20 Childhood Toys That Are Worth So Much Money Today

Being a child in the 1980s and 1990s were simpler times. As children, the main things that we looked forward to was watching our favorite cartoons on TV and playing outside (and not paying any bills!) We had some things that stood the test of time, including Disney, Barbie, Lego, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We also had other things that remained an icon of its time, including Furbies, Polly Pocket, Cabbage Patch Kids, and G.I. Joe. Either way, looking in our attic and basement for our old toys bring us back to old times when our lives were a bit more carefree.

Did you know that some of your toys might be worth a lot of money? Of course, most toys from the 80s and 90s are nearly valueless. But the few rare collectible toys can sell on eBay for thousands of dollars today if they are in mint condition. If you pulled off the tags or took your toy out of the box (which of course, most kids do), your toys probably lost most of its value once again. Did any of your childhood toys make the cut? Here is a list of toys from your childhood that is worth the most money today:

Beanie Babies

You may have liked Beanie Babies due to their cute designs and their beanbag texture. But many people collected Beanie Babies because they expected them to be worth thousands of dollars years later. Unfortunately, most Beanie Babies are worth virtually nothing today. However, there are a few Beanie Babies that have very high-value today. The Beanie Baby with the highest value is the Princess Diana bear. It is no surprise that this one has such as high value since it was named after the late princess. It is also valuable because it is stuffed with PVC pellets, instead of PE pellets, according to Mental Floss. Although it has been said to be worth up to $600,000, it sold in January 2019 for $10,000.

Furbies

If you grew up during the 90s, you probably had a Furby or two. Even though Furbies were fuzzy, really creepy, and frankly did not have much of a purpose, somehow they were high in demand. If you did not have a real Furby, you probably had a couple of Furby Happy Meal Toys from McDonald’s to play with instead. At least they were arguably less creepy than the giant battery operated version. If you were too scared to open the box, your Furby toy might be pretty valuable. Now, Furbies are selling for as much as $1,500 on Mercari for the original 1998 version.

Game Boy

If you were a gamer kid in the 90s, you probably had the original Game Boy. Although the system was not very advanced (it did not even have color!), it still gives you nostalgia from your childhood. The toy spiked up in value after the interactive app Pokemon Go came out. A new Game Boy sold for up to $549.95 according to Elite Daily. Its counterpart, the Game Boy Color sold for $242.50. But the Game Boy Advance is only going for $69.95. The real gem is the new limited edition gold Game Boy pocket device. This system is priced as high as $1,950.00 for an open box on eBay.

Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls

Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls were incredibly popular in the 80s and into the 90s. Who knew that a doll could be so chunky looking and so cute at the same time? They were popular because they were collectible since there were so many different kinds. If you have an unopened Cabbage Patch Doll since someone didn’t buy you the one that you wanted for Christmas, you may have struck gold. Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls are incredibly expensive on eBay. Some unopened models can go as high as $8,500 on the website. And a set of twin Cabbage Patch Kids dolls from 1979 successfully sold for $3,500 in June 2018.

Pokemon cards

When you were a child, you probably collected Pokemon cards and played the game with friends during lunchtime. It was fun to channel your inner Ash Ketchum. If you can still find your Pokemon cards, they are probably not in the best of condition. But if you kept your Pokemon cards in sleeves and they stayed in mint condition, they can be worth a lot of money. The Trophy Pikachu Trainer No. 1 card is so rare and valuable, it has been labeled as priceless on The Gamer. The second most valuable Pokemon card is the Pikachu Illustrator card, that sold for as much as $90,000.

GameBoy games

You probably have a large stack of Game Boy games in your basement. Unfortunately, most GameBoy games have virtually no value today. You would not even be able to sell your games at Game Stop. But some of your Game Boy games could have very high value, especially if they are still in its original packaging according to Racket Boy. Amazing Tater is worth up to $1,700. Spud’s Adventures is worth up to $1,540. And Mega Man games, such as Mega Man V, is worth up to $1,380. Mega Man IV is worth $500. F1 Pole Position is worth up to $830. And Kid Dracula is worth up to $750.

Yu-Gi-Oh cards

If you liked playing with Pokemon cards in the lunchroom, you probably also liked playing with Yu-Gi-Oh cards with your friends after you got a bit older. But if you kept your Yu-Gi-Oh cards in mint condition, they could be worth fortunes. Kaiba’s beloved Blue Eyes White Dragon is worth $1,499.95 on Troll and Toad. But did you know that the most valuable Yu-Gi-Oh card is worth up to 12 million dollars? This honor belongs to the Tournament Black Luster Soldier. If you have this card in possession, you could become an instant millionaire. Not all cards are worth a lot of money. Zone Eater is worth virtually nothing, at 41 cents.

G.I. Joe

If you were raised in the 70s and 80s, your brother probably had G.I. Joe action figure. You left them alone for the most part but sometimes you would sneak a G.I. Joe action figurine out of your brother’s room so that your Barbie dolls could date him. Or maybe you were a tomboy who had G.I. Joe action figures of your own. If so, your action figures can be worth a lot of money. The most valuable G. I. Joe toy is the 1975 Para-Drop figurine that is worth as much as $5,999. If you have this toy, hopefully, you did not take it out of its box!

Power Rangers

Playing with Power Ranger action figures with your siblings was so fun. You enjoyed acting out parts from the Power Rangers show along with creating your new adventures together. Of course, you and your siblings were always fighting for the Red Power Ranger. There is no surprise that Power Rangers action figures are worth a lot of money today. You would think whoever buys the Power Rangers toys would want to recreate Power Ranger stories from their childhood. However, they probably just want to keep the toys as collectibles in their box (talk about boring). The Power Rangers Legacy bundle from Bandai is worth up to $700 on Mercari.

Hot Wheels cars

Hot Wheels cars are a childhood staple. If you were a tomboy, you probably had a large collection of Hot Wheels cars that were lost all over the house due to their size. You also most likely had a huge Hot Wheels ramp in your room that you used to drive your Hot Wheels cars on. But that is long gone by now (or in your parent’s basement). If you can find any of your Hot Wheels cars, they might have some value today. However, unopened cars have much more value. The Diamond Encrusted Hot Wheels car is the most valuable toy car ever made, according to The Gamer. The diamonds on the car are 23 carats, making its value start at a whopping $140,000. The Pink Beach Bomb is a 1969 model that is worth anywhere from $80,000 to $125,000.

Sega Genesis

The Sega Genesis came out in 1988 and is most known for the bestselling game, Sonic the Hedgehog. The Sega Genesis is not worth much if it is outside of its box. If it is used it is only worth a little over $20. A new Sega Genesis is worth $150.00. A new Sega Genesis 2 is worth $233.09 while the used edition is worth a bit over $35, according to Price Charting. However, some websites say that the Sega Genesis can be worth as much as $2,000. Some of the Sega Genesis games have tremendous value. Tetris can be valued anywhere from $16,000 to $25,000, according to Racket Boy.

Transformers action figures

If you were a child in the 80s and 90s, you were most likely a fan of Transformers before Shia Labeouf and Megan Fox. You probably had action figures of fan-favorite Transformers, Optimus Prime and Bumble Bee, along with the other Transformers figurines. But if you could still find them at your parents’ house, they might be worth big bucks. The most expensive Transformers figurine is unsurprisingly an Optimus Prime from the 1980s that goes up to $12,000. The runner up is a Computron that goes for over $5,000 if it is in perfect condition. The same model goes for under $1,000 if it isn’t in mint condition.

He-Man Action figures

He-Man was a popular TV series and action figure collection in the 1980s. If you were an 80s kid, you probably had He-Man and She-Ra figures. You probably shamelessly shipped them, until you realized that they were actually supposed to be brother and sister. Oops! It was an honest mistake. Fortunately, He-Man figures are worth a lot of money today. The most valuable He-Man set is the Eternia Playset, that is worth as much as $3,000 according to CBR. The runner up is the original He-Man figurine from 1982. This is worth up to $1,200 if it is in perfect condition.

Micro-Machines

Along with Hot Wheels, you also probably had Micro-Machines cars if you were an 80s or 90s baby. Even though they were from a different company, you drove your Micro-Machines right on the Hot Wheels ramps if they fit. Like Hot Wheels cars, Micro-Machines also have a lot of value today depending on their model. The Prototype Mini from Insiders Ferrari sold for $686.51 in April 2019, according to Fab Tin Toys. The Prototype Mini from Insiders Porsche 959 sold for $665.55 also in April 2019. And the Titan A E The Titan Ship Green Tag sold for $617.19 in May 2019.

Mario Kart 64

Mario Kart 64 is one of the most popular games from the Nintendo 64. The second Mario Kart game came out in 1997. It is not just a fun game. It is also a staple of a 90 kids’ childhood. This game is virtually worthless if it is loose. The loose Mario Kart 64 sold for as cheap as $3.00 on eBay according to Price Charting. Somebody snagged it quickly for that low cost, so it now costs around $7.50. Brand new Mario Kart 64 games are much more valuable. A new copy sold for $250.00 in June 2019. And a certified mint sold for $900 in March 2019.

LEGO sets

Lego sets were a staple of both your generation and the next generation’s childhood. The sets were fun because they promoted creativity. However, if are a mom, you would understand why they were the bane of your parents’ existence. They still hurt so much if you ever manage to accidentally step on one. If you have any Lego sets, do not pass them on as yet. They might be worth a lot of money right now. The most valuable Lego set currently is H.C. Andersen’s Clumsy Hans 2015 edition. This goes up to $7,375.80 in value. The runner up is a TMNT Antonio’s Pizza Rama model that is a 2012 NYC Comic-Con exclusive. The model, which is just a New York slice of pizza, goes up to $4,276.90.

K’Nex Roller Coaster

K’Nex Roller Coasters were a staple of a 90s kids childhood, even though they kind of never were for children in the first place. I mean, which child (and also which adult) really had the patience to put these roller coasters and other models together. But the finished products were still pretty cool to look at. Also, some of these models are worth a crazy amount of money. The Double Doom Roller Coaster costs as much as $2,000 on Walmart. And right behind is the Sorcerers Eclipse Roller Coaster Building Set for $1,030.20 on Rank Shops. If neither are in your budget, you can get the Ferris Wheel Building Set from Michael’s on sale for under $500.

Jurassic Park toys

Jurassic Park was an incredibly popular movie. The iconic Steven Spielberg movie came out in 1993 and is among the Top 50 highest grossing movies of all time. Its sequel, Jurassic World came out in 2015 and is the sixth highest grossing movie of all time, according to Newsday. But did you know that the Jurassic Park toys from the 1990s are just as in demand as the movies? According to Gemr, the Lost World: Triceratops sold for as much as $6,000. The runner up is the Night Hunter Pteranodon that sold for $4,000. The most valuable figurine is the Chaos Effect Ultimasaurus that is so rare that there are only two copies known to man.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ popularity span through many different generations. They first became popular in the 1980s but they still have a popular show on Nickelodeon right now for the current generation. Therefore, there is no surprise that their 80s and 90s figurines are worth lots of money. According to CBR, the most valuable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toy is actually a…cat? Scratch the Cat, a 1993 figurine is worth up to $1,200. The runner up is Undercover Raphael, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figurine from 1994. This action figure sold for $700 alone when it is in mint condition.

Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. is a gamer’s classic. The fighter game originally came out on Nintendo 64 in 1999 and became a classic immediately. This caused Super Smash Brothers games to come out on newer systems, such as the Game Cube, Wii, Wii U, and the Nintendo Switch. The newest Super Smash Brother Ultimate sold as much as 1.2 million copies in the first three days in Japan. A loose cartridge of the original Super Smash Brothers sold for $30 in June 2019 according to Price Charting. But a new copy of Super Smash Brothers sold for $500 on June 2019. A graded copy of the iconic game sold for up to $1,807.91 in February 2019.