Hey there, fellow ’90s kids! Remember those awesome days? Full of bright colors, catchy tunes, and toys we couldn’t get enough of. Well, guess what? Some of those treasures from our childhood could be worth a lot of money now. Seriously! That old toy car or stuffed animal might be a hidden goldmine. So, let’s take a fun trip down memory lane and see which ’90s trinkets could make your bank account smile!
10. Hot Wheels Funny Cars
Remember those tiny Hot Wheels cars? Billions have been made! Most are just a few bucks, but some rare ones are worth a lot. These special cars can sell for hundreds, and their value keeps going up. Take one of the very first Hot Wheels, a white Camaro model. It’s now valued at around $2,500! And if it’s in super good shape, collectors might pay even more.
Then there’s the Cheetah Python. This one is extra special. It was based on a dream car design by Bill Cushenberry. Not many were supposed to leave the factory, but a few did. Now, these rare finds can be worth nearly $10,000!
But the king of expensive Hot Wheels has to be the Cash Money car. This isn’t your average toy. It’s covered in real diamonds and has an 18-karat gold frame! Plus, it has rubies for brake lights. Only one was ever made, and it’s valued at an incredible $140,000. Talk about a hot collectible!
9. Furby Toy
Furbys burst onto the scene in 1998, and boy, were they a hit! The company sold 1.8 million of them that year alone. They weren’t the most high-tech toys, but they could mimic words, which kids everywhere loved. Back then, Furbys were pretty cheap. Now? Some folks are willing to pay hundreds for one of those sometimes creepy, sometimes cute owl-like toys.
If you happened to get a Furby from an exclusive collection and it’s still in great shape, you might want to think about selling it. For instance, the Bejeweled Furby was super rare – only five were ever released. Its original price was $100,000, so imagine what it could sell for now!
The priciest Furby sold on the secondhand market went for over $4,550 on eBay. That was a shock, even though it was in perfect condition! Besides these super rare ones, you could still get over $500 for your Furby, even if it wasn’t from a special collection. That’s not a mega-fortune, but it’s much more than its original price!
8. Pokémon Cards
Were you a Pokémon fanatic in the ’90s? Did you spend your allowance on those cool trading cards? If so, you might have made a fantastic investment without even knowing it! While Pokémon card prices have had their ups and downs, some are still worth a massive amount.
There are over 20 collections that could make you a millionaire, but the Pikachu Illustrator card is the most expensive. YouTuber Logan Paul bought one for a jaw-dropping $5.275 million in July 2021! It caused a huge buzz online. And guess what? There are about 40 similar cards out there. Time to check your old binders!
Another legendary card is the first edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard, released in 1999. It’s so rare that it’s one of the most wanted cards. One sold for $420,000 at an auction in 2022! The Pokémon Blastoise card isn’t the most expensive, but it’s incredibly rare. Only two were ever made, and only one can be found. In 2021, this card sold for $360,000 at a private auction. So, if you have original Pokémon cards, get them valued. They might not be worth millions, but a collector could pay good money for them!
7. Disney VHS Tapes
Nothing brings back childhood memories like watching classic Disney movies. Today, we can stream almost anything. But back in the ’90s, we relied on VHS tapes. Disney often put titles in and out of their ‘vault,’ making some movies unavailable for years after their first VHS release. This made certain tapes quite rare.
If you own Disney VHS tapes with the black diamond mark or label in the corners, you should think about selling them. They can be worth a lot! If you have a whole collection, even better. One seller listed their Disney VHS collection for an amazing $150,000!
In 2019, someone sold their black diamond Beauty and the Beast VHS tape for $10,000. This definitely got other collectors interested. However, you need to be smart about how you list them. Many people argue these tapes shouldn’t be worth more than $30. But, you might just find a collector who truly appreciates its value. It’s worth a shot!
6. Michael Jordan Jersey
Sports fans really love their teams and players! They’ll do almost anything to see their favorite player in action. Some fans take it even further by buying original jerseys for crazy prices. A classic example is Michael Jordan’s jersey from the first game of the 1998 NBA finals. It almost set a world record!
That jersey sold for an incredible $10 million at an auction run by Invictus. It’s shocking, right? The jersey was already priced very high before bidding even started. It received 20 bids! It probably would have gotten more if the final buyer hadn’t made such a stunning offer that wowed everyone. If you have any ’90s sports memorabilia from a legend like MJ, it could be very valuable.
5. Black Lotus Magic Card
If you thought trading cards were just cheap fun, think again! The Black Lotus card, part of the Magic: The Gathering game, is one of the most expensive cards ever sold. In 2021, it was put up on an eBay auction and ended up selling for a massive $511,100! That was three times what the seller paid for it in 2019. If this trend continues, its value will likely keep increasing.
Why is this card so valuable? Well, it was the very first one made in its collection. Plus, it has the author’s signature on its case. The designers also gave it a unique shape that was quickly discontinued, making it stand out even more. And here’s a cool fact for gamers: anyone who draws this card during a game gets to cast powerful spells. This gives them a big advantage. So, it’s both rare and powerful!
4. Action Figures
Action figures are probably some of the priciest collectibles from the ’90s. Not many people would spend a lot on new action figures today. But original ones, especially those released for hit movies, can be worth millions!
One such figure is the Rocket-firing Boba Fett. It was meant to be released with the Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back movie. Luckily for collectors (or maybe unluckily for kids back then), it was never mass-produced. Now, it’s worth more than $200,000!
Another super expensive action figure is a handmade prototype for G.I. Joe. It sold at an auction for an astonishing $600,000. Even the mass-produced G.I. Joes from the ’90s, which were cheaper back then, can now sell for a few hundred dollars.
Interestingly, some of the most expensive action figures are those that didn’t pass testing for the Star Wars franchise and were never mass-produced. For example, an Obi-Wan Kenobi figure recently sold for $65,000. And if you’re one of the lucky 12 people who own a tri-logo General Madine action figure, you’re sitting on a gold mine! Because it’s so rare, one recently sold for $12,500 at an auction. It was originally bought for just a few hundred dollars when released in 1983.
3. Jurassic Park Toys
Every time a new Jurassic Park movie came out, they also released toys modeled after the movie characters. These toys would always sell out in just a few days! Some of these toys were made in large numbers, but others were limited editions. People who bought the originals could later sell them for a few hundred dollars more than what they paid.
One of the most sought-after Jurassic Park toys is the series two Carnotaurus Demon. If you have one still in its original packaging with all its accessories, it could be worth more than $1,000!
When Jurassic Park 3 was released, it came with an infrared remote control spinosaurus toy. At the time, it didn’t seem extra special. However, the movie didn’t do very well, so only a few of these toys were produced. This made them more in demand. Right now, if you have a new one in perfect condition, you could start the bidding on eBay at $900. You’re likely to make a good profit!
2. Beanie Babies
If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably had a Beanie Baby at some point. Many people just tossed theirs aside eventually. But you’d be shocked to find out they can be worth a lot of money now! For your Beanie Baby to be valuable today, it needs to have the original TY sticker and be in perfect, like-new condition.
For example, the Princess Di Bear Beanie can sell for close to $10,000. Its value mostly comes from being dedicated to Princess Diana, and only a few were ever made. But that’s not all! Remember Bubbles the fish? Beanie Babies from that release could make you $120,000 richer! It’s easy to see why, since it was a very popular collection and always seemed to be out of stock.
There was even a supposedly rare Valentino bear Beanie Baby listed on Etsy for $43,000. Many other dolls from the Beanie collection are also worth a lot now. So, if you can get to your attic and find that box of old toys, you might want to look for them and cash in!
1. Original Harry Potter Books
When the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, came out in the ’90s, the series wasn’t the global sensation it is today. Only a small number of dedicated readers bought one of the 500 hardcover copies that were initially released.
To give you an idea of how few there were, 300 of those 500 hardcover books were donated to children’s libraries and schools. That left only 200 for the public to buy. According to AbeBooks, one hardcover book from that first collection is expected to sell for more than 30,000 euros! If you think you have an original copy, check if the print line reads 10987654321 and if the author’s name is Joanne Rowling, not J.K. Rowling.
If you have the first edition hardcover of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (the American version), you could easily list it for $5,000. To see if your book is one of these, check if it has the print line 1357910864289/9 0/0 01 02, plus the words ‘First American edition, October 1998.’
Basically, all hardcover first editions of any Harry Potter books are now worth four figures or more. However, if you have original paperback versions signed by J.K. Rowling, you can also list them for an impressive amount of money. Time to check those bookshelves!
Wow, what a blast from the past, right? It’s amazing to think these everyday items from the ’90s could now be so valuable. From toy cars to magical books, these treasures remind us of a special time. Maybe it’s worth checking your old boxes – you never know what riches you might find!
Do you have any of these ’90s gems? Or maybe another collectible you think is valuable? Share your stories and thoughts in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
