While I consider myself more of a ’90s kid, I have fond memories of the ’80s, and some of my favorite memories involved the toys of that decade. I wish I could go back in time and re-live playing with them.
I also wish I could return and keep them stashed away because today, they are worth a small fortune. Unfortunately, I can’t do that and instead must settle for going down nostalgia lane, reminiscing about some toys from the ’80s worth some serious money today.
1. Rainbow Brite Doll
Watch out, Strawberry Shortcake—there’s a new doll in town. While she didn’t exactly take the world by storm, nostalgia is worth a lot. You can get a cool $100 for your old Rainbow Brite doll on eBay if you have one lying around.
2. Michael Jackson Doll
Michael Jackson fans are true fanatics. The iconic singer rose to fame in the ’80s and may have been the most recognizable performer on the planet until Taylor Swift came along. Anyways, when these dolls were made, Michael fans had to have them. Dressed in his famous red and gold jacket, these dolls are worth $300, but in mint condition, they have sold for much more.
3. Rapunzel My Little Pony
Every girl I knew in elementary school was obsessed with My Little Pony. The toys would come with a colorful pony and a long mane of hair that would knot no matter how much you brushed it. Some fans love the toys so much it has taken over their lifestyle, but others just like to collect these old toys. The Rapunzel is the most sought-after. The pink pony with golden hair can be worth just under $1,000.
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figures
Remember how I said all the girls in my school were obsessed with My Little Pony? The same can be said about the boys and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The franchise is so successful it has even made a resurgence with kids today. Countless cartoons and movies have been made, but the original action figures were some of the coolest toys ever.
Various styles were made, so if you kept yours, look them up. You may be sitting on a gold mine. Some are worth $1,000. How much pizza could you get with that? A lot. Cowabunga, dude!
5. Mint Tulip Strawberry Shortcake
Originally, these dolls were just cute dolls that kids would cuddle and play with. Little kids loved these adorable and colorful dolls so much. Eventually, the dolls became a cultural icon, spawning a line of different dolls, cartoons, and even a movie. If you have yours lying around, clean it well and see how much it’s worth. You might get an extra $1,000 for an online collector.
6. Strawberry Shortcake Berry Happy Home Doll House
Of course, with the success of the Strawberry Shortcake doll, the toy makers looked to profit off of the new hit toy. This doll house was massive, and any kid lucky enough to have it made all of their friends jealous. It came with furniture you could make, but it also offered extra accessories as well. If you lugged this massive toy around since the ’80s and want to get rid of it, sell it online. Collectors have been known to pay as much as $1,000.
7. Transformers Optimus Prime
One of the most famous cartoons of the 1980s, Transformers was also one of the more popular toys of the decade. The leader of the Transformers was the priced toy. What made it so cool was that it transformed from a toy truck to a robot and then back to a toy truck. How cool is that? Mint model Optimus Primes in the box are now worth up to $12,000.
8. Eternia Playset
He-Man was an instant classic and a must-watch in my household growing up. The action figures launched due to the success were a must-have for kids in the ’80s. But, the prized possession of any kid’s playroom was the Eternia set. Eternia was the world in which He-Man lived. The toy set was massive, but it was worth it if you held on to it because collectors would pay $3,000 for the set.
9. He-Man and Battle Cat Two-Pack
Sticking with He-Man for a second, the superhero had the help of his battle cat, which he rode around fighting the evil Skeletor. This action figure came together (a rare find) and allowed He-man to ride his trusty stead. The two separate action figures are collectible, but the combo in the box can be found online selling for as much as $4,000.
10. Raiders of the Lost Ark Well of Souls Playset
Was there anyone cooler than Harrison Ford in the 1980s? Not only was he Han Solo in Star Wars, but he was also the explorer Indiana Jones. Action figures were made based on the film’s success, and this set that has Indy, his sidekick, and a priceless treasure has been known to sell at auction for as much as $2,000. In my opinion, this piece belongs in a museum. That is what Indy would want.
11. Thundercats Thunderwings Lion-O Action Figure
Thundercats were a Saturday morning cartoon staple in my house growing up. Who wouldn’t love a group of cat-human hybrids that fight evil? If you were smart enough not to play with this action figure, you could have a toy worth as much as $5,000.
12. American Girl Original Samantha Doll
American Girl Dolls were some of the most coveted dolls in the ’80s. They came with different outfits that kids could change them into. Nowadays, adults search their parent’s garages and attics to find their old dolls because some are worth over $4,000.
13. Teddy Ruxpin
I don’t understand why I loved the Teddy Ruxpin as a kid. Looking back now, it seems a little creepy, but like many other kids of the decade, I still wanted one. If the bear had told me that he would eventually be worth $1,000, I would have taken better care of him. Thanks for the bedtime stories anyway, Teddy.
14. G.I. Joe Motorized Battle Tank
How many kids were ready to enlist in the United States Army after a couple of episodes of G.I. Joe? I knew I was ready to serve my country. Any kid who played with G.I. Joe action figures had to have the tank to go with it. It was like having a Barbie without her pink Corvette. As long as this tank stays intact, they are worth over $1,000.
15. The Real Ghostbusters: Fright Feature Action Figure
The Ghostbusters cashed in on their motion picture success with a cartoon and a line of toys. The original action figures had a feature that bulged their eyes out, obviously when they encountered a ghost. The four Ghostbusters were sold separately, but a set can be worth over $1,000.
16. Star Wars Kenner Obi-Wan Kenobi Action Figure
No franchise owned the 1980s like the Star Wars franchise did. Fans of the movie bought up the action figures, and smart buyers put them on a shelf as collectibles. It is a good thing they did. The rare boxed Obi-Wan Kenobi has a price tag of $30,000. That is worth the joy of not playing with the action figure as a child.
17. Atari’s Red Sea Crossing
One of the original at-home video game consoles was the legendary Atari. Video game collectors have been searching for this game due to its rarity. A random Christian-based game with gameplay similar to the classic Frogger had players trying to get Moses past the Red Sea. Whether or not it was fun, game collectors have paid over $10,000 for this rare game.
18. PEZ Dispensers
PEZ dispensers were all the rage in the ’80s. The original cool plastic PEZ dispenser was released in 1982 at the World’s Fair in Tennessee. It had an alien-like helmet with a green visor. It recently sold for $32,000.
19. Xavier Roberts Cabbage Patch Kid
People went crazy for these little dolls in the ’80s. Everyone had to have one. I remember watching news footage of people fighting over the dolls in the store. They all had their own unique names, but if you owned the Xavier Robert doll, you could cash that old doll in for as much as $1,000.
20. The Original Super Soaker
One of the highlights of summer as a kid was having water fights with your friends. The game changed when the Super Soaker came out and you were able to blast your friends with a high-powered spray of water. I loved my super soaker, and I wish I still had it—not just because I want to blast my friends with water all these years later but because it would be worth around $600.
21. Hot Wheels
These little metal cars are some of the oldest toys still sold in stores today. In the ’80s, Hot Wheels were just as popular as ever. If you’ve kept your toy cars in good condition, certain models are being sold for over $3,000.
22. Vintage Care Bear Dolls
The Care Bears cartoon taught kids to love each other despite their differences. They were all about caring. Well, now, I only care about how much they are worth. Sadly, I didn’t have these colorful stuffed bears with cute designs on their bellies. I would sell them for as much as $7,500 if I did.
23. Megatron Gun
Another example of how popular the Transformers were is that this toy was a must-have for kids who were fans of the show. The ’80s were a different time, as this toy gun was popular because it looked super realistic. The toy can be worth $4,000 now if it comes in the original box.
24. Mego Elastic Batman
Batman is one of the most recognizable superheroes in the world. The iconic Caped Crusader has fans from 5 to 90 years old. Many Batman collectibles are on the market, but very few are like this one. Imagine Batman combined with Stretch Armstrong. The toy could stretch out his limbs in various directions. This collectible is rare and recently sold for $15,000.
25. Air Raid Video Game
This handheld game was not a success when it came out. Still, today, video game collectors want it purely because of how rare it is. It is a classic shooter-style game, much like other classic games, except this one didn’t sell very well. Like a terrible movie, it’s become a cult classic; video game collectors want it for that reason alone. It must be pretty bad because copies have sold for $20,000.