10 vintage toys tucked away in the attic that could be worth thousands

Christmas is just around the corner and families across Merseyside and beyond will be shopping for gifts for their loved ones. So much has changed through the generations, from how we shop to the toys and electronics on offer.

But many of us still have fond memories of gifts we got from childhood - some which we have kept. Amongst your piles of stuff could be hidden treasures worth a lot of money – and old toys are no exception.

We recently took a look at a number of old school DVDs, CD albums and rare coins that could be worth thousands. And now, we take a look at a number of retro toys perhaps hidden in the attic that could make you a small fortune..

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Homeprotect recently analysed eBay’s sold listing data for the 12 most popular 80s, 90s and 00s toy brands to discover which items have earned sellers the most money in 2024. And if you have them, you may want to consider swapping them for quick cash.

It’s good news for Lego fans, as the most valuable retro toys that dominated the top five most valuable list was this brand. According to the study, a ‘Lego Wars Star Wars Cloud City’ set was the most valuable retro toy, which earned its seller £2,050 in the UK - while a ‘Skull’s Eye Schooner Pirate Ship’ fetched £1,700, a ‘Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collectors Millenium Falcon’ got £1,120 and a Lego Star Wars Death Star II for £1,040

My Little Pony and Barbie that made the sixth and seventh spot amongst a sea of valuable retro Lego toys. It was a good payday for whoever sold on their ‘Vintage G1 My Little Pony Orange Cotton Candy Flat Foot Unmarked Hoof,' as despite not having the box, the rare item had 25 bids before it eventually sold for £1,022.28.

While not all My Little Pony toys were as profitable, other top-selling items included the 'Funskool G1 1980s Blossom Pink Purple INDIA Foot’ (£185), ‘G1 MLP Advent Calendar’ (£94), ‘1987 G1 Baby Pony with First Tooth Bouncy Boxed’ (£92) and ‘1984 Baby Liquorice Pink G1 (Euro Exclusive)’ (£87). Seventh in the list, the ‘Barbie Meadow mares horse – Rare Original Unopened Box’ went for £928.00.

Barbie has long been a popular kid’s toy, but last year’s live-action film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling saw the Mattel toys surge in popularity once again. Of all brands researched, Homeprotect said the term ‘Barbie’ has the most search volume, with an average of 368,000 monthly searches in the UK.

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All the Barbie keywords combined generate an average of over one million per month in the UK. Other profitable Barbie products worth selling include any limited collector’s edition dolls from the fashion model collection and collaborations with top fashion houses.

Three different fashion Barbie recently sold for between £200-£300, while Christian Dior and Juicy Couture limited edition dolls went for £175. But, while products from the other brands didn’t make the top 10, it could still be worth raiding your or your kid’s old toy stash to see if you’ve got any of these money-makers lying around.

The most valuable product from each of the remaining brands included the ‘Ty Beanie Babies, Billionaire 14, MWCT’ (£475), ‘Beyblade Original Takara HMS Dranzer DS Purple’ (£148), ‘2005 Bratz Felicia Campfire Collector’s Doll w/ 2 Outfits, Poster etc’ (£539.93), ‘Furby ERA 1 Jester Special Edition’ (£199.99) and 'Redline Sweet 16 Custom Mustang HK Green’ (£220). Other valuable products include the ‘MyScene Icy Bling Barbie Doll Mattel 2006 Westley’ (£165), ‘Playmobil RC Goods Train Set’ (£180) and a ‘Very Rare Boxed Flair Sylvanian Families Angelina Ballerina Cheddar Cottage’ (£360).

David Joyson, Chief Customer Officer at home insurance specialist, Homeprotect, said: "Our analysis of eBay sales data reveals the strong resale value of retro toys, with Lego leading the way. Iconic sets like ‘Lego Star Wars Cloud City’ and others have proven highly sought after by collectors.

"My Little Pony and Barbie also hold significant worth, with rare items seeing strong demand, particularly following Barbie’s recent resurgence in popularity due to the live-action film. If you’ve got old toys lying around, it might be worth checking their value—you could be sitting on a goldmine!

"Alternatively, if you come across an item you think may have a high value, get it professionally valued, so you know if they are worth insuring and to avoid underinsuring. Higher value and collectible items may need to be specified on your contents policy to ensure they’re covered, so it’s always worth checking with your insurer."