It’s time to dust off your old toys you may have stashed away in a cupboard as they could make you a fortune. Experts say certain 90s toys are now worth thousands
There’s nothing like going through an old box you may have shoved under your bed or in the back of a cupboard only to open it and get hit with a wave of nostalgia. Now experts say you may be sitting on a ‘gold mine’ if you still have some items from the 90s you were always meaning to throw out.
Not getting round to throwing out old 90’s toys, electronics or memrobellia may now mean you could cash in, as certain items are being sought after – and could be hidden under your bed collecting dust. What better time to make a few extra pounds, especially during the cost of living crisis. We take a look at some items you could make a pretty penny from…
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Furbies
Love them or hate them, a Furby was placed high up on any 90’s kids Christmas list, and anyone still with an original, a limited edition or a rare one could be making a fortune. While it depends on which one you have, some of the older ones are going for around £100-£175 on eBay. The rarer ones have been reported to go for nearly £5,000.
Mental Floss reported that an original 1998 Furby went for $705 (£527) on eBay a few years ago, while Money Digest has said that a super-rare Bejewelled Furby was sold for $6,400 (£4,800) last year. They also revealed that if anyone has the rarest Furby, the Rainbow Furby, with three only ever made, you could make even more.
Harry Potter First Edition
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was originally published in June 1997, and if you were one of the first to buy a copy of the original book, you could make a fair amount on it. If it’s just sitting on your bookshelf, Harry Potter website Mugglenet reported that a first edition of that original book, complete with original cover art and typos, could fetch as much as $30,000-$50,000 (£22,900-£38,200).
With only 500 copies of that edition ever being printed, the chances of you having one might be slim but if you are lucky enough to have a copy then head over to eBay or First Edition Books to see how much you could make.
Super Mario Bros game
You may have spent countless hours playing the Nintendo game, but soon got bored and put it in a cupboard never to be seen again, but if you own one of the original games it could be quids in. In 2020, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros 3 went for $156,000 (£119,000) at auction, according to CNet – a record which was smashed just a few months later when The Verge reported an unused copy of the original game sold on a collectables site for a cool $2 million (£1.5 million).
Disney VHS tapes
You’d be lucky now to ask any Gen Z what a VHS tape is and get a correct answer, but for those living it up in the 90’s, VHS collections were a common sight. Before the world of Netflix, YouTube and Disney+, you had to make do with whatever was in your VHS stash at home.
Now, these tapes, if you still held onto them, could rake in a pretty decent amount of cash. Mail Online reported back in 2023 that some classic films are going for five-figure sums on eBay – including a rare edition of 101 Dalmatians still in sealed packaging, which was sold for £15,000. However it all depends on whether it’s in good condition, whether it’s a limited edition and if it’s been played – but still worth a go.
Beany toys
Most 90’s kids would have had their fair share of Beany soft toys growing up. The popularity of the toys were huge, and if you have kept any of your childhood bears, you may be able to make a fair bit – that’s of course if you haven’t got an emotional attachment to them anymore.
According to Metro, This Is Money reported last year that there’s no hard or fast rule when it comes to Beanie Baby value, and some may only be worth a few quid at best. However if you have one of the original toys produced – such as Flash The Dolphin or Legs the Frog – you could well net hundreds of pounds for it, while others, such as Chef Robouchon and Mystic The Unicorn have previously sold for as much as £7,000.
Polly Pocket
Every girl growing up will have been familiar with Polly Pockets, the tiny dolls that came equipped with armfuls of different rubber clothes, houses, cars and pets as well. As Mattel took over the brand in 1998, the original Polly Pockets made between 1989 and 1998 could be a small gold mine. The Mirror reported earlier this year that one set from the decade – the Polly Pocket Beauty Case – fetched £4,800 on eBay, while other sets from the era also brought in four-figure sums when listed.
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