsylvania 'Trail Blazer" Train Set: Prices Vary
Lionel's nostalgic electric train sets evoke a bygone era (and are now made with 21st century technology), but if you happen to find an original Lionel set in your attic, it could be worth hundreds.
First Edition Barbie: $8,000
Barbie may have undergone a makeover, but for some collectors, the classic 1959 version will always be the one and only. Originals, complete with zebra-stripe swimsuits and a sweeping up-do, retail from around $8,000.
Vintage Atari Cartridges: Prices Vary
In a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction twist, an urban legend that Atari had buried hundreds of its game cartridges in the New Mexico desert in 1983 turned out to be true. In all, 881 recovered cartridges were sold, totaling $107,000 in proceeds. Individually, the more rare and popular games can go for hundreds of dollars on eBay.
Original Furby: $900
These furry, interactive toys came on the scene in 1998. If you're holding on to an early version in an unopened box, you could expect it to fetch close to $900.
Game Boy: Price Vary
Before we were obsessed with our cell phones, we whiled away the hours on Nintendo's handheld game system, which was first released in the U.S. in 1989. These days, Game Boys go for hundreds, and possibly even more depending on the make and condition.
Original Transformers Action Figures: Prices Vary
Hasbro produced the first line of these transforming robot action figures in 1984. If you were lucky enough to keep the originals in their box, they can be worth way more than their original value: Optimus Prime figures in pristine packaging are listed on eBay for upwards of $2,000.
First Edition of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone': $6,500
Originally published in 1998, first editions of the U.S. version of J.K. Rowling's story that kicked off the Harry Potter phenomenon have sold for up to $6,500. Score one for Gryffindor if you find a signed copy, which adds to the value, like this one selling for $15,000.
Mario Kart 64: $400+
One of Nintendo's most beloved games (we all wanted to be Yoshi) now sells for hundreds. An original sealed copy like the one pictured, however, can go for a whopping $10,000! A game that is worth a ton of money and taught us how to drive? Not too shabby.
Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls: Prices Vary
Doll collectors adore Cabbage Patch Kids, first created by Xavier Roberts in 1978. Pat and Joe Prosey are the world's most obsessive Cabbage Patch doll collectors, having amassed over 5,000 dolls they house in a custom-built Maryland museum (you can buy them all for a cool $360,000). If you're more of a casual fan, there's also an official collector's club with an annual membership of $35.
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