Collectors who held onto their Beanie Babies from the 1990s may be disappointed to learn that the craze for the dolls petered out along with their value.
However, that doesn’t mean there’s no money in vintage toys. In fact, some of the most common toys from your childhood may be worth a lot of money these days.
Slideshow: 10 Toys From the ‘80s and ‘90s That Are Worth Thousands Now
Of course, the items worth the most are in mint condition, so if you gave your Barbie a haircut or hugged your Teddie Ruxpin a little too closely, they may not be as enticing to collectors.
A December Sotheby’s auction of vintage Star Wars toys -- including figurines, trading cards and stuffed animals from the 1970s up to 2005 -- netted more than $500,000. The top item was a set of two Star Wars coin sets, which sold for $27,500.
The toys’ value had been buoyed no doubt by the renewed interest in all things Star Wars, but there’s been a similar revival among other 1980s and 1990s children’s brands. Gen X’s nostalgia for its childhood has led to modern reboots of classics like My Little Ponies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Alvin and the Chipmunks, all of which were heavily merchandized the first time around.
So, before you throw out those old toys collecting dust in your attic or sell them at a yard sale, do a quick check on eBay to see if they’re worth something.
