Still got your childhood toy collection in a box in the loft? It could be worth a small fortune.
“Toys from the 1980s & 1990s have become big business,” says BBC Bargain Hunt expert Tim Weeks, who is a toy specialist at Wessex Auction Rooms.
Still got your childhood toy collection in a box in the loft? It could be worth thousands
“This is because we tend to use the 25 year rule – this is how long it usually takes for a toy to turn into a ‘collectable toy’.
“The reason we have the ’rule’ is because a toy collector tends to start buying the toys they had as a child about 25 years after they originally had them.
“Once we reach our mid 30s and later, we hark back to the glory days of our youth, so what better way to grab that nostalgia?”
Tim says that TV & film-related toys are always the most sought after – Star Wars, Batman, Transformers, James Bond, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony and Thundercats are some of the big names.
Crucially, they don’t even have to be in mint condition.
“I have regularly sold these figures for hundreds and sometimes thousands when on their original backing cards, but even a collection of unboxed figures can fetch big money,” Tim says.
“Toys were made to be played with. If you think you have the kid’s old toys in the garage but worry about their condition after 10 years of being played with, you might be in for a good surprise.
“Most toys from the 70s, 80s and 90s will not be in mint condition and there is still a fantastic market of buyers wanting them for their collections.
“Last month I sold a collection of ‘play worn’ Star Wars figures for £1,600.
“Never assume that what you have is ‘rubbish’ or in a bad condition.”
If you want to think ahead, though, and invest in toys to sell in the future, it’s definitely worth your while keeping them pristine.
“While all forms of condition will be saleable, give yourself the best chance possible to maximise the return by keeping your investments as near mint as you can.
“Also, take into account how the toy will display when deciding what you should buy. Is it a toy that will look great in its packaging on a cabinet or a shelf?” Tim says.
“When applying the 25 year rule, we can forecast with strong certainty that the toys our children are playing with today will be collectable and sought after in years to come.”
Thundercats – £500 or more
An original carded Thundercats figure of Lion-O can comfortably sell for £300 plus, but it is sometimes the lesser known characters that fetch even bigger money.
If you happen to find the figure known as ‘Driller’ in your attic – even without being on its original card and after the children spend most of the late 1980s playing with it – you could have a figure worth in excess of £500 in a specialist auction!”
Star Wars – up to £20,000
“Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were popular characters from the original toys run in the late 70s to mid 80s and therefore are common on the resellers market today.
“A standard carded Luke Skywalker would net you around the £400 mark, yet a vinyl-caped Jawa figure, without its card, has a potential value of £1000 – and if you had that Jawa figure on its card…. you might be looking at over £20,000.
“The big collecting tip with Star Wars figures is to look for the weapons and accessories. Sometimes they can be worth more than the figures!”
Subbuteo – up to £380
Teams are the main value when it comes to what collectors want and, again, it is the rare, less popular teams that attract the deep pockets.
Every child would have had a team such as Arsenal down the years pretending to be Charlie George, David Rocastle or Ian Wright, so that team may now be worth as little as £10.
However, not many would have ‘lesser teams’ such as Plymouth Argyle or St Mirren, for example – both of those teams can easily demand £100.”
If you were lucky enough to pick up European teams, they can also set collectors back hundreds.
I recently sold an original Lyon team for £380 at one of my specialist toy auctions.
Scalextric cars and tracks – £800
Last year, I sold a collection of used Scalextric slot cars and accessories that the vendor was expecting to take to the tip, only to stop in to see me on the way just in case.
I spotted a rare accessory and some nice cars and, six weeks later, gave him a cheque for over £800.
Not bad for a tip run.
How to make money from your old toys
Old toys can be sold on eBay, via Amazon, or on any number of specialist websites.
To find out how much an old toy might be worth do some research first.
Checking the same or similar toys under “sold listings” on eBay.
Compare your toy to other higher selling auctions and ask yourself if it’s in a similar condition? Is is authentic? Does it have its original packaging?
If it’s in mint condition then it might be worth selling it through an auction house or directly to a collectables website.
If it’s not in mint condition, it’s probably worth sticking it on eBay for a moderate sum.
But in both cases check for any fees involved and find out what percentage of any sale an auctioneer may take.
If you know you have something valuable, Tim says the best way to maximise your profit is through a specialist toy auction.
“You don’t want your Hornby and Barbie collection being sold next to a Georgian side table or Moorcroft Vase!” he says.
“An auctioneer works for you. Their job is to get as much money as possible, compared to the horror stories of hearing private buyers and dealers knowingly ripping people off for their own gain.”
Wessex Auction Rooms hold 10 specialist toy auctions every year and offer collections from around the UK
Top 10 prices for toys sold at auction
Here are the top toys sold at auction according Zavvi, the online entertainment and pop culture retailer.
- Red Sea Crossing – Atari (£8,549)
- Pepsi Optimus Prime (£4,148)
- Classic He-Man Action Figures (£2,550)
- Vintage G.I Joe (£385.50 – £2,033.30)
- Star Wars Action Figures (£1,728)
- 1986 American Girl Doll (£962)
- Daredevil Comic #168 (£891)
- 1983 Indiana Jones Action Figure (£773)
- Cabbage Patch Kids (£732)
- Game Boy (£634)
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
