Yesterday, Bustle conducted a survey to find out approximately how much a vintage American Girl doll is worth today. Inspired by a BuzzFeed article that found dozens of dolls and playsets being auctioned on eBay for upwards of $500, Pamela looked around to see what she could find—and the results... weren't quite the same. Of course, there are some dolls in mint condition and complete sets of accessories and books that command very high prices, but chances are most of us have dolls that we love dearly that only cost around $50.
The whole mess got me thinking: How much are some of our other favorite toys from the '80s and '90s worth now? I searched eBay for information on the nine must-have toys we had as children to see what came up. As you might expect, most toys don't sell for as much as collectors would have hoped for each toy at the height of its popularity - although there are many listed for ridiculously high prices, I suspect, like Pamela Again, they reflect the owners' hopes for their value, not what people are actually willing to pay for them.
Still, the nostalgia is strong, so let's take a look, shall we?
1. Beanie Babies
Although some Beanie Babies, like this $652,000 Princess Diana commemorative Beanie, do cost a fortune:
Most of them don't. Even the ones we're sure will be worth a ton of money when they first retire are mostly like poor Garcia here, who'd be lucky if he bought $10 on eBay:
As Bustle's Adrienne Vogt discovered in January, the "original nine" Beanie Babies, like Cubbie, tend to be the most like:
So if you have one of these hanging in your closet, you've made money. Oh, and by the way, if you have any Beanie Babies with misprinted labels, that will definitely drive up the price. Remember the Ten Dollar Miracle Garcia? Due to a misprint on the label, he sold for $3,000:
2. Electronic pets
During the height of the original Tamagotchi craze (around 1996-1998), I remember seeing listings for them on eBay, when new, selling for hundreds of dollars. Considering these toys originally retailed for around $25 to $35...well, there's evidence that it's all about supply and demand. Interestingly, the price of original Tamagotchis these days ranges from super cheap to super expensive. For example, the asking price for this new-in-box product from 1997 is $200:
And this one is also brand new in a box, priced at only $10.99:
But you know what can make you a lot of money? Japan’s “Devil Gotch” in 1998:
For those who are curious, the Tamagotchi currently retails for about $20, but is currently on sale at Toys R Us for $14.99.
3.Phoebe
The first version of Furby and the Tamagotchi met an almost identical fate. Some of these can net you around $500:
But most of the time, even brand new, the price can be around $40:
If yours is a little worn...well:
Six dollars? Ouch.
The latest Furbys cost about $50, but like the Tamagotchis, they are currently on sale at Toys R Us for $29.99.
4. Tickle me Elmo
I found listings for the original Tickle Me Elmos on eBay, and they are available in almost every price range. Most of them seem to be hovering around the $30 mark:
Although they cost as little as $10 to run:
Or up to $249.99:
But here's the thing: Can anyone explain to me why these things were so popular when they debuted in 1996? I mean, I knew I was years outside of my target demographic at the time...but still. I just don't understand.
5. Teddy Ruxpin
Oh my god. My brother had a Teddy Ruxpin that I always wanted to play with...but alas, I was always considered too young to have access to its many robotic parts. TR seems to have a respectable following on eBay, with prices for most well-preserved bears hovering around $150 (unboxed):
Boxed for $279:
Outliers include a $450 Santa suit:
This product is available at an extremely low price of $9.99:
Be wary of fakes, though; this one, for example, looks a little fishy.
6. My little pony
I can't remember if it was my birthday or Christmas, but I distinctly remember a gift-giving holiday when I was about three years old (so we're talking about 1988 or so) during which I received countless copies of My Little Pony. Maybe I should grab them. Individual ponies from the 1980s typically sell for around $50:
(I do have one of these, by the way; their tails spin when you wrap a flower dial around them.)
Or about $25:
The most expensive one I found on eBay went for over $1,780; however, it appears to be a super rare one, so keep this in mind:
The new Friendship Is Magic MLP is available at Toys R Us for $15.99 (on sale for $12.79) for a set of 3.
7. Polly Pocket
Vintage Polly pockets actually sell well on eBay, as long as you're selling an actual set of products and not some random ones. It's also worth noting that Polly Pocket compacts and sets made by Bluebird Toys are worth more; Mattel purchased the company in 1998, and the toys' value has declined since then. Generally speaking, compact models seem to cost between $25:
(I have that!)
Hundreds more:
The rarest of them costs $500:
Today's Polly Pocket sets are less compact and sell for between $7.99 and $32.86.
8. The smallest pet shop
Like My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop has enjoyed a renaissance thanks to Hasbro and its television channel The Hub. However, the original Littlest Pet Shop debuted in 1992, and if you have any of the complete sets they had in the early to mid-90s, you can pick them up for about $25:
Give them $50:
The new toys at Littlest Pet Shop are priced at $3.99 for individual dolls and $39.99 for the largest sets.
9. Treasure Troll
I can't for the life of me explain my obsession with treasure trolls. I love them, though, and own about eighty million of them. (Okay, not actually eighty million, but you know what I mean.) All this collecting seems to have been in vain, though, since most of them are now only worth a few bucks:
While birthday month-themed "wishing stones" offer a few more benefits, as long as they're brand new in a box:
By the way, they may be about to get a revamp; DreamWorks Animation acquired Trolls in 2013 and released a musical movie in 2016 starring the furry creature voiced by Anna Kendrick, which is expected to It will be released in cinemas in 2016.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
