Childhood Toys That Could Pay Off Your Debt

Rare Pokémon Cards

Pokémon cards featured heavily in most people’s childhoods, and now they could potentially be worth thousands of dollars. In 2017, an extremely rare Pokémon card sold for about $54,970. A Charizard card from 1999 is also worth quite a bit of money and could be sold for as high as $11,000.

1978 Luke Skywalker Action Figure

There’s probably no movie franchise that will ever be as successful and as iconic as the Star Wars franchise. The success of this franchise rubbed off on its action figures too, as they flew off the shelves immediately after the first movie was released. Today, those action figures are now worth a lot of money. For example, an as-new boxed Luke Skywalker Figurine could sell for as high as $25,000.

Wun-Dar He-Man

This brawny action figure was mostly given away for free when you bought Wonder Bread in the 90s. Most kids just played with it for a while and threw it all away. Very few saved it. If you’re one of the few who saved it, well, you may have just saved yourself five hundred dollars. If it’s in good condition, it may go for even more.

Fisher Price’s Push Cart Pete

Vintage Fisher Price’s Push Cart Pete can make you a sweet penny— especially if they are in great condition. Some of these toys sell for around $3,000 as they are really in demand by toy collectors all over the world. The great thing about this toy is that it originally retailed for less than a dollar. That’s a crazy increase in value.

First Edition of “Where the Wild Things Are”

Don’t you just love it when something you bought (okay maybe something your parents bought for you in this case) for less than a hundred dollars goes for more than twenty-five thousand dollars? That’s what has happened with the first version of “where the wild things are?”, a classic children’s book. In 2012, the 1963 book sold for around $25,000 on eBay.

Hot Wheels Models

The Collector Number 271 was released in 1995 and is considered by many to be rarest Hot Model Wheel car from the 90s. Since it’s rare and is high on the collector’s list, this model has been priced at $3,500— and has the potential of going even higher. You should note, though, that only seven in existence have ever been authenticated.

Vintage Atari Cartridges

For a long time, there was a prevailing myth that said that Antari had buried hundreds of its game cartridges in the New Mexico desert in 1983. Most people ignored the legend because they couldn’t imagine that it would ever be true. But it was true. In all, 881 cartridges were recovered and they all went for the combined price of about $107,000 on eBay. Today, even single Atari Cartridges can go for hundreds of dollars.

Peanut Royal Blue Elephant Beanie Baby

A manufacturing error means that only about 2,000 of these royal blue Peanut elephants were ever made. The manufacturing error is the reason these elephant beanie babies look way darker than normal— and it’s the reason they are now worth five thousand dollars a pop to collectors.

Pez Dispenser

No one bought Pez for the dispenser. However, that dispenser may be worth something today. In 2006, a Pz dispenser known as Astronaut B that was created for the 1982 World’s Fair fetched about $30,000 on eBay. Now, your ordinary dispenser at home may not fetch that much, but it could in the future. You better hold on to it.

The Original Monopoly Game

It’s difficult to think of a more popular board game than Monopoly. There are dungeons and dragons, of course, but you had to be pretty deep in magical lore and fantasy to play that. The great thing about Monopoly is that anyone could play it. And today, anyone can sell it and make bank. The original monopoly game (not the cardboard version sold in the 80s, but the hand drew on oilcloth version sold in the 20s) recently sold for $146,000 in 2011. Even if you don’t have a version that’s so old, you can sell cardboard vintage editions for as high as $3,000.

Digimon

The virtual monsters called Digimon were first created in 1997. Later, an anime series and a video game followed, popularizing Digimon even more. Mint versions of Digimon, despite just being less than twenty years old, cost about $100 now. And it’s certain that it will become even more expensive as the years roll by.

Boba Fett Action Figure

It’s not too surprising to find another you from the Star Wars franchise here. Due to the popularity of Star Wars, merchandise from the franchise are some of the most expensive on the market. This is true when they are new consumer items, and when they are collector’s items as well. Mint versions of this toy in the box can be sold for up to $30,000.

Rare Comic Books

Most boys love comic books until they grow out of them. Then they earn money and start collecting rare items, and they get into comic books again. It’s true that not all comic books from the 90s hold great value. However, it’s also true that some hold very high value, especially if they are in great condition. For example, “The Uncanny X-Men” #266 could be worth up to $400.

McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys

McDonald’s Happy meal toys are loved by children from all eras. It doesn’t matter if it’s the 70s or 90s, these toys have managed to define the childhood of many people. That’s probably why they have become quite popular collector’s items. They may even make you smile more today than they ever did if you manage to sell them on the collectors market. Some of the toys in good condition have sold for up to $140.

Collectible Barbie Toys

There are a lot of collectible Barbie Toys that could earn you quite a bit of money. For example, a Barbie Loves Elvis set sold for about $149 on eBay— and that’s even the lower limit for collectible Barbie Toys. Some, like the Pink Splendor Barbie, have sold for as high as a thousand dollars.

Tamagotchi toys

This listing here is kinda dodgy because most Tamagotchi toys today are useless. However, some rare editions like the Tamagotchi Ocean, the Yasashi Blue, or a first-generation Tamagotchi toy may earn you a few bucks. If you’ve got these rare toys at home stuck somewhere, it may just be your lucky day.

Mario Kart

Mario Kart is probably one of the most iconic games ever made. The characters of the game remain iconic, and it was a part of the childhood of many people. Today, a vintage version of the game sells for about $600, which is remarkable for games that sold for less than a hundred dollars when it first came on the shelves.

A Tickle Me Elmo Doll

Elmo may be the subject of an internet meme today, but this furry character used to rule the imaginations of many little kids. When the Tickle me Elmo Toy hit the market in 1996, almost every kid got one. Today, that toy can sell for about $50.

Fake Action Figure

The name of this action figure may be Faker, but he’s certainly not fake. He may not be too popular, but collectors are willing to shell out up to a thousand dollars to get an in-box version of this evil half-naked monster.

Teddy Ruxpin

Teddy Ruxpin is a beloved animatronic bear that used to read kid stories. The bear was able to do this through an audio cassette player that’s built into its back. When the bear first got on the shelves, it was sold for about $500. Today, the original storytelling bear costs about $1,640.

Jurassic Park Action Figures

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film about a theme park gone wrong was a wild success. And like all movies that are wild successes, it came with its action figures. If you have the original action figures and have kept them in great condition, you may be able to sell them for a lot of money. The T-rex figure is the most popular, and it sells for about $2,800.

Beanie Babies

If you grew up in the 90s, the chances that you own a TY Beanie Baby at a point is near Astronomical. These toys were so popular that almost every kid had them. They may not be popular with kids these days, but they are still popular with adults. They are so popular that a Princess Diana” commemorative Beanie Baby from 1997 has sold for about ten thousand dollars. Several other editions have sold for thousands of dollars as well.

Here are some of our other favorite old collectible 80s and 90s toys worth money!

An Original Furby

Look, Furbys creep out most people. How kids loved this toy is still a mystery to the world. Despite its very creepy looks, this toy was a hit, and an original one may make you rather rich in today’s economy. Recently, an original Special Furby Angel sold for around $800. A rare “Kids Cuisine” Furby that’s unopened in its original box goes for around $500. If you’ve got any of these toys lying around, you may have just hit a jackpot.

Original Sky Dancers

In the 1990s, the Sky Dancers toy was very popular with kids. It’s not so popular with kids today, though. It’s still popular, but with another demographic; Millenials who want a wave of nostalgia. The toys can be worth up to $200 in today’s market.

Lite Brite

This toy was first marketed in the 60s, and it allowed children to create glowing art by fitting small, colored plastic legs in a lightened board. Full sets from the 70s and 80s go for more than $300 today.

Rare Copies Of Super Mario Bros

Rare copies of Super Mario Bros can go for the big bucks too. Recently, an extremely rare copy of Super Mario Bros was sold for about thirty thousand dollars. Most copies of this game sell for around thirty dollars, but this one was so expensive because it was sold as an original game, not as a bundle with the Nintendo game system.

Vintage Strawberry Shortcake Dolls

The original dolls were released in the 80s, and only cost about a few bucks then. However, they’ve slowly seen things change for them, and they now command up to $500. The price is even higher for dolls that are still housed in their boxes.

Magic: The Gathering card

Even magic games sell for a lot of money. The cards of this game are really in demand by nostalgic game collectors online, and a complete pack of the game can go for as high as $27,000. Yes, that’s not a typo. This game is essentially a piece of cardboard, and it’s worth about twenty-seven iPhones. Incredible.

Yu-Gi-Oh Cards

Yu-Gi-Oh Cards can also go for a pretty penny on the online collectors market. In fact, a rare Yu-Gi-Oh car, the Blue Eyes Dragon Ultimate, has been listed for around four hundred thousand dollars. That’s enough money to a Ferrari— or two. However, not all Yu-Gi-Oh Cards sell for this much. The card has to be pretty rare to command such attention from collectors.

Polly Pocket Dolls

Polly Pocket Dolls are one of the hottest entries into the toy collectors market. One of these toys can go for as high as $200. In fact, full sets can sell for more than double that. A bouncy castle playset recently sold on eBay for $455.

Lionel’s Pennsylvania ‘Trail Blazer” Train Set: Prices Vary

This electric train reminds everyone of a long-gone era. If you do manage to have one of these sets, you may have happened on quite a bit of money. Prices vary with collectors, but you should be able to sell one in good condition for more than $300.

Spice Girl Doll Set

The Spice Girls were pretty popular in the 90s, and their memorabilia found its way into many homes. If you have Spice Girls memorabilia, like a doll set or a Polaroid camera, you may be sitting on some money. Many of these memorabilia have sold for between $100 to $200 over the years.

Transformers Action Figures

Most Transformers Action Figures from the 90s can probably fetch you around $40 each in today’s market. However, large sets in great condition can fetch you up to $150. But even that isn’t the highest that these action figures can fetch you. A rare set that’s still in mint condition, like the “Omega Supreme” in its original box can earn you up to $2000.

Baseball Cards

Most people wonder how much their old baseball cards are worth. And the answer, to be honest, is this; not very much. It could be worth as little as $75. But if you are really lucky, you may own Baseball cards that are worth an actual fortune. You may own, for example, a mint George Bush baseball card from 1990. That would earn you about $7000 in today’s market.

Action Comics, ep 1

When this comic came out in 1938, most people alive right now were not even born yet. The comic sold for $3.2 million on eBay in 2014. Why was it so expensive, you ask. Well, this comic was the first to introduce Superman to the world, and there are only about fifty in existence.

Garbage Pail Kids collectible card collections

If you’ve got a rare enough Garbage Pail Kids card, you may be sleeping on thousands of dollars. For example, a huge set of these cards was recently listed on eBay for about $5000. That’s a lot of money to sleep on!

American Girl Dolls

American Girl Dolls were pretty much the rave in the 90s. Almost every little girl had one or wanted to have one. Now that those little girls have grown up, the dolls don’t sell as much in the regular market. However, they are certainly blowing up the collectors market. Today, new American Girl Dolls don’t sell for more than a hundred dollars. However, discontinued versions sell for as much as $11,000

Nintendo Game Boy Consoles

Most boys have an old game boy. If you’ve got one hidden deep in your attic or trunk, well, it may be time to dig it up. It could be worth some money. Today, Nintendo Gameboy goes for more than $200 on the collectors market. Would you leave $200 just lying around? Probably not.

Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls

Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls have also started to accumulate value on the market. The dolls from the 90s would probably fetch you around $30, but the real goldmine is in dolls from the 70s and 80s. These dolls can earn you more than triple that amount on eBay.

Power Rangers Action Figures

The 90s were, simply put, ruled by the Power Rangers. It didn’t matter what version it came as, these tiny tots flew off the shelves as quickly as. . .well, as quickly as anything. Today, the kids who loved the entire Power Rangers Universe are grown up, and they are willing to shell out a huge amount for Power Rangers toys. Many models and collections of Power Ranger toys now go for around $300 on eBay.

Lego Sets

It seems Lego Sets will never stop being popular. They were popular in the 80s and 90s, and are still quite popular today. Despite still being in vogue, these toys are now classics, and unopened sets from the 90s could now fetch you hundreds of dollars. Of course, they have to be pretty rare and awesome to do that.

Barbie Playsets

Barbie dolls themselves aren’t the only things that might be valuable. The accessories and houses of the doll could also make you pretty good money. Items like the Barbie McDonald’s drive-thru set playset and the Barbie So Much To Do! Bedroom set retails for more than a hundred dollars each online. You could even get more than that if it’s in great condition.

Your Baby All Gone Doll

This toy was popular because it mimicked an actual baby to the best of its abilities. It could be fed and changed and was a good you to get for little kids who enjoyed taking care of babies. It’s not that popular vote mainstream market today, but it could still earn you a pretty buck.

Easy-Bake Oven

In the 90s, every kid who liked cooking (and even some who didn’t) absurd the Easy-Bake Oven. Parents did too, as it allowed kids to play pretend cooking without any of the mess and dangers that came with it. Today, the toy can reportedly sell for up to $300.

Masters of the Universe Eternia Playset

This game was described by one collector as the Holy Grail of Masters of The Universe Toys. The playset is a battleground where He-Man and Skeletor fought iconic battles. Today, the playset is worth up to a thousand dollars. It may even be worth up to a thousand six hundred if it’s in great condition.

My Little Pony Dolls

Individual My Little Pony Dolls can cost as much as $59 today, and whole sets can go for as much as $100. A rare version of the doll can even go for more, and one has been sold for about a thousand dollars on eBay.

Coca Cola Products

Coca Cola doesn’t make toys, but they are certainly a staple of the childhood of many people. Coca Cola products from any era usually hold a lot of value down the line, and it’s the same for products made as recently as the 90s. Merchandise from the 90s could sell for as high as $110 on eBay.

Disney Toys

Today, Disney is probably the biggest entertainment company in the world. In the 90s, they were pretty big but certainly not as big as they are now. During that period, a huge part of their business was selling dolls for popular titles they released, and these dolls seem to have gotten new life. For example, toys from Disney movies like Toy Story could earn you a lot of money.

She-Ra, Princess of Power and Her Horse Swift Wind

He-Man may be the star of the Masters of the Universe Franchise, but his twin sister She-Ra was also a badass. That’s probably why there are so many collectors who want her in their collection. The original action figure in-box could go for as much as a thousand five hundred dollars. You could also earn up to $300 by selling individual figurines for more than $100.

Vintage Playmobil

Almost every kid knows about the German toymaker Playmobil. That’s probably why so many collectors feel nostalgic about these toy pieces. For example, a 1995 Victorian Dollhouse could be sold for about a thousand dollars.