16 toys from the 90s that could make you rich today

Whether they’re unsettling or endearing is up to you. But Furby’s hold on ’90s kids is undeniable and a few grown-up fans are willing to pay good money to get their hands on one of 1998’s most wanted toys. Their popularity means making a fortune will require an original or limited edition, rare release or untouched packaging.

Money Digest reported that a Bejewelled Furby sold for nearly £5000 while several more common creatures are listed for a still-promising £100 on eBay. The holy grail of Furby collectibles is the Rainbow Furby, of which only three were ever made so keep an ear out for that familiar gurgling chatter coming from your attic.

Barbie had a rebranding in recent years with the Barbie movie and a push for more inclusive toys. Nineties kids will be familiar with the fashionista doll who has worked in every career field under the sun (and on the moon).

Keep an eye out for collectible editions in your cupboards: ‘Barbie Loves Elvis’ in its original 1997 packaging is listed at over £100 on eBay while the 1996 Pink Splendor Barbie is listed for upwards of £200, with 16 fans watching one listed for £720.

For the burgeoning Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowens of the decade, the sets and accessories that came with the famous doll might have been more exciting than the Barbie itself. 

The Fun Fixin’ Glamorous Dining set, complete with food processor and candelabra, and Fun Fixin’ Dishwasher Set are both listed for just under £100. While the Baby Sister Shelly Nursery set is listed at just over £200.

While they might have littered playgrounds during the ’90s, those who kept their stock neatly sorted in plastic folders might well be thanking their forethought. Toyologist Peter Jenkinson suggests looking out for first edition, holographic or misprinted cards, but says Charizard is where the money is. 

In 2022, CNN reported that a very rare 1999 Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard card sold for a whopping £321,000. Soon the fire-type Pokemon won’t be the only thing burning a hole in your pocket.

Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want: collectible Spice Girls dolls in pristine condition. Sporty, Scary, Ginger, Baby and Posh helped to bring Girl Power to the mainstream and their pop culture means memorabilia holds a special place in fans’ hearts.

Individual boxed dolls are currently listed for around £50 while a boxed set of Spice Girls’ Spice World dolls listed at £200 has been watched over 40 times.

Polly Pocket brought all of the fun of Barbie in more portable packaging, meaning ’90s kids could keep playing on-the-go. Mattel took over the brand from Bluebird in 1998 and sets from the original manufacturer are sought after items. 

Toyologist Peter says to keep an eye out for the 1997 Jewel Case and 1994 Light-Up Wedding Chapel, while The Mirror reported that a Polly Pocket Beauty Case sold for £4,800 on eBay. The playsets might be small but the fun (and potential profit) certainly isn’t!

Unlike the rest of the list, Happy Meal toys probably weren’t featured on your Christmas list. They were, however, a coveted extra that came with a weekend takeaway treat – even if that excitement only lasted until the last fry disappeared.

If these plastic toys never quite made it out of your house, you could be in luck. Complete sets of these mystery items are, of course, a coveted collection. Peter Jenkinson previously told News Shopper that Mario figures could be worth just under £200 while Power Rangers tip over the £250 mark if you have a full set.

You’ll be shouting at your old Power Rangers to go, go when we tell you how much these Mighty Morphin superheroes could be worth. When five teens were chosen by an intergalactic wizard to defend the planet, they launched an iconic franchise that is still beloved by fans to this day.  

And they’re willing to pay to get their hands on a hit of nostalgia: a complete set of Power Rangers action figures from 1993 is currently listed at over £1,200 while several Dino Megazord Deluxe figures are listed at around £550. 

Card games are increasingly cool as we all turn back to analogue trends. If the ’90s found you carefully combing through a collection of Magic: The Gathering cards, you should be looking back kindly at your younger self.

A complete set of the ‘Power Nine’ cards could be worth $27,000 as they stopped being printed in 1994, while a top condition Black Lotus could fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds. 

Long baking times and questionable treats via the power of light bulbs, what could go wrong? Aside from the burns many ’90s kids will surely remember to this day, Easy-Bake ovens gave children a taste of independence with specialty cake and cookie mixes.

A little on the lower side in this list, but nothing to turn your nose up at, a One Easy-Bake oven is listed on eBay for $120 while others are up for around $50 to $70. A 1992 edition is also listed, complete with box and party invitations, for $160. Our suggestion? Switch to eggs, flour and sugar and bid a fond farewell to the child-sized oven.

Hot Wheels brought the excitement of tearing around a race track to living room floors, bedroom walls and car windows across the world. The ’90s were no different and there are several cars you’ll want to look out for in your own collection: Toyologist Peter suggests paying particular attention when searching for Funny Car editions. 

The rarest edition from the decade is the Hot Wheels Collector Number 271 with a blue card. Only few are believed to exist and the 1995 toy car is valued at an impressive $3,500. But if you’re looking to invest, watch out for any fakes as only seven have ever been authenticated.

The furry red Sesame Street favourite continues to delight fans today. Elmo’s recent deluge of comforting posts to followers confirmed his reputation as a beloved nostalgic figure for ’90s kids. 

Tickle Me Elmo holds a special place in collectors’ hearts and the 1996 toy in its original packaging can be worth $75 to $90. The 10th anniversary edition is also worth a few bucks, with current listings on eBay pricing the 2006 edition equal to the original, while one 10th anniversary toy is listed for almost $250.

If Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering were not for you (or you were a dedicated fan of all collectible cards during the ’90s), you likely had a folder of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. 

Back in 2018, a rare Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon was listed for $400,000 while Minerva, The Exalted Lightsworn sold for $1,900. A Black Luster Soldier card, printed on stainless steel, was awarded at the 1999 Championship and reportedly sold for $2 million.

LEGO bricks, in their most basic form, open up a world of imagination. But it’s the pre-designed sets that can make you a fortune. Peter Jenkinson says that Knights or Space themed sets do well but the Millennium Falcon and Taj Mahal are the ’90s releases to look out for, selling at over £3,000 and £1,000 respectively.

The King’s Mountain Fortress and Royal Knights Castle are currently listed at around £250 while a bundle of LEGO Adventurer sets is up for over £850.

Friendship is magic and so is the effect these ponies have on fans. Their signature plastic bodies with flowing manes and tails meant they could be combed and accessorised, bringing hours of fun to kids in the ’90s. With recent fans and original collectors willing to pay up for these colourful figures, it’s worth investigating your own collection.

Several My Little Pony dolls are currently listed for a not-so-little price: Hip Hop Melody with moulded roller skates is listed for £104, two bubble bath bottles are listed at £80 each and a first generation Baby Billie from 1993 will set you back £70.  

The Disney Renaissance, between 1989 to 1999, brought the movie corporation back into fans’ good books with beloved releases like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. This ’90s-based phenomenon churned out the merchandise to match and items from this period of Disney’s success are coveted by fans.

1995’s Toy Story is still a favourite to this day, and original items have the price tag to match. A still-boxed Buzz is currently listed for almost $100 while a set of four plush toys is up for sale at more than $300.