Could YOUR old toys be worth a fortune? Experts reveal the Nineties must-haves that are worth THOUSANDS second-hand - and how to spot if yours is worth selling
Those who grew up in the nineties will be stunned to discover how much the toys of their childhood are now worth, according to experts.
Big name brands including Super Soaker, Beanie Babies and Furbies have seen their value skyrocket in the decades since they first hit shelves, with some worth thousands of pounds.
Researchers at Save The Student spoke to experts to find out which toys fetch the most on the second-hand market.
Results reveal the 'Employee the Bear' Beanie Babies are among the most valuable, typically fetching £1,000 or more on eBay - and more if there is a label with an error attached.
Certain original Pokémon cards also fetch a similar amount, while McDonald's customers could cash in £262 if they have an Inspector Gadget Happy Meal figure from 1995.
Below FEMAIL reveals the Nineties toys that have caught the attention of antique collectors - and how much they might be worth...
Peace Garcia, worth £1,000: Antique experts have revealed the value of many Nineties toys has increased among collectors - including Beanie Babies. Peanut the Elephant and Peace Garcia (with a rarer tie-dye colourway), as seen above, regularly sell for upwards of £1,000
Certain versions of the popular '90s toy have held on to their value, and could fetch you a four-figure sum.
Peanut the Elephant and Peace Garcia [with a rarer tie-dye colourway] regularly sell online for upwards of £1,000, while a 1997 bear commemorating Princess Diana was once on sale for £350,000.
The teddies, complete with purple fur and a white flower, went on sale just months after Diana died in August 1997 and were first priced at around £8.50. At the time, it was thought that some shops were being given just 12 at once due to overwhelming demand.
Like most vintage toys, Beanie Babies - from soft toy maker TY - will be worth more the better condition they're in and will need to have their tags attached. If those tags happen to have errors, it will boost the value even more.
For example, 'Pinchers the Lobster' was originally named 'Punchers' but after many customers thought it was a typo, the name was altered. If you've got a 'Puncher' in your possession, you could be in luck.
Other designs thought to be valuable include the bears Princess, Curly and Valentino, and Claude the Crab. Some, such as Patti the Platypus, were released in various colours which can up the price tag, too.
POKÉMON CARDS
A Pikachu Illustrator Pokemon card, worth £180,000: This rare Japanese language version of the Pikachu Pokemon card previously sold for £180,000 at an auction in the US. Other rare cards including the first edition Shining Charizard are valued at over £1,000
In the past an ultra-rare Pokemon card featuring the character Pikachu has sold at auction for as much as $195,000.
The Pikachu Illustrator card was given in January 1998 to winners of the CoroCoro Comic Illustration Contest and only 39 were ever made.
It's believed only 10 of the cards in circulation are in mint condition and it is unclear how many are still privately owned.
The 'Pikachu Illustrator' first sold in the early 2000s for around $23,000.
The card, considered the most valuable and iconic Pokemon card among collectors, was designed by Atsuko Nishida, one of the chief graphic illustrators of the series.
It depicts the fan-favorite yellow rodent Pikachu, holding what appear to be drawing utensils.
Another card that could be worth a pretty penny is the first edition Shining Charizard, a fan favourite from the height of the Pokémon craze in the late 90s.
Cards in pristine condition regularly sell for around $1,000 or more on eBay.
HARRY POTTER BOOKS
First edition Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone published in 1997, worth £33,000: Harry Potter books can be big ticket items, with this hardback first edition book (centre) selling for £33,000 at an auction this year. The book was rescued from a school skip and kept safe
While it's not hard to find Harry Potter books on shelves across the UK, a rare first edition could fetch as much as £33,000.
In January this year, an early edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - one of the first 500 hardback books printed - sold for the astonishing sum at auction.
Originally published in June 1997 by Bloomsbury, it was the first of JK Rowling's magical series.
You can spot whether or not yours is one of the first 500 hardbacks due to the fact that 'philosopher' is spelled incorrectly on the back cover.
Another error is the fact that the phrase '1 wand' features twice in the list of equipment required for Hogwarts pupils on page 53.
And rather than listing the author's name as JK Rowling on the inside page, the first edition reads 'Joanne Rowling'.
Other rare editions of the book can fetch around £5,000.
MONSTER XL SUPER SOAKER
The Monster XL Super Soaker (pictured) has previously fetched up to £200 at auction, with other models being sold for around £50 on eBay
While Nerf Super Soaker water pistols remain popular, the XL model - first released in 2000 - has been discontinued.
It's still the world's largest Super Soaker, even making its way into the Guinness Book of Records, and is the only model to feature a built-in bipod.
However, it was known to be very heavy and cumbersome and a new version was introduced in 2002 with slightly shorter nozzles.
The original has previously fetched up to £200 at auction, and if you have an unused version in its original packaging, it will certainly add to the value.
MCDONALD'S HAPPY MEAL INSPECTOR GADGET TOY
McDonald's Inspector Gadget from 1995 (pictured), is among the most expensive Happy Meal toys of the Nineties. According to Loveantiques.com, the figure is worth around £262.89
If you are lucky enough to have kept your old McDonald's Happy Meal toys you may have a secret fortune lying in your attic.
It's rare to find a full set of toys given away anytime from the 1970s to the early 2000s in perfect condition, meaning that anyone with a complete collection could net a small fortune.
Budding collectors are advised to keep toys in their original packaging, and if you have a collection of the toys you'll net much more money than selling one individually.
The exception for a single figurine is the Inspector Gadget toy, that was given away in 1995, which can fetch around £260.
MY LITTLE PONY FIREFLY
My Little Pony 'Firefly' from 1983 (pictured) once sold for £786 on eBay, with later rare toys having been valued at as much as £150, according to Save The Student
Children and adults across the world went wild for My Little Pony figurines in the Eighties, with the trend continuing throughout the Nineties.
My Little Pony 'Firefly', which debuted in 1983, became one of the most famous figures after appearing in the first animated special.
An original version of the toy once sold on eBay for £786, however recreations have racked up less than £13 on similar marketplaces.
The figurine is identifiable by its pink body and striking blue hair, along with two sparkly lightening bolts.
People of all ages have continued to covet My Little Pony, as other rare collectibles that have been kept in good condition can fetch up to £150.
DISNEY VHS TAPES
Experts advise selling Disney VHS tapes (pictured) in sets, revealing those that haven't made it to DVD are likely to fetch the most money at auction. A banned version of The Little Mermaid once sold on eBay for £8.48
Disney has remained a much-loved franchise for children throughout the world for decades and many of their beloved movies continue to bring delight on streaming services and on DVD.
However, antique experts claim films that are still only available on VHS and banned versions of classic films such as The Little Mermaid could make their own a small profit.
An entire collection of Disney VHS films is more likely to attract high bids, rather than individual tapes.
Among the films Disney has not released on DVD is the controversial Song of The South, which is considered racist by many.
Elsewhere, an eBay buyer once bought a VHS copy of The Little Mermaid that was banned due to one of the castle turrets resembling a male body part for £8.48.
Black Diamond Edition VHS tapes released between 1984 and 1994, such as 101 Dalmatians can attract bids of over £5,000 according to research by The Gamer.
TAMAGOTCHI
Tamagotchi's (pictured) that have remained unopened since they were purchased can attract buyers who are willing to pay over £100, while opened toys are worth just £10
Long before there was a mobile phone app for every game conceivable, children would carry a Tamagotchi around for entertainment.
The handheld devices manufactured in Japan were extremely popular when they debuted in 1996.
Unopened versions of the digital pet toy are able to attract buyers willing to pay over £100, meanwhile those that have been played with fetch just £10 on online marketplaces.
Special or rare Tamagotchis are usually identifiable by their theme or colour.
A Bandai Original Tamagotchi in white and red has been the most expensive sold on eBay.
GAME BOY
The Game Boy from the early Nineties can sell for around £50, however if the box has never been opened the value increases to around £250
Game Boy rose to popularity at the end of the Eighties, joining the likes of gaming consoles such as Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx.
Original versions of the handheld game were sold for around £60 on release, however decades later and unopened consoles are worth over £250.
Meanwhile, Game Boy Colour made available from 1998 can fetch bids of up to £60 depending on the version.
Antique experts claim the game is able to attract higher bids when sold in a bundle including games from the era.
FURBIES
An original Furby from 1998 is highly coveted among antique buyers, with prices for different models ranging from £30-£200
Limited edition Furbies are able to fetch the most at auction, however an Original Furby from 1998 is also coveted by antique buyers.
The robotic toy that became a must-have had animal like features and spoke a unique language.
As the Original Furby was sold to the masses, antique buyers claim the toy must be unopened to fetch sums of up to £200 on online marketplaces.
According to a fan site the rarest Furby is The Bejewelled version, as only five were made available and each had an eye-watering price tag over hundreds of thousands of pounds.
POLLY POCKETS
You may want to think twice before tossing out those old Polly Pocket toys (above) as the popular tiny doll sets could now be worth a small fortune
You may want to think twice before tossing out those old Polly Pocket toys as the popular tiny doll sets could now be worth a small fortune.
Vintage Polly Pocket items, first developed by Blue Bird Toys in the early '90s, can now sell for up to £450 online, depending on their condition.
The toys with highest value appear to have been sold between 1989 and 1998, before the line was redesigned by Mattel.
Two Polly Pocket sets - The Little Mermaid and Alice in Wonderland - have previously sold on eBay for £1,421 – but they were in mint condition and unopened.
Yet even jewel cases still fetch between £10 to £30 when unwrapped and sets of the toys can go for hundreds of pounds.
YU-GI-OH! CARDS
Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (above) are another trading card game which are seeing an increase in value for rare and hard-to-find cards
Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are another trading card game which are seeing an increase in value for rare and hard-to-find cards.
It began life as a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuki Takahashi before evolving into an entire franchise, including a trading card game.
Popular cards seen in the programme often have the most value, such as Dark Magician, Mirror Force and Blue Eyes White Dragon.
Cards awarded in tournaments of the game can fetch thousands of pounds, while less rare ones can still sell for up to £100.
LEGO
The Star Wars Millennium Falcon, 1st Edition Lego set, (pictured) reportedly sold on eBay for a staggering £5,278
If you've got old Lego stashed in the back of a closet, now is the time to dust if off as it could net you a small fortune.
According to eBay, Lego's popularity has skyrocketed with rarer collections from the mid-nineties earning a tidy profit with some fetching more than £5,000.
Lego sets which earned the most on eBay include the Star Wars Millennium Falcon, first edition, with a reported sales figure of £5,278 and a Star Wars Figurine C-3PO solid gold 14K, £4,726.
The Harry Potter Fantastic Beasts Lego set also earned a pretty penny on the site after having sold for £4,444 in Australia.
But you can also expect to get around £50 for a large bundle of mini Lego figures or other parts.
MARIO KART 64
The Nintendo 64 was an iconic piece of technology for anyone growing up in the late nineties - and a favoured game was Mario Kart 64 (pictured above)
The Nintendo 64 was an iconic piece of technology for anyone growing up in the late nineties - and a favoured game was Mario Kart 64.
Old game cartridges could be worth a lot more than their original sale price now, especially the rarer games.
Mario Kart 64 - when in the original box - is worth an impressive £50, and still reaches £30 when opened.
HOT WHEELS TREASURE HUNT CARS
Depending on which Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt cars (pictured) you have in your collection, you might find buyers willing to pay up to £555
In the mid-90s, Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt cars could be bought for a few dollars each.
'Today, the market for these is strong,' said Toy collector Chad Aitken, from Lobos Collectables in Melbourne in 2019, 'But it depends which cars you have in your collection.'
'Collectors will pay between £3 to £555 each but this in relation to the condition of the car and its rarity.'
POWER RANGERS FIGURINES
Power Ranger figurines in mint condition (and boxed) range in price from £55 to £100 (file image)
Original Power Rangers figurines from 1990s are highly collectable and in-demand with buyers.
Vlatka Lake of the family-owned self-storage company Space Station previously suggested that when selling, factors such as the condition of the box help to determine the price - and he says to make sure the toy comes with its weapon.
'Whenever we get collections we always ask the seller to spend an extra hour hunting the boxes that the toys are in for their weapons as sometimes these can be worth more on their own than the figures that belong to them,' he said.
Power Ranger figurines in mint condition (and boxed) range in price from £55 to £100.
Could YOUR old toys be worth a fortune? Experts reveal the Nineties must-haves that are worth THOUSANDS second-hand - and how to spot if yours is worth selling
![Could YOUR old toys be worth a fortune? Experts reveal the Nineties must-haves that are worth THOUSANDS second-hand - and how to spot if yours is worth selling]()
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