As the most-wanted kids’ gifts are revealed, we look at what’s in your attic to see if you’re sitting on a gold mine
THE most-wanted toys for Christmas have been revealed – and one day they might be worth a bundle.
Collectors will pay a hefty sum for vintage playthings of yesteryear. Do you have any stashed in your attic? Here we reveal what vintage toys are worth today.
Hot Wheels
THE US toy cars launched in the UK in 1968 costing 10 shillings each. A Sweet 16 model in good condition sold for £741.23 in October on eBay.
A less rare model, the Camaro Purple, sold for just £36 this week.
Barbie
MORE than a billion dolls have been sold since its launch at New York’s American Toy Fair in 1959.
The first ever Barbie doll sold for $3.00 - which today would amount to around £2.
A 1960s Barbie with her original swimsuit and blue shoes sold on eBay for just over £450 last November.
Cabbage Patch Kid
THE squishy collectable dolls, originally known as The Little People, each came with their own name and adoption papers.
In September an eBay seller in Stalybridge, Gtr Manchester, sold a 1985 Cabbage Patch Kid for £110.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
STRUGGLING artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird came up with the idea of ninja turtles in November 1983.
The caped heroes first appeared in a comic book and later became a multi-billion dollar franchise.
A 6in Raphael figure from 1990 which would have originally cost around £5 – £12 in today’s money – is now selling for £12 so owners can make their money back.
Polly Pocket
BRITISH inventor Chris Wiggs created this pocket-size doll – which soon snowballed into her own little world – for his daughter Kate.
A pre-owned 1997 Polly Pocket Jewel Case sold for £79 in September. The tiny near-complete set contained Princess Polly’s royal bedroom, dining room and bathroom.
Star Wars
THERE has been a huge rise in the popularity of vintage Star Wars toys, particularly those made by US firm Kenner, says Ghafoor Hussein, eBay listing expert at the British Heart Foundation.
A 1978 Luke Skywalker figure made by Kenner, which was £2.50, sold for £1,285 in August.
Its seller had got it sealed in a display box by the Action Figure Authority, which also grades toys on their condition. But similar toys without the fancy accreditation bring in far less.
Another eBay seller recently sold a 1978 Luke Skywalker made by Kenner for just £3. It had no packaging and accessories.
Monopoly
THE American game of Monopoly arrived in Britain in 1936 and has been popular with families ever since.
In more recent years it sparked several special editions, including the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Coronation Street and Stock Exchange variations.
An untouched vintage version from the 1970s recently sold for £36.
Lego
DANISH carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen began making wooden Lego toys in 1932. His grandson still owns the business.
It arrived in Britain in the 1960s. A Lego go-kart set costing £9.95 in 1984 – around £33 in today’s money – this week sold for £41 on eBay.
Its seller said it had been “well played with” by her sons, now 52 and 50.
Sindy
LAUNCHED in 1963, Sindy was Britain’s answer to Barbie and held 80 per cent of the doll market in the ’80s.
A 1980 Sindy which cost £5.29 – £22 in today’s money – fetched £62 on eBay last month.
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Transformers
THE original robot toys started in Japan in the 1970s and were taken on in 1984 by Hasbro under the name Transformers.
A 1980s Optimus Prime sold for £1,020 after a bidding war last week.
It originally cost £13.95, the equivalent of £43, at Argos. A similar one with a damaged foot and packaging sold for £52.
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