The 80s were a great decade.
From “Back to the Future” to the California Raisins; from Paula Abdul to Pac Man, there are many gems that came from this period in time.
And, chances are good you have some 80s memorabilia stashed away that you pull out once in a while for a trip down memory lane.
Well, maybe you should consider turning those memories into money.
There is some serious cash in collectible toys from the 80s, and you never know what fortune may sit in those boxes in the attic.
And, whatever items you don’t end up selling, stow them away in storage so they aren’t taking up precious space.
With Closetbox, that’s easy.
All you’ve gotta do is pick up the phone, and one of our moving professionals will pick up your boxes full of memories, and store them in a safe and secure storage unit until you’re ready for another trip down memory lane. A lot of stuff from the 80s is worth nothing but sentimental value, but you probably aren’t sure whether you’re holding onto a gold mine.
Let’s take a look at some of the hottest toys from the 80s that today are worth some significant cash and keep our fingers crossed that one of these is in your collection!
Fortune Lies in These 80s Toys
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
This statement could not be more true when it comes to 80s collectibles.
Caring Transitions, a senior relocation, liquidation, and estate sales company is well-versed in what may be deemed as “trash” but rather is “treasure.”
Here are some of the top earners:
PEZ Dispensers
Turns out no one cares about the candy inside. (It was never good to begin with, and over 20 years later, we can’t even imagine how it tastes.) However, some dispensers from the 80s have been bringing in big money.
In 2006, an Astronaut B PEZ dispenser, created for the 1982 World’s Fair sold for a whopping $32,000.
You’ve got to have a deep appreciation of both PEZ and space to pay that kind of money.
Star Wars Action Figures
The condition of your 80s toys makes a big difference in their worth.
Take, for example, a mint condition, still-in-its-package Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure.
Though this toy was mass produced, not many of them are in mint condition. In addition, the value of Star Wars toys is continuing to increase with the increasing popularity of the new generation of the series.
So just how much is Obi-Wan Kenobi worth?
In perfect condition and still in its box, this action figure is worth $6,000.
Barbies
Plenty of Barbies are worth absolutely nothing. If you’ve ever had a garage sale, you know Barbies priced at anything about $2 each is a hard sell.
However, there are some first edition Barbies from the 80s that are worth over $3,000.
Pink Jubilee Barbie is a favorite from this time period that was up for auction on Ebay for $3K.
She-Ra Figures
You couldn’t have spent any time in the 80s without watchingHe-Man.
This cult classic TV show has fans that still love it today. And He-Man wouldn’t have been the hit he is without She-Ra, Princess of Power.
She-Ra is a favorite amongst collectors, and the She-Ra and Swift-Wine action figure pack will bring the lucky owner $2,000 for a mint-condition toy.
Video Games
“Before Wii and PS4, there was Atari,” says Caring Transitions.
And Atari’s games are worth some money. Though the prices for the consoles themselves aren’t anything to write home about, some of the games for this system are worth a lot.
Red Sea Crossing is one of the most desired video games in the entire world. Because only 500 copies were produced and very few remain today, if you’ve got this game still in its box, and in mint condition, you’ll find yourself picking up a lovely $12,000 from some die-hard collector.
But Atari’s not the only hot 80s video game system on the market. First generation Game Boys are being sold for over $1,000.
And let’s not forget about other Nintendo systems and games.
Though many of the games are essentially worthless, there is one in particular that is far from that: Stadium Events.
Part of the Family Fun Fitness series, Stadium Events was a precursor to Wii. Complete with a mat to connect to the game, this was all about moving while playing your video games.
However, the game was recalled and rebranded, making the original game one of the most rare Nintendo video games in existence.
A number of original copies have been sold, and have earned the sellers between $13,000 and $30,000.
Teddy Ruxpin
Before Siri was around, kids used to talk to good ol’ Teddy Ruxpin.
This story-telling, cassette-tape bearing bear was a smash hit in the 80s. It was deemed one of the best selling toys of the 1980s.
And now, it’s one of the best selling collectors toys. A mint condition Teddy that has not been opened, is worth upwards of $1,000.
You Won’t Find Fortune In Every Toy
Unfortunately, most of the toys from the 80s are worth zilch.
Ilena Di Toro, movie poster guru and creator of justmovieposters.com warns “many collectibles are not worth much.”
As a seller of movie posters, Di Toro says “As much as I want people to buy my posters, I make no guarantees of future value and I stress that people should buy for enjoyment, not investment purposes.”
And Di Toro says she is not alone in this reality check. She shared a Business Insider article that “dealt with many collectibles, such as Hummels, Pokemon cards and even movie posters from the 1980s and 1990s that aren’t worth much money. How much are they selling for? $5 to $25 on eBay.”
This is more often than not the case, so it’s best you don’t expect to sell your toys and get “an amount that can let you quit your job and move to Florida,” says Di Toro.
However, you never know.
A rare hidden gem may be hidden in the boxes of your 80s “junk,” so make sure you hang onto them.
And, if for nothing else, you’ll have a great time remembering the 80s.
