10 things you owned in the 90s that are now worth a small fortune

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The ongoing crisis is still affecting millions of people, and many of us are looking for ways to earn some extra cash through side hustles. For some, the answer to making some extra money might just be hidden in the often-overlooked items in your pantry or kitchen cupboards.

of video tapes or indulged in a sought-after collector's item.

And it's likely you probably stashed those things away and haven't had a squiz at them in years.

But some of those items are worth taking another look at, mate, because, fair dinkum, it's been 30 years now, and they could be worth a pretty penny more than you paid for them back in the day.

Take a look to discover which highly-desired 90s items are now potentially worth a small fortune – and what you could get for them.

So, how many of those things do you have?

1. Furby

Starting off this list is one of the most sought-after toys of the 90s, the Furby.

If you were a nipper in the late 90s, chances are this might've been on your Christmas wish list for 1998.

However, if you've got an original Furby, a limited edition Furby or a rare one (or you've never taken it out of its original box), you might be in for a tidy profit.

How much you'll get for it depends on the type of Furby and its condition, but some of the older toys are selling on eBay for around $150, or as much as $250 if it's in its original box. Meanwhile, the rarer Furbys can sell for even more.

Mental Floss reported that a genuine 1998 Furby sold on eBay for $705 (around £527) a few years ago, while Money Digest has stated that a highly rare Bejewelled Furby was sold for $6,400 (approximately £4,800) last year.

They've also said that if you've got your hands on the rarest Furby of all – the Rainbow Furby, which is one of only three ever made – you could be in for a pretty big payday, although no one's given any hint about how much it might be worth.

2. Pokemon cards

trading cards.

These were big business in the 90s (remember when some schools banned them?) as we set out to catch 'em all – our favourite characters in card form, that is – and if you've got some of these lying around in a dusty old cupboard, you could be in for a tidy sum.

The CNN reported in 2022 that the super-rare 1999 Pokémon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard card sold at auction for a whopping $420,000 (approximately 321,000 pounds) – breaking a record – so it's well worth looking into the value of any cards you might still have.

You never know, you could be clutching a fortune in your grasp

3. Harry Potter first print

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was first published in June 1997, and the rest, of course, is history.

A little treasure waiting for you on your bookshelves?

The Harry Potter website Mugglenet has reported that a first edition of the original book, including the original cover art and typos, could sell for between $30,000 and $50,000 (around £22,900 to £38,200). Since only 500 copies of that edition were ever printed, your chances of having one are quite slim, but if you're lucky enough to have a copy, you can check out eBay or First Edition Books to see what you might be sitting on.

4. The Super Mario Bros game

Fair dinkum, a fair few of us whiled away heaps of time in the 90s playing Nintendo and one of the most popular games of the decade was Super Mario Bros.

The little Italian plumber and his brother Luigi are so popular they've spawned sequels, a spin-off movie (the less said about that one the better) and even a hit single, courtesy of the Ambassadors of Funk featuring MC Mario. We're not sure any of that will make you a quid, but owning a copy of one of the original games might.

Back in 2020, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros 3 went for $156,000 (around $119,000) at auction, according to CNet – a record which was smashed just a few months later when The Verge reports an unused copy of the original game sold on a collectibles site for a pretty cool $2 million (around $1.5 million). That's a fair whack of cash for your Mario.

5. Your old Disney VHS tapes

Way back in the 1990s, before streaming services, YouTube and CBeebies came along, your best option for some family-friendly screen time would've been those Disney movies your parents had on their VHS tapes.

Fair dinkum, they would've been worn out too, because who wouldn't have watched The Lion King or Toy Story every chance they got? But who'd have thought 30 years on that those tapes could turn out to be a goldmine?

Fair dinkum, The Mail Online reported back in 2023 that some old-time favourite flicks are fetching five-figure sums on eBay – including a rare edition of 101 Dalmatians still in its original packaging, which went for £15,000.

A fair dinkum, it really depends on the state of the tape, whether it's a limited edition or still sealed and never spun, but it's worth having a root through that old tape box and checking eBay to see how much yours might be worth.

6. Polly Pocket dolls

While Barbie and the like remained popular throughout the 90s, young people and doll enthusiasts also bought up Polly Pockets – those small dolls and their equally small houses – in huge numbers.

With Mattel taking over the brand in '98, the original Polly Pocket dolls, particularly those made between '89 and '98, are now worth a pretty penny, especially if you've got one still sealed in its box.

The Mirror reported earlier this year that one set from the decade – the Polly Pocket Beauty Case – sold for $6,800 on eBay, while other sets from the era also brought in four-figure sums when listed. So your Polly could well bring in the dollars too.

7. Beanie babies

If you were a kid from the 90s, there's a good chance you had one or two of these little blokes lying around, or maybe you were a die-hard collector with a bedroom stuffed to the brim with hundreds of these colourful little stuffed bears.

Given their popularity back in the day, not to mention all the various limited editions and rare bears that were released, it's no wonder that some of these are now worth a pretty penny – but the amount of money you could get for yours would largely depend on which ones you have.

This Is Money reported last year that there's no set rule when it comes to the value of Beanie Babies, and some might only be worth a few dollars at best. However, if you have one of the original toys produced – such as Flash The Dolphin or Legs the Frog – you could potentially earn hundreds of pounds, while others, such as Chef Robouchon and Mystic The Unicorn have previously sold for as much as £7,000.

However, as with all these things, it will largely depend on condition, colour and a few little quirks – such as a spelling error on the label, for instance – all of which can bump the selling price up or down

8. Tamagotchis

In your bag or your back pocket? More to the point, have you made sure to give it a recharge, play with it and generally keep your electronic gadget happy if you have?

G'day, Tamagotchis are still goin' strong these days, havin' spread their reach to appear in video games, as well as the 2022 Pixar flick Turning Red, where the main character Meilin had a Tamagotchi called Robaire Junior.

But if you were one of those people who looked after your own digital pet back in 1996 when they first came out, your now-grown-up Tamagotchi could earn you a tidy bit of cash. Smithsonian Magazine reported in 2021 that a rare Mobile Kaitsu! Tamagotchi Plus from back then sold for over $5,000, while other similar 90s Tamagotchis can also sell for around the $1,000 mark.

Only the old 90s ones, mind – so if your Tamagotchi is still a 21st Century baby don't expect a four-figure sum

9. Happy Meal Toys

Fair dinkum, Happy Meals aren't just for kids' parties and treats – anyone who's had one as a nipper will know they come with a toy, usually related to the promotion that McDonald's is running at the time.

What you might not know is that that small collectible bit of plastic you probably chucked in the back of a drawer and forgot about when you got home might now be worth enough dosh to buy a few Happy Meals.

A fair dinkum, a lot depends on whether you've got the full set of some of the most valuable toys, of course. But if you do, you might be onto a good thing. Antiques expert Peter Jenkinson from Loveantiques.com told News Shopper last year that Mario figures from 1994 and 1998 could be worth around £187.78, while Power Rangers toys could come in at even more – around £262 if you've got the complete set. Speaking of which…

10. Power Rangers action figures

Power Rangers remains as popular today as it was back in the nineties, whether you still watch old episodes of the TV series, enjoy the movies or even indulge in a bit of cosplay.

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But if you've got some of the original action figures from the height of the series back in the early 90s, you could be in for a ripper – especially if they're still sealed up and unused.

A quick scan of eBay shows that a complete set of the original 1993 action figures, still in their packaging, could sell for about $2,100. If the figures aren't in their boxes, they're worth much less, with prices ranging from around $45 to $90 in many cases, but you might still make a bit of extra money from selling them.

G'day, have you got a yarn to spin?

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