When you’re a child, your favourite toy is always special.

Sadly now you’re an adult, and you probably have no idea what happened to your beloved Teddy Ruxpin or Rainbow Brite doll.

In the world of collecting, some toys are more special than others, and things you cast aside years ago may now be worth a small (or very big) fortune.

Toys in their original packaging will always be more valuable than those out of it, but as a child you didn’t want to see your toy through a plastic window! You wanted to get it out and play with it.


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Valuable items could be anything from a rare Pokemon card to an original Super Soaker, or that Tamagotchi you just couldn’t keep alive no matter what. I mean, who had any idea that He-Man action figures would ever become valuable? Or that Furbies would ever make a comeback? (Dude, they were really creepy the first time around!)

So, if you’re low on money or just trying to cash in on the trend, now might be a good time to search your parents’ basement for your childhood belongings. Lets hope you were the kind of kid who took care of your toys too, as the better the condition, the more each plaything is likely to be worth!

Here’s 20 of the most valuable toys you can exchange for dollars. Some are pretty obvious, but some may surprise you! (Seriously, how much for a Pokemon card?!)

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20) Teddy Ruxpin – $500

The beloved animatronic bear read us many a bed time story thanks to the audio cassette player in his back. It’s no surprise that he was the best selling toy of both 1985 and 86, which awarded him his own cartoon series.

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If your bear is still in good condition, he can earn you up to $500. Sorry Teddy, but adults don’t need bedtime stories – they need cash!

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19) Cabbage Patch Kids – Prices Vary

These soft-sculptured dolls were originally released in 1978, and were one of the biggest fads of the 80s. However, doll collectors still love Cabbage Patch Kids, despite the fact their designs were stolen from a folk artist called Martha Nelson Thomas (classy).

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Prices vary for how much a Cabbage Patch Kid is worth, but if you want the whole set you can pay Pat and Joe Prosey $360,000. The most profolic Cabbage Patch collectors in the world, they even own a museum where they display the $5000 dolls they’ve collected over the years.

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18) Mario Cart 64 -$750

Another Nintendo classic! Vintage cartridges of Mario Kart 64, the successor to the original Mario Kart Game for the Nintendo 64 games console, are now worth up to $750 if they’re in mint condition.

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Yes, we know you can now play Mario Cart 64 on Wii and Wii U thanks to the development of Virtual Consoles, but lets be honest – it’s just not the same!

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17) Original Furby – $900

Why these were so popular, I’ll never know. Furby’s entered the toy world in 1998, after being released by Tiger Electronics.

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That year, they were the “must have toy” of the Christmas period, with $1.8 million sold. Hell, even The Simpsons did a parody of it! If you happen to have an early version lying around, still in its box, then you could get $900 for it.

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16) Rainbow Brite Toys and Accessories – $1000

Remember Rainbow Brite (known in Japan as Magical Girl Rainbow Brite) and her colourful sidekicks? Well, it turns out their duties extend beyond just bringing colour to the world – they can also bring cash to your wallet!

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Original Rainbow Brite and Colour Kids dolls can fetch anything from $300 to $1000, with Starlight the horse being a particular money draw.

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15) Wun-Dar He-Man – $1000

Better known as “He-Man with a loin-cloth,” the Wun-Dar He-Man action figure was part of a temporary giveaway in the 90s. If you could convince your mother to purchase Wonder Bread instead of her usual brand, you got one of these bad boys for free.

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14) Lionel’s Pennsylvania ‘Trail Blazer” Train Set: $1,100

If you saved him then you might want to get over to eBay – they now go for $1000!

Designed to replicate one of the first all-coach trains, Lionel’s Pennsylvania “Trail Blazer” Train Set is pure nostalgia. It’s also worth a lot of money to train fanatics.

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Although the average price for one of these bygone beauties is much lower, if you happen to have the 1934 Standard Gauge version lying around somewhere you could end up with as much as $250,000 in your pocket!

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13) Nintendo Game Boy – $750 to $1500

For many of us 80s/90s kids, our Game Boys were the toy that started our gaming obsession. The 8-bit handheld console was released in 1989, and these days they go for hundreds of dollars!

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The price goes up if you have a special edition, such as the Game Boy Light, which has been known to sell online for over $1500.

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12) Original Transformers Figures – Prices Vary

The first line of Transformers figures were released by Hasbro in 1984. If you were lucky enough to be one of those kids who always put their toys back in its box, then they can net you A LOT of money.

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For example, Optimus Prime figures in mint condition can be worth more than $2000 on eBay – this is about 100 times more than their original sale price!

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11) Push Cart Pete – $3000

If they’re in top condition, Fisher Price toys are a goldmine! Take for example, the slightly terrifying Push Cart Pete from the 1930s.

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This 9-inch pull-along toy can net you upwards of $3000, which is a big improvement from their original sale price of 50 cents, even with inflation thrown in. Still, we’re at a loss as to why anybody would actually want one.

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10) Bobba Fett Action Figure – $5000

When it comes to obsessive collectors, Star Wars fans are in a galaxy of all of their own. It’s no surprise then, that Star Wars action figures can fetch a fortune, and Bounty Hunter Boba Fett from the franchise is one of the most popular ones.

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In fact, mint condition versions, still in the box, can command up to $5000!

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9) American Girl “Molly Doll” – $5000

If you thought new American Girl dolls were pricey at $120, well, wait until you see how much discontinued figures will cost you. If you have an out of print doll such as Kirsty, Felicity or Molly, with their original clothing and accessories, you could be offered as much as $5000!

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Molly is one of the original three “historical” American Girls, representing the World War II era.

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8) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (First Edition) – $6500

Harry Potter fans rejoice! If you were fortunate enough to be gifted with a first edition of the novel in 1998, then you’ll be pleased to know they sell for up to $6500. If you can part with it, that is!

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However, if you have a copy signed by author J.K Rowling herself, than the price more than doubles to $15,000!

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7) Vintage Atari Games – Prices Vary

It was a bizarre urban legend that turned out to be true. Rumours circled for years that Atari buried hundreds of unsold game catridges in the New Mexico dessert in 1983, and is said to have included some of the company’s biggest commercial failures.

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Since 2014, 881 titles have been uncovered and sold, equalling $107,000. Still, unless you’re willing to go tunnelling around in NM you’re unlikely to own one of these yourself.

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6) Original Barbie Doll – $23,000

For many Barbie collectors, the original doll with her classic hourglass figure, sultry make-up and zebra-striped swimsuit will always rein supreme.

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Released in 1959, American businesswoman Ruth Handler modelled the creation after a similar German doll called Bild Lilii. If an original Barbie still has her updo in-tact and all her accessories, she can sell from around $8000 to $23,000!

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5) Where the Wild Things Are (First Edition) – $25,000

Who didn’t love Where the Wild Things Are as a child? The book is so popular, that a first edition of the classic children’s tale by Maurice Sendak sold for $25,000 in 2012.

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Dating back from 1963, the book was sold via Abebooks.com. Even more impressive is that the book was in pristine condition, since we all know how kid’s treat their storybooks!

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4) Pokemon Cards – Prices Vary

Why, why didn’t I save my Pokemon cards?! First released in 1966, Pokemon Trading Cards were a phenomenon in their own right. Today, mint condition or rare cards go for insane prices, such as the pristine Pikachu that went for $100,000!

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Other unique finds go for similarly shocking sums, so it might be a good idea to start rummaging through your attic.

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3) Hot Wheels – Prices Vary

Before you get your hopes up, the majority of these tiny cars go for a few dollars. However, if you happen to own one of the rare designs you can net thousands!

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For example, the the 1969 “Volkswagen Beach Bomb” prototype (above), which has wheels too large to actually work on any of Mattel’s tracks and never actually went into wide production, is worth a whopping $125,000!

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2) The Original Monopoly Game – $146,500

This board game has been the cause of so many traumatic family arguments. Still, that doesn’t stop us from playing it every Christmas (you’d have think we’d have learned by now, but no). Despite it’s problematic history (it’s evil I tell ya!), an original handdrawn oil cloth version of Monopoly owned it’s inventor Charles Darrow sold for $146,500 at Sothebys in 2011.

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Believed to date back from 1933, the game sold for more than twice what was expected. It’s unlikely you’ll own a version of the game that’s this valuable, but still limited editions, particularly older ones, also go for a pretty penny.

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Action Comics No.1 – $3.2 million

A comic book collector’s dream, this mint 1938 edition of Action Comics is the most expensive comic book to have ever sold on eBay. It went up for auction in 2014, selling for an impressive $3.2 million!

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Why all the fuss? Well, they’re only 50 of these left in the world, not to mention it’s the first time we ever got to meet the legendary Superman!

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