Every collector dreams that the old junk gathering dust in the attic could one day make them wealthy.

But you don’t need a hoard of antiques to get rich quick, as experts say that some 90s toys are now worth a fortune. 

From that box of long-forgotten SNES games to your discarded Barbie dolls, you could be sitting on a plastic goldmine. 

And, with toy maker Mattel poised to follow up on Barbie’s success with more tenuous toy adaptations, you might also be able to cash in on the nostalgia boom. 

So, do you have any of these valuable toys tucked away in your home?

From rare and forgotten action figures to extremely collectable video games, if you have any of these classic 90s toys collecting dust in your home they may now be worth a fortune

From rare and forgotten action figures to extremely collectable video games, if you have any of these classic 90s toys collecting dust in your home they may now be worth a fortune

The 10 most valuable Pokemon cards  

  1. Pikachu Illustrator – $6,000,000 (£4,765,500)
  2. 1st Edition Shadowless Base Set Charizard – $420,000 (£333,585)
  3. Wizards of the Coast Presentation Galaxy Star holo Blastoise – $350,000 (£277,987)
  4. No.3 Trainer Bronze Trophy Pikachu –  $300,000 (£238,275)
  5. Family Event Trophy Kangaskhan – $225,000 (£178,706)
  6. Super Secret Battle No.1 Trainer – $90,000 (£71,482)
  7. Tamamushi University Trophy Promo Magikarp – $66,100 (£52,501)
  8. Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind – $65,100 (£52,499)
  9. Summer Battle Road Trophy Mew Victory Orb –  $60,000 (£47,655)
  10. No Rarity Symbol Base Set (autographed) Venusaur – $55,000 (£43,683) 

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Pokemon cards 

The ultimate 90s obsession, Pokemon Cards were an absolute staple of any school playground.

But, for some die-hard collectors that obsession didn’t fade away with the years.  

Rare Pokemon cards regularly fetch five-figure sums. 

For example, a 1st Edition Shadowless Base Set Charizard would set you back $420,000 (£333,585), according to TheToyZone. 

And, at the very pinnacle of the Pokemon collection world is the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card.

Only 39 of these cards were ever made and awarded to the winners of a Japanese card illustration contest.

Recently, YouTuber Jake Paul blew all previous price records out of the water when he splashed out a shocking $6,000,000 (£4,767,540) for the only perfect mint-condition 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card.

Today, MailOnline has found one Picaku Illustrator card currently for sale on eBay for any collector with a spare $4,000,000 (£3,178,000).

Jake Paul has a history of purchasing some of the world’s most expensive Pokemon cards, having previously splashed out $1m (£794,450) on a first-edition Charizard.

At the very pinnacle of the Pokemon collection world is the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card. Only 39 of these cards were ever made and awarded to the winners of a Japanese card illustration contest.

At the very pinnacle of the Pokemon collection world is the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card. Only 39 of these cards were ever made and awarded to the winners of a Japanese card illustration contest.

The 10 most valuable Nintendo games

  1. Mario Kart 64, N64 – $21,812.56 (£17,324)
  2. Kid Dracula, Game Boy – $20,400 (£16,202)
  3. The Flintstones, SNES – $19,999 (£15,884)
  4. Chrono Trigger, SNES – $15,713.66 (£12,480)
  5. Rap Jam: Volume One, SNES – $15,600 (£12,390)
  6. Clay Fighter, N64 – $15,162.40 (£12,042)
  7. Haggane, SNES – $15,100 (£11,993)
  8. Supa Copa, SNES – $15,000 (£11,913)
  9. Amazing Tater, Game Boy – $14,751 (£11,715)
  10. Snowboard Kids, N64 – $13,500 (£10,722) 

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Nintendo games 

From the release of the SNES in 1991 to the Game Boy Advanced in 2001, Nintendo absolutely dominated the world of gaming for an entire decade. 

Before the age of fully digital games, anyone wanting to pay had to splash out for physical game cartridges. 

But while they might have seemed exorbitantly expensive when you were a kid, they may have been a very sound financial investment.

High-quality copies are now becoming rare, as cartridges decay over time and collectors with post-lockdown cash to burn snapped up what was left. 

This has led to prices jumping to eye-watering new levels.  

For example, if you still have a copy of 1995’s Rap Jam: Volume One lying around, it could now be worth $15,600 (£12,393).

Meanwhile, a copy of Mario Kart 64, released in 1997 for the N64 could get you an impressive $21,812 (£17,328).

The game is so popular that even the empty box has sold for £50 ($62.94).

However, not just any old copy will do – as damaged or poorly preserved games only sell for a fraction of the price.

Mario Kart 64 (picture) was released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64. Since not many good-quality copies remain, the price for collectors has shot up to $21,812 (£17,328)

Mario Kart 64 (picture) was released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64. Since not many good-quality copies remain, the price for collectors has shot up to $21,812 (£17,328)

Top 10 most valuable Barbie dolls

  1. De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie – $85,000 (£67,511)
  2. Happy Holidays 1997 Barbie Brunette – $1,201 (£953)
  3. Harvey Nichols Special Edition Barbie – $900 (£715)
  4. Happy Holidays 1992 Barbie – $601 (£477)
  5. Fabergé Imperial Elegance Barbie – $520 (£413)
  6. Bob Mackie Empress Bride Barbie – $500 (£397)
  7. Millennium Bride Barbie –  $500 (£397)
  8. Ice Cream Shoppe Barbie – $400 (£318)
  9. Crystal Jubilee Barbie – $325 (£258)
  10. 40th Anniversary Barbie – $301 (£239)

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Barbie dolls 

After Margot Robbie’s Barbie box-office success, interest in the dolls has spiked once again. 

Unfortunately, your old knackered Barbies might not quite be worth the millions you hoped.

And, the most valuable Barbie ever made wasn’t even ever sold in shops.

The De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie was made in 1999 to celebrate the doll’s anniversary and sports an outfit encrusted with 160 diamonds.

The extravagant doll sold at a special auction for a whopping $85,000 (£67,528).

The second most valuable doll is the 1997 Happy Holidays Brunette Barbie, one of which sold for a record $1,201 (£953).

However, it now looks like that record may soon be surpassed as one doll is currently for sale on eBay for $3,799.99 (£3,019.10).

This doll gets its startling price tag from a misprint on the box, something adored by collectors.

The box shows Barbie as having blue eyes while the doll itself has brown eyes, bumping up the doll’s value significantly.  

The De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie (pictured) features 160 diamonds on her outfit and sold at auction for $85,000 (£67,511)

The De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie (pictured) features 160 diamonds on her outfit and sold at auction for $85,000 (£67,511)

Top 10 most valuable game consoles

  1. Nintendo 64 – $5,651 (£4,488)
  2. Super Nintendo, Super Metroid System – $5,280 (£4,194)
  3. Nintendo 64, Gold System – $5,250 (£4,169)
  4. GameBoy Color, Grape – $3,252 (£2,583)
  5. Nintendo 64, Atomic Purple Bundle – $2,805 (£2,228)
  6. GameBoy Color, Teal – $2,632 (£2,090)
  7. Nintendo 64, Donkey Kong 64 System – $2,182 (£1.733)
  8. Super Nintendo, Zelda System – $2,122 (£1,685)
  9. Super Nintendo – Killer Instinct System – $1,923 (£1,527)
  10. Super Nintendo, Super Set System – $1,908 (£1,515)

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Game Ccnsoles 

We’ve already seen how video games from the 90s can fetch a handsome price, but what about the consoles themselves?

During the 90s, fierce competition between Sony, Nintendo, Sega, and Atari led to a boom in video game technology.

Having been limited to a handful of bulky consoles throughout the 80s, consumers were not able to choose from a wide range of different options.

But, for the discerning electronics collector today, there is only one choice: Nintendo.

Nintendo consoles make up all of the top 10 most valuable consoles sold today, with many fetching thousands of pounds.

Some of these get their exorbitant prices due to rare or unusual special designs or tie-ins with game franchises.

For example, the Super Nintendo Super Metroid System has sold for $5,280 (£4,194) while a Donkey Kong themed Nintendo 64 is worth $2,182 (£1,733).

However, the most valuable console overall doesn’t need any special features to be valuable as the original Nintendo 64 from 1996 is worth $5,651 (£4,488).

Most valuable action figures

As well as innovation in the world of electronics, the 90s were also the birth of another equally important innovation: using TV to sell toys to children. 

And, no franchise did it better than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT). 

Despite the awful controller design the Nintendo 64 (pictured) is now the most costly console from the 90s, coming in at $5,651 (£4,488)

Despite the awful controller design the Nintendo 64 (pictured) is now the most costly console from the 90s, coming in at $5,651 (£4,488)

Originally based on a comic series by artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, TMNT has now blossomed into an enormous franchise.

And, with the latest film having been released in 2023 the toys that accompanied the classic cartoons now fetch a serious price. 

Figures of the turtles ‘undercover’ sporting trench coats and hats are among the most valuable, coming in between $3,500 (£2,780) and £3,995 (£3,173).

For context, that’s almost double the price of the ‘Delux Gold Galaxy Megazord’ which is literally plated with 14k gold. 

But the most expensive figurine of all is that of the largely unknown side character ‘Scratch the Cat’.

A mint-condition figurine of this character can be worth up to $10,000 (£7,943).

Scratch the Cat (pictured) was a action figure for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that is incredibly rare due to how unpopular it was at the time. A mint condition figure can now fetch $10,000 (£7,943) at auction

Scratch the Cat (pictured) was a action figure for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that is incredibly rare due to how unpopular it was at the time. A mint condition figure can now fetch $10,000 (£7,943) at auction

Top 10 most valuable action figures  

  1. Scratch the Cat, TMNT – $10,000 (£7,943)
  2. April O’Neil, TMNT – $5,500 (£4,368)
  3. Slam Dunkin’ Don, TMNT – $4,400 (£3,495)
  4. Technodrome, TMNT – £3,999 (£3,176)
  5. Undercover Donatello – $3,995 (£3,173)
  6. Undercover Michelangelo – $3,800 (£3,017)
  7. Undercover Raphael – $3,500 (£2,780)
  8. Mega Talking Ripster, Street Sharks – $2,033 (£1,615)
  9. Delux Gold Galaxy Megazord, Power Rangers – $1,999 (£1,578)
  10. Jet Icarus Megazord DX, Power Rangers – £1,600 (£1,271)

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Top 10 most valuable ‘blasters’

  1. Ultimator Bazooka Rocket Blaster – $699.99 (£556)
  2. Larami Power Pak Backpack – $499.99 (£397)
  3. CPS 2000 Larami –  $405 (£322)
  4. CPS 3200 Larami Water Gun w/ Backpack – $369.94 (£293)
  5. CPS 2500 Larami Water Gun – $329.99 (£262)
  6. Vintage Kenner Nerf Crossbow – $328.98 (£261)
  7. Master Blaster Dart Toy Gun Kenner – $316.55 (£251)
  8. CPS 3000 Larami – $315 (£250)
  9. Super Soaker 300 The Big One – $285 (£226)
  10. Max Force Manta Ray Blaster – $250 (£199)

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 Super soakers and nerf guns

Of course, no list of classic 90s toys would be complete without Nerf Guns and Super Soakers.

Whether they were shooting tiny foam darts or streams of water, these toys were every child’s dream and every parent’s nightmare. 

Super Soakers now dominate the top spots for most expensive collectables, ranging from $250 (£198) to $499.99 (£397.22)

But a Nerf gun holds onto the top spot – not because it was very good but precisely because it was exceptionally bad.

If you have Ultimator Bazooka Rocket Blaster it could be worth almost $700 (£556), but only if you have the two large foam rockets which came in the box.

This blaster had a range of 120 feet – well beyond the limit of most gardens – meaning it almost inevitably fired its darts out of reach the moment it was used.

So, if you are one of the few people who managed to not lose these darts, your carefulness might have just made you a decent bit of cash.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

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