These Childhood Toys Are Worth A Small Fortune
The Cabbage Patch Kid ‘Adoption’ Fee Has Gone Way Up
In 1984 you could purchase a Cabbage Patch Kid for an “adoption fee” of $40. The dolls started as hand-stitched “sculptures” by Xavier Roberts in 1976 but debuted in a newer form eight years later.
If you held onto one of the original 1984 dolls, you could sell it today for upwards of $1,000 in mint condition. The doll was recently re-released but not with quite the same fanfare it received more than 30 years prior.
The 1978 Telescopic Light Saber Darth Vader Is Worth $6,000
When Star Wars debuted, the world watched in amazement as George Lucas delivered a new high-tech approach to filmmaking. Millions of people flocked to their local theaters to watch Star Wars and just as quickly a toy behemoth was created.
In 1978 you could purchase Star Wars toys for $2.49 each. One of those toys is considered a must-have for any serious collector. The telescopic lightsaber Darth Vader toy is worth $6,000 on today’s toy collector market. Only a few hundred of the toys were created by Kenner because the extended lightsaber was considered undesirable amongst buyers.
A $900 Furby Can Annoy You For Years To Come
Remember when the Furby debuted in 1998? Parents were fighting each other in store aisles to get their hands on the electronic gift. The toys could talk to each other, made weird sounds, and had creepy blinking eyes. At one point the National Security Agency (NSA) banned the toys from Fort Meade over concerns they could listen in on conversations.
The toys originally cost just $35, and some of the rarer first editions in mint condition are selling for upwards of $900. That’s a lot of money to pay for an item that so many people found annoying.
Teddy Ruxpin Now Sells For $400
In 1985 you could pick up a Teddy Ruxpin doll for $69.99. The stuffed animal with a built-in cassette recorder was an immediate smash hit among children. The doll remembers who you are, tells stories and even moves his eyes to give a more lifelike appearance.
While prices vary based on the condition of your Teddy Ruxpin, we have seen them selling for $400 on eBay. If you didn’t exactly care for your doll the way you should have, it could still be worth upwards of $150. Try getting that type of money for your standard cassette player.
The Mail Order My Little Pony And A $900 Price Tag
If you wanted a My Little Pony in the 1980s, a quick trip to Toys R Us or KB Toys would allow you to purchase one of the popular toys. However, the holy grail of the collection could only be snagged through a mail order process.
The My Little Pony known as Rapunzel is pink in color and has an incredibly long mane of yellow and gold hair with pink tinsel. You had to mail order this pony then patiently wait for it to arrive. If you went through all of that hassle you are now in possession of a My Little Pony that could fetch up to $900 and maybe more if you find the right brony willing to pony up some extra cash.
The $25,000 Luke Skywalker Toy You Need To Own Right Now
We couldn’t possibly talk about Darth Vader without mentioning Luke Skywalker. A mint-condition, still-in-the-box Luke Skywalker toy sold for $25,000 at a Sotheby’s auction in 2015.
Japanese designer Nigo decided to sell the toy — a 1978 Luke Skywalker action figure — and he fetched a small fortune. He also offloaded several other rare Canadian and Hungarian versions of bounty hunter Boba Fett which brought in $6,250 and $15,000 respectively.
The $20,000 Barbie In A Swim Suit
A lot of Barbies were created when the doll was first announced thanks to an incredibly quick rise in popularity. On average, some of the original Barbie dolls can fetch upward of $1,200 a piece.
If you have the holy grail of Barbies, you could afford to buy a new car with the sale of the unique doll. A first edition Barbie with the classic black-and-white striped swimsuit is now worth up to $20,000 at auction. Not bad for a doll that cost just $3 when it debuted in 1959.
If You Have One Of These American Girl Dolls, Consider Yourself Very Fortunate!
American Girl Molly McIntire was one of the first of the doll company’s Historical Characters. Released in 1996, she represented the World War II era. American Girl decided to retire (archive) Molly in 2013, so she’s extra valuable to collectors today.
The bespectacled cutie wears a blue, red, and green argyle sweater over a white shirt, along with a navy blue skirt. With an initial purchase price of around $85, top-condition Molly McIntire dolls now sell for up to $5,000!
Original Transformers Action Figures
Transformers has transcended generations. The robots in disguise have been around for decades and may have received more love as time goes on. One thing for sure that has gone up in value is the original action figures.
They aren’t the most complex transforming toys, but they are classic. You can at least get one Optimus Prime original for $600. Imagine if you had Prime and Megatron? You’re looking at more than $1000 profit considering you bought them for so cheap.
