Still have some of your old childhood toys at home somewhere? It could be worth digging them out as many of these old Christmas or birthday presents can sell for small fortunes, especially if they’re in mint condition or still in their original packaging. 

Read on to discover the treasures of your childhood collectors are keen on and how much they sell for today. 

All dollar values in US dollars. Historic currency conversions correct for the time of sale.

Rare Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures can fetch a tidy sum, so if you have some lying around at home, it might be worth digging them out. 

Particularly desirable figures include Slam Dunkin’ Don, which can sell for over $100 (£79) if boxed and in mint condition, and the super-rare 1993 Scratch Action Figure.

Inspired by Scandinavian folklore and notoriously wild-haired, Troll Dolls were all the rage in the 1960s and can be worth a fortune today.

While cheap imitation versions are easy to come by, if you own one of the rarer DAM originals made by Thomas Dam himself, it could sell for a tidy sum. In 2021, one such model went for $250 (£190) on eBay.

The Polly Pocket Lucy Locket Carry 'N Play Dream Home was a hit with kids around the world the moment it hit shelves in 1992.

Three decades later, some collectors will happily pay around $275 (£217) for a boxed example.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s are sure to remember Tamagotchis – the digital pets that required constant attention, feeding, and cleaning up after.

With more than 80 million units sold to date, most models aren't worth much. However, some rare examples can fetch a decent amount, such as this Tamagotchi Ocean, which has previously sold for $300 (£235).

Instant photography was huge in the 1970s, and with vintage cameras having a bit of a comeback, the prices that collectors are willing to pay have shot up.

Launched in 1972, the SX-70 Polaroid Land Camera is worth a small fortune these days, with one model of the folding camera selling on eBay for $315 (£235) in recent years. 

Famous for its appearance in the 1992 classic Home Alone 2, the Deluxe Talkboy cassette recorder was released in April 1993 and appeared in many a Christmas stocking later that year.

The toy originally retailed for $29.99, the equivalent of around $65 (£51) today. The success of the product caught manufacturer Tiger off-guard: it had reportedly sold hundreds of thousands of units by December 1993 while still facing demand for around two million more. 

Today, boxed Talkboys with the original tapes are listed on eBay for around $380 (£300).

The Kenner Easy-Bake oven was a revelation for kids growing up in the 1960s. Released in 1963, the child-friendly miniature oven could bake cakes and even came with packets of batter mix to encourage budding chefs.

A massive 16 million units were sold between 1963 and 1997. Earlier versions, such as this original 1963 green model, can sell for up to $400 (£315) online.

When the G.I. Joe range was first dreamt up in the early 1960s, marketers worried that boys wouldn't want to play with dolls and, as a result, the phrase 'action figure' was coined. G.I. Joe action figures have gone through several incarnations since then, meaning that if you have a rare or early doll that's still in good condition, it could be worth a lot.

In 2003, one of the prototype action figures was sold by Heritage Auctions for $200,000, the equivalent of around $343,000 (£270k) in today's money. More recently, rarer figures, such as the Marine pieces (similar in style to the one pictured), have fetched upwards of $550 (£432) on eBay.

If you happened to get one of these Ghostbusters toys in 1990 and have left it in the box for the past three decades, you could be in luck.

An unopened example of the model car previously sold for $590 (£485) on eBay, while used vehicles can also fetch a tidy sum.

More than 30 million units of the Sega Genesis console – better known as the Sega Mega Drive across Europe – were sold during the 1990s.

The original Sega Genesis 1 is much rarer, with an unused model in its box recently commanding as much as $940 (£739) on eBay.

Despite their inane chattering, Furby toys were a bona fide craze in the late 1990s. While later versions aren't worth very much, early examples of the googly-eyed robotic creatures can attract high prices.

Some examples, such as the limited-edition Kid Cuisine Furby, can fetch huge amounts, selling for as much as $1,000 (£787) on eBay.

Released in 1982, the Commodore 64 is the bestselling computer of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Although used C64 models are common and plenty of reproductions are on the market, boxed mint condition models can sell for up to $1,000 (£787) on eBay and similar auction sites.

From one computer to another: launched in 1982, the ZX Spectrum was the UK's number one home computer during the early to mid-part of the 1980s. Eight different models were released in total, with upwards of five million units sold globally.

If you were lucky enough to own one of these in the 1980s, you could make some serious cash from it today. Boxed working models can sell for as much as $1,495 (£1.2k) online.

Cabbage Patch Kids were the gift that every child wanted to receive in the 1980s. The dolls, which were the brainchild of Xavier Roberts, generated $2 billion in retail sales in 1984 alone, around $6 billion (£4.7bn) in today’s money.

While they've had various incarnations over the years, the rarest and most coveted examples are the soft, plush dolls of the early 1980s. One such example sold on eBay for just over $1,600 (£1.3k).

Vintage Star Wars merch can fetch high prices at auction thanks to the enduring popularity of the franchise.

Authentic old-school action figures sell for big money – an original 1980 Yoda still in its packaging sold for $2,000 (£1.6k) on eBay.

Longstanding Star Wars fans could have yet more treasure hiding at home. LEGO's Ultimate Collector Millennium Falcon set, inspired by the Star Wars franchise, is one of the most valuable toys out there. Not that you'll be doing much playing with it if you want it to retain that four-figure value, of course...

Launched in 2007 with a price tag of $499.99, a used set can comfortably sell for $2,000 (£1.6k). Meanwhile, sealed versions can fetch upwards of $5,000 (£3.9k).

American Girl dolls, which were manufactured by the Pleasant Company until it was acquired by Mattel in 1998, are a highly sought-after collector’s item today.

In October 2018, the brand's 'Kirsten' doll, which dated back to 1987 and came with a certificate signed by creator Pleasant Rowland, sold for $2,500 (£1.9k) on eBay.

Unboxed American Girl dolls in good condition can also do well, with another Kirsten example selling for $800 (£625).

Toys inspired by the Masters of the Universe franchise were all the rage in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

This Laser Light Skeletor is a particularly desirable example among collectors – if you happen to have one sitting in its box in perfect condition, it could fetch up to $2,570 (£2k).

Beanie Babies were one of the most collected toys of the 1990s, with hundreds of varieties of animal-inspired teddy bears available.

While most aren’t worth a huge amount today, the more unusual Beanies can fetch significantly more than their original price – with the rarer varieties selling for thousands of dollars.

While Peanut the Elephant was meant to be a light sky-blue colour, 2,000 units were erroneously created in a much darker royal blue shade. These days, a royal blue Peanut can sell for as much as $5,000 (£3.9k).

If you grew up during the 1970s, chances are you had your heart set on one of these Raleigh Chopper bicycles, which were all the rage.

It seems like they're having a moment with collectors, too: the MK1 and MK2 models have recently sold for as much as $5,000 (£3.9k) online.

Those Nintendo NES games you played back in the day could be worth a lot of money. Collectors will happily pay up to four figures for the rarer cult titles: for example, a factory-sealed example of the original Castlevania game can comfortably sell for up to $1,600 (£1.3k), while fans on eBay have paid up to $2,175 (£1.7k) for a factory-sealed version of Mario Kart 64.

A particular cult classic, this Mega Man X2 Super NES game from the 1990s is especially rare and collectors will go to great lengths to snap up a copy, especially if it's in mint condition. In fact, a factory-sealed example once sold for $5,100 (£4k) on eBay.

The Game Boy console came out in 1989 and quickly became immensely popular, selling one million units in the US in a mere few weeks. For a factory-sealed original Game Boy in mint condition, you could make as much as $1,800 (£1.5k), while clear or colourful consoles have fetched up to $5,400 (£4.2k) on eBay. 

Remember getting one of these cheap throwaway candy dispensers as a stocking filler? Pez collectors can't get enough of them, and the most desirable examples go for thousands of dollars at auction these days.

A 1979 Soft Head Mickey Mouse Pez even sold at auction for $7,000 (£5.3k) back in 2012, while rumour has it three 'political donkey' Pez dispensers made for John F Kennedy in 1961 have sold for a combined $20,000 (£15.7k).

Matchbox cars were first manufactured by the British die-casting firm Lesney Products in 1953 and estimates suggest that well over a billion of the dinky vehicles have been produced since then.

Collectors will happily splash their cash on versions from their particular childhood ears, but some Matchbox cars are in another league when it comes to value. In January 2025, an extremely rare BP-branded recovery truck from 1965 fetched an astonishing $17,500 (£13.5k) at a UK auction house. 

Published in 1963, Maurice Sendak's children’s classic Where the Wild Things Are quickly became hugely popular with young readers.

It’s sold millions of copies worldwide since it was first published, and thanks to revived interest in the author’s work, first-edition copies are worth a fortune.

One such example sold via AbeBooks.com for a massive $25,000 (£18.76k) in 2012.

Magic: The Gathering attracted a cult following in the 1990s and still has a hardcore fanbase to this day.

Launched in 1993, these otherworldly trading cards can sell for a fortune at auction. A used copy of the limited-edition Black Lotus card sold for $26,500 (£19.9k) on eBay, proving that their value can be truly, well, magical.

Even more staggering was the sale of a sealed Black Lotus card signed by artist Christopher Rush, who died in 2016, for $511,100 (£419k) in January 2021.

Barbie dolls were first released decades ago, with the first doll introduced to buyers at New York's American International Toy Fair in March 1959.

Ever since, Barbie has become a cultural mainstay, with early editions of the doll now cherished collector's items. An original 1959 doll has sold for as much as $27,450 (£20.6k) at auction.

First edition 1997 UK copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone are nicknamed the 'Holy Grail' of collectibles linked to JK Rowling's wizarding universe. There are just 500 copies known to exist, so if you happen to have one on your bookshelf, you could make a fortune. One personalised copy sold for $158,315 (£118,812) through Bonhams auction house in 2020 (another copy, pictured, went up for auction in 2007). Wondering if you have one? First editions are dated 1997, feature a print line that reads 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, and have a mistake on page 53; "1 wand" is printed twice in the list of items Harry needs for Hogwarts.

Meanwhile, an unsigned copy of the US version, published under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, can sell for around $8,000 (£6.3k) on AbeBooks. 

While it's pretty unlikely you'll have one of these ultra-rare Pokémon cards lying around at home, you're in for a serious treat if you do.

The massive success of the Pokémon Go augmented app game, launched in 2016, re-ignited interest in the retro trading cards.

An example of the rarest, the Pikachu Illustrator card of which only 39 copies are known to exist, was purchased for an astonishing $5.3 million (£4.1m) in 2021 by YouTuber Logan Paul. It was recognised with a Guinness World Record for the highest private sale of a Pokémon card, but with Paul recently suggesting he may sell the prized possession, could an even larger price tag be around the corner?

Now discover what your old computers and games consoles are worth today