Whether it's our parents’ house, children's books we all grew up with, Disney classics, or the best ‘80s movies, we all have things that immediately take us back to when a midday nap was viewed more as a punishment, not a treat like it is today. And although there are many things from your childhood that no longer exist or can no longer be found on supermarket shelves, such as certain beloved childhood snacks, many of us have held on to our favorite childhood toys.
Whether it's a beloved action figurine, a plush toy, a doll's house, or a LEGO set, many have preserved their most valuable toys from childhood for the sake of tangible nostalgia. Also, we knew we'd have a hard time parting with our favorite childhood toy. However, what we weren't thinking about back in the day was that our childhood toys, or these childhood things from the ‘90s (even before them) or the ‘00s, could bring us cash someday. Nowadays, people are willing to pay a lot to experience nostalgia again. Hence, lucky you if you have held onto some of your childhood playthings, because they might be worth a lot more today than they were back then. Your most valuable toy may actually be more valuable than you thought!
Below, we've compiled some of the most sought-after toys, including the most valuable Happy Meal toys, expensive vintage toys, and games that have only grown in monetary value over the years. Do you remember (or perhaps still own) any of these now deemed the most expensive collectible toys? Make sure to give those an upvote! Also, what modern toys and games do you believe will gain the status of the most valuable vintage toys in the future? PS5? Squishmallows? Let us know in the comments!
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#1 Action Comics No. 1, $3.2 Million
This "pristine" 1938 edition of this comic book set a record when it was auctioned off in 2014 for the highest amount ever paid for a comic book on eBay. Why all the uproar? There are less than 50 copies of this comic book in existence.
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22points
#2 Garbage Pail Kids' Cards: $1,000 And Up
Oh, the 1980s. The surreal world wide web is the perfect home for the equally surreal Garbage Pail Kids collector cards, where a card like "Adam Bomb" can fetch up to $1,000. They may be worth even more if they are in their original packaging!
20points
#3 The Original Monopoly Game: $146,500
An original hand-drawn oil cloth edition of Monopoly created in 1933 and once possessed by the game's creator Charles Darrow sold at Sotheby's auction house in 2011 for $146,500, more than double what it was anticipated to sell for.
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20points
#4 Raggedy Ann Doll: $1,000 And More
Depending on your Raggedy Ann's age, selling it can get you more than $1,000. Currently, the asking price for the set in the picture on eBay is over $4,500!
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20points
#5 Original Furby: $900
These interactive, fuzzy toys first appeared on the market in 1998. The toy could sell for nearly $900 if you have an early edition in its original packaging.
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19points
#6 Kermit The Frog: $2,500
Get that old Kermit the Frog doll out of the attic. Currently, the asking price for this 1976 Jim Henson used toy is nearly $2,500 on eBay.
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19points
#7 First Edition Barbie: $8,000
Although Barbie has undergone various changes, some collectors will forever prefer the original 1959 model. Originals start at around $8,000 and come with zebra-striped bikinis and sweeping updos.
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18points
#8 First Edition Of 'Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone': $6,500
J.K. Rowling's book, which started the Harry Potter mania, was initially released in the United States in 1998. First copies of "Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone" have gone for as much as $6,500.
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18points
#9 Horrorscope Movie Viewer: $25,000
This innovative toy was created in 1964. The four terrifying tales included are Frankenstein, Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Curse of the Werewolf. Oh, and the price is a swanky $25,000! You can literally buy a new car with this amount.
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18points
#10 Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls: Prices Vary
Cabbage Patch Kids, introduced by Xavier Roberts in 1978, are adored by doll collectors. The world's most devoted Cabbage Patch doll collectors, Pat and Joe Prosey, have accumulated over 5,000 dolls that they keep in a specially constructed museum in Maryland. By the way, you can purchase them for as little as $360,000!
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17points
#11 View-Master: Prices Vary
To give those old 3D photos new life, Mattel's venerable View-Master, the stereoscopic photo viewer that children are accustomed to, is now utilizing Google Cardboard Virtual Reality technology. However, oh, how we loved those tiny slide projectors from years ago! Some still fetch high prices, reaching up to $1000 on eBay.
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17points
#12 E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Toy: Prices Vary
Who could ever forget this adored extra-terrestrial from the 1982 film? If you were fortunate enough to get the 38-inch-tall “life-size” E.T. toy back in the day, it might now be worth between $700 and $900.
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17points
#13 Claude The Crab Beanie Baby: $10,200
You already know that your Beanie Babies are worth far more now than they were in the 1990s, right? Claude the Crab is one of the most valuable ones. On eBay, the 1996 plushie is currently priced at $10,200.
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17points
#14 PEZ Dispensers: Prices Vary
Sugar addicts will be ecstatic to learn that even an ancient PEZ dispenser might one day be valuable. The Astronaut B dispenser, designed for the 1982 World's Fair, garnered a huge sum in 2006 when it sold on eBay for $32,000. The 1955 Santa Claus Head dispenser, the PEZ pistol, and the Mickey Mouse Soft Head dispenser are some other very valuable dispensers from PEZ.
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16points
#15 First Edition Of 'Where The Wild Things Are': $25,000
A 1963 first edition of the well-known children's book autographed by Maurice Sendak sold for $25K on Abebooks.com in 2012. The book's condition was particularly impressive because, as all parents are all too familiar with, picture books rarely last without any tears, smudges, or stains.
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16points
#16 Barbie And Ken Dolls: $100,000
Apparently, there's just one set of Barbie and Ken dolls that has Ken rocking a beard! Once again, a very valuable error for someone's pocket. Currently, this error set is priced at a whopping $100,000!
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16points
#17 Lite Brite: $100 - $1000
This 1967 toy allowed children to create glowing artwork by inserting tiny, colorful plastic pegs into a lit board. Today, this collectible may be priced anywhere from $100 to $1000. The one in the picture is currently listed at $159.99 on eBay.
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16points
#18 LEGO Sets: Prices Vary
In 1949, The Lego Group started making interlocking toy bricks. Since then, it has created LEGO kits with a range of themes that are enjoyable for both children and adults. Some of the most expensive LEGO sets, like the life-size Captain Rex in the picture, may be priced as high as $20,000.
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16points
#19 Hot Wheels: Prices Vary
Rare findings can be worth hundreds of dollars, yet most of these palm-sized autos sell for only a few dollars. The 1969 "Volkswagen Beach Bomb" prototype, which had wheels too big for Mattel's race tracks and surfboards hanging out the back window, is one of the most expensive. Because it was never mass-produced, collectors value it at about $150,000.
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15points
#20 Fisher Price's Push Cart Pete: $8,000
Vintage Fisher Price toys can be quite profitable if they are in pristine condition. This 9-inch pull toy from 1936 brought in more than $8,000 in 2009, which is not bad considering it was initially sold for 50 cents.
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15points