Another Top 10 Valuable Collectible Toys

In the mid-80s, Mattel’s “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” series was one of the dominant forces on toy shelves, thanks in no small part to its animated series. Eager to keep the train rolling, Mattel introduced the She-Ra spinoff, which was intended to bring women and girls into the normally male-dominated He-Man market. The result was a two season animated series and a toy line of figures and playsets, both of which have dedicated fandoms to this day. The rarest and most coveted item from this line is this two-pack featuring the titular hero and her faithful winged steed (in a crystal variant) which has been valued at a cool $400.

The hottest toy sensation of 1998, this electronic doll had parents stampeding their way through department stores in droves, just to make their children’s Christmas dreams come true. When first taken out of the package and switched on, the furry friends initially spoke a language called “Furbish”, but gradually added English words and phrases to their repertoire. This, combined with the toy’s electronic facial expressions, created the illusion of owning your own intelligent little creature. The toy has been re-released with more advanced technology in recent years, driving up prices for the original, particularly ones with rare color patterns, which can go for up to $500.

A series of highly detailed 18 inch dolls, this toy line has gone on to inspire a truly dedicated fandom. The dolls are aimed at a high-end market, with just one doll and their accompanying book usually going for around $95 new, making secondary market prices high to say the least. If the doll is discontinued, as was the case with Molly, the price can really jump. Regularly selling for hundreds of dollars, the Molly McIntire doll has fetched as much as $1,400 online. Of course, this is far from the only doll line that has gone up in value. Dolls from the original “Blythe” line are regularly listed at $800 or more.

Undoubtedly one of the most beloved toy lines of the 20th century, Hasbro’s Transformers have ascended from toy store staples to cultural icons. It’s no wonder that for now-adult fans of the franchise, the original toys from the line’s 1984 debut are objects to be coveted and cherished. Verified vintage copies of the original Optimus Prime toy can be found for hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars depending on how many of the original parts are intact and, if it’s still in the original packaging, what shape the box is in. Mint condition, in box, it’s valued at $1800. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, but toy-collecting induced debt, not so much.

Like any long-lived toyline, this iconic brand of metal toy cars have their fair share of rarities to be sought out by collectors and enthusiasts, and the rarest of them all is this color variant of a car first marketed in 1968. A scale reproduction of a custom car made by Hot Rod legend Ed Roth, the toy was briefly released in blazing hot pink in an attempt to appeal to young girls. The plan didn’t quite work and the color was discontinued, making this item exceedingly rare and highly sought after. Loose, they can sell for upwards of $1000. In the original Blister pack? Over $15,000.

In 1994 the “GI Joe: A Real American Hero” line was cancelled, finally loosening the kung-fu grip that Hasbro’s marketing juggernaut had held on the wallets of American children for over a decade. Before the line finally got the axe, several new sub-lines of toys were in development, including one that introduced alien monsters to the otherwise military-themed franchise. Though never officially released, some early examples of this line have made their way onto the secondary market, where they demand high prices from Joe collectors. The rarest of the rare is this figure whose torso opens up to reveal a smaller alien inside, said to be worth a whopping 20-grand.

When it comes to toys aimed at young girls, the Barbie doll is pretty much the be-all and end-all. Today she’s the face of the most famous line of dolls to hit the market, but back in 1959 creator Ruth Handler probably didn’t know what she was creating when she designed and marketed the first Barbie doll - a simple doll in a zebra-striped swimsuit. Over 50 years later, that same doll is one of the most valuable dolls on the collector’s market, regularly selling for thousands of dollars - with one even selling for over $27,000 at an auction in May of 2006.

By today’s standards, the first plastic iterations of Han, Luke and, of course Darth Vader himself seem primitive, but back in the day they were as good as it got. Initially, Jedi figures all came with a lightsaber built into their hand that would “ignite” with a two-piece plastic blade extending at the press of a tab. However, the thinner outer tip of the blade was deemed too fragile and costly and subsequent toys omitted the second blade piece, making toys like Vader and Luke with the original lightsaber holy grails for vintage Star Wars toy collectors, with one Vader figure selling for $30,000 in 2013.

It’s been tearing unsuspecting families apart over make-believe money and property for 80 years, and if you have just the right version of the game’s initial release, you could have something on your hands that’s worth more than Park Place and Boardwalk combined. When originally marketed by claimed inventor Charles Darrow in 1934, the game came in a white box. Only 1,000 examples of this white box were released before Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the game, re-releasing it in a black box. An intact version of the original white box release could easily be valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.


Before we unveil our top pick, have a look at these honorable mentions:

Scratch the Cat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figure


The Real Ghostbusters: Fright Feature Action Figure - Janine


Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collectors Edition Millenium Falcon

The titular mecha from the franchise-launching 1979 anime series has been recreated in plastic more times than anyone can reasonably count. But only one time has this iconic robot been cast in pure and extremely valuable platinum, about 1.4 kilograms of it to be exact. Produced in collaboration between Bandai and Ginza Tanaka, a Japanese company that specializes in platinum jewelry, the piece also has a .15 carat diamond in its forehead. The total estimated value of the item is 250,000 US dollars, making it one of the most expensive toys ever produced, so long as you stretch the definition of “toy” a teensy bit.