Vintage Barbie
Whatever happened to your old childhood toys? Maybe you’ve stashed them away in the attic, the garage, or the spare room that’s become a catch-all for items you want to keep out of sight. If you (or your sentimental parents) have held on to the past, you might have riches in your future. Take a few minutes to dig through the piles of forgotten toys and playthings, because some of them could be worth a bundle of cash – and that’s no game of make believe. Here are some vintage toys people will pay top dollar for…
Barbie arrived on the toy scene in style in 1959. More than 350,000 were sold the first year, and sales of this beloved doll have exceeded more than one billion to date. The original Barbie sported a zebra-printed, one-piece bathing suit – which could be worth thousands to the right collector. Currently, a first-edition 1959 Barbie in excellent condition can go for as much as $23,000.
Lite Brite
In 1967, Hasbro introduced Lite Brite, a light-up picture designing kit that consisted of a lightbox with small, multicolored plastic pegs. Originally sold for just $6.95, an originally boxed Lite Brite is sought after by collectors, who are willing to pay $250 or more. What better way to brighten up your day than making some cash on an old lightbox?
Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls
During the 1980s, every little girl wanted a Cabbage Patch Doll (complete with a birth certificate), and by Christmas of 1983, there weren’t enough dolls to go around. You can find them today on eBay and other market sites, where some original dolls fetch bids in the thousands. That’s a lot of cabbage.
Monopoly
Show me the money! The iconic board game manufactured by Parker Brothers was initially drawn and painted by hand in 1933; it recently sold for $146,500 at auction. The original doesn’t have the monopoly on collector markets though – vintage versions also sell for up to $6,000.
Beanie Babies
Soft and colorful, thousands of Beanie Babies were manufactured by the Ty Company; today, some of those toys are worth thousands of dollars. If you have the Princess Diana baby, head to the nearest toy auction and you could be in for a royal treat – your Beanie Baby could be worth as much as $507,000.
1938 Action Comics
There might be a one-in-a-million chance you’re still holding on to a comic book from 1938, but if you are, you could be rich. A June 1938 Action Comic book, which featured Superman’s first appearance, sold for $.99 in 1938. In today’s market, it’s worth a lucrative $3.2 million.
Viewmaster
First introduced in 1939, the Viewmaster binoculars and accompanying slides introduced kids to exotic animals, faraway locations, and historical events. A vintage Viewmaster and slides are worth hundreds of dollars today, which might have you looking at this old toy from a new point of view.