TOYOLOGY Toyology-The Action Men of the batteries not included industry
Related Articles
Good Vibes, a lifestyle magazine for Sunny, took a look back over the past four decades to have a look what some of the toys might be worth today. Looks like you’d have made a packet with a Stretch Armstrong for example but could you really have resisted the temptation to rip him from his box?
So, apparently there could be a small fortune hidden away in your parent’s home or even your own loft, just gathering dust (and making you a few quid).
From board games to robotic pets to iconic toys of the past Good Vibes took a look and calculated what they are now worth, starting in the 1970s and through the 80s, 90s and 00s.
The 70s; a decade that spawned flared pants, prog rock, disco, and a little space opera called Star Wars also kickstarted a whole range of toy obsessions.
- Original Star Wars figures can be worth ten times their value, now fetch around £79,99
- Hungry Hippos can be bought for around £70 having been originally worth £3.94 in 1978
- Stretch Armstrong has seen the biggest increase, from £8.37 in 1976 to £1,619
Into the 80s; where culture exploded with brands dominating our lives, and the toys we played with, in the decade of MTV, Levi’s and the Sony Walkman:
- An original 1980 Rubik’s Cube is now worth 50 times its original price, at £50
- From the blockbuster movie, a Ghostbusters Proton Pack worth £19.87 would sell for £140
- Transformers’ Optimus Prime could sell for £250, originally worth £16
The 90s; the rise of multiculturalism and alternative media as well as the dawn of the internet:
- TMNT figures are now worth 165 times their original value of £1
- 1996’s Tickle Me Elmo has increased from £19.99 to £142 in worth
- Bandai’s Tamagotchi would now sell for upwards of £3,000, originally costing £11 in 1997
Into the 00s; a new millennium and the rise of globalisation, social media and huge technical advancements that brought our toys into the 21stCentury:
- Gaming consoles like 2004’s Nintendo DS, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 have all seen their value drop as next-gen platforms replace them
- Apple products, such as the iPad and 2007’s iPod Touch have seen values decrease massively
- Manga-inspired Beyblades, launched in 2002 for £5.99, would now sell for up to £130
So, only one important question remains; did you keep the original packaging?
