Even though you’d like to think that the 80’s and 90’s were not that long ago, we can officially tell you that these are now classed as ‘vintage’ eras. Yes, we feel your pain!
On a positive note, it does mean that now is the time to get rummaging through your attics, basements and storage areas to uncover your old treasured possessions. That’s right, your now vintage toys could be worth a small fortune.
As a helping hand from us, to you, we’ve put together a list of some of the most valuable toys you may own that you are likely to have hidden away from the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s.
Valuable Toys You May Own: Get ready to head down nostalgia road guys…
1) The Classic Furby
Oh the Furby. It was THE ultimate must-have toy from 1998 until 2000 – the toy that lost its cuteness appeal in less than one day. If it didn’t drive you mad, it certainly drove your parents crazy with its constant uttering of silly nonsense from the minute you opened it, until the batteries went dead (or were removed!) or until a certain somebody took a hammer to it!
Yet, it was a ground breaking move for toy makers, Tiger Electronics. Not only did the Furby makers sell over 40 million cute little creatures in those three years, but also, it was the first time that any robotic toy could be bought off the shelf, talk to their owners, communicate with other Furbies and gradually learn the native language over time.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furby
Every child wanted one, which meant that the original and reasonably priced £35 soon shot up to the £100 mark as demand grew.
The recent revival of the Furby, particular when Hasbro took over production and licencing, has made the originals shoot up in value. There is even a fan site where you can check the value of your Furby. According to GoFurby.com, the most valuable Furby is called Penguin. It is worth up to £500 plus boxed and £350 plus in working condition, as it had a limited release in Mexico and some other South American countries. You must take a look at the site and see what you have.
If you have a rare one, unboxed, you might get £30 on eBay, which is far better than throwing it away. Just check that it works first, and see how long you can last with the batteries in.
2) Generation 1 Transformers
Who has fond memories of Omega Surpreme, Galvatron, Soundwave, and, of course, the ultimate Optimus Prime? The TV series was a classic and so were the toys. If you didn’t love a lorry that turns into a heroic Autobot in the mid 80’s and early 90’s, then we have serious concerns for you.
The Transformer toy range, which was brought to the market by Hasbro in 1984, is one of the most successful toy franchises in the world. It ran alongside the Marvel created TV series, ‘The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye ‘, for originally three years, ending in 1987. It then returned – Generation 2 – in 1992 according to Wikipedia.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Transformers_(TV_series)
As you can imagine, Generation 1 Transformer Toys are worth a fortune. According to CBR.com, it is rare for the most popular character from a TV series to hold the most value due to mass production, but the very original Autobot Commander, Optimus Prime, boxed and in mint conditions sold for an eye watering $12,000.
Naturally boxed items are winners, but look out for gift set collections, which is five figures or more from a single set (as most Transformer toys were sold separately). With single mint condition items going for up to $1,000, these will be worth a fortune.
Source: https://www.cbr.com/most-expensive-transformers-toys/
For a set of unboxed, good condition “Generation 1” Transformers, you can fetch around £50 on eBay- not bad at all.
3) Ty Beanie Babies
As much as the kids of the 90’s loved these, it seemed to catch the parents too. That’s right, trading these bean bag soft toys was a big thing, with people paying thousands of dollars to get their hands on a rare or special edition version. In fact, according to countryliving.com, Beanie Babies made up 10 percent of eBay’s sales in the early 90’s.
The most memorable, and also most expensive Beanie Baby ever sold was the Diana bear. Made in tribute of Princess Diana’s death, the most rare version is a “ghost version”, selling for $507,000 according to completeset.com
The average value of a rare Beanie Baby – mainly the bears – is now roughly around $47. If you want to sell your entire collection, you’ll be able to get £100 for three of the rare bears.
Source: https://www.completeset.com/stories/the-10-most-valuable-beanie-babies
4) Polly Pockets
As an 80’s ,90’s or 00’s child, you will have owned, or knew someone who owned a Polly Pocket or two. They were the cutest craze of transportable play sets for girls, that always had an added bonus from car rings, to money boxes and little items of jewellery. Brought to market in 1989, ladies of a certain age will remember sneaking them into the school playground, swapping them with friends, and showing off the latest one bought in Woolworths that prior weekend.
There is also a chance that you’ll still have a couple hidden away in storage, as they were small enough to keep during any de-cluttering phase. Well we say, get them out as they are selling for as much as £1,400 on eBay at the moment. According to The Sun, boxed limited edition Alice in Wonderland and Little Mermaid Polly Pockets from 1996 fetched the most valuable Polly Pocket title.
Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/5274011/if-you-have-an-old-polly-pocket-set-it-could-be-worth-1420/
We say, look for the original versions made by Bluebird Toys (not Mattel who changed the format slightly in 1999). We did a quick search and bundles of excellent condition Polly Pockets are selling for around £720. Now that could certainly boost your bank balance.
Let’s not forget the boys and the Polly Pocket equivalent – Mighty Max. Those too are worth a ‘pretty’ penny. If you have the right vintage and play set, you could be looking at £100.
5) Tamagotchi
It is the 20th Anniversary of the Tamagotchi, and according to The Independent, Bandai has re-launched the cutest ever digital pet to celebrate. Not only has this brought back memories to the kids of the late 90’s who, in less than an hour, could kill their Japanese pixelated pet, but it also means that original and working Tamagotchis are heightening in value.
According to flippingincome.com, original Tamagotchis are worth between $50 and $200 right now. The Devilgotchi is the main prize, recently selling for $359.
Source: Independent – Tamagotchi
Valuable Toys You May Own: Other nostalgic toys to look out for:
6) Original Nintendo
The original Nintendo NES and games are worth a fortune. Collectors will happily pay up to £485 for a good condition console. Now if you have a used Stadium Events game you could expect to get $1,000. Gold versions of games such as Punch Out and Nintendo World Championships will also line your pockets quite a bit. Also look for any games that were released after the Super Nintendo launched. Popularity dwindled then, which means these games sold less and are rare, such as Flintstones Surprise at Dino Peak, which is fetching $170.
Source: https://blog.pricecharting.com/2009/07/most-expensive-nintendo-nes-game-prices.html
7) WWF Action Figures
Now you could probably sell your full collection and get a decent amount on eBay for them, but to grab the big buck, you need to have the original 80’s action figures. The gamer.com has done of run down of the most valuable figures, including Macho Man Randy Savage from ’89. Boxed and mint condition, Mr Randy Savage figures can sell for around $10,000. Don’t forget his other half Miss Elizabeth, which are extremely rare. Don’t just think small either, the Star Toys larger figure are also selling well at around $3000.
For any of these unboxed, but in excellent condition, you can expect to sell them for around £30.
Source: https://www.thegamer.com/expensive-wwe-action-figures-you-wish-you-owned/
8) NERF Super Soaker
NERF are naturally still going strong, but when the Super Soaker first went on sale in 1990, it transformed outdoor play in the summer months forever. One recently sold for $600 according to brainjet.com.
Source: Brainjet Toys
If you have an original from the very early years, get it listed.
9) Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy was a firm favourite, happily telling stories to kids from 1985. It was a best selling toy back then. It is another classic that has also had a major upgrade, re-launching in 2016 with LCD eyes, which is actually pretty freaky.
Again, the resurgence of Teddy Ruxpin has got people searching their storage for an original. According to blog, Mom.me, a classic Teddy Ruxpin is deemed a collectable item, valued at over £500. Creepy, yet worth a bob or two. We like it.
If you don’t have them, then at least we’ve given you a moment of nostalgia. Oh, and wise words, don’t through out your kids stuff – just think about the big bucks you could earn in 40 years time!
Should you manage to find any of these rare items or other hidden treasures within your home it may be worth contacting us today to guarantee a safe and secure storage facility.
If you any other questions, please feel free to call us or drop in for a chat.
Get in touch!
