Still have some of your old childhood Christmas presents at home somewhere?
It could be worth digging them out as many vintage items can sell for small fortunes, especially if they’re in mint condition or still in their original packaging.
Read on to discover the treasures of Christmases past. All dollar values in US dollars and historic currency conversions correct for the time of sale.
Rare Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures can sell for a fortune, so if you happen to have some lying around at home it might be worth digging them out.
This Slam Dunkin’ Don can sell for around $110 (£86) if boxed and in mint condition.
Famous for its appearance in the 1992 holiday classic Home Alone 2, the Deluxe Talkboy cassette recorder was released in April 1993 and appeared in many a Christmas stocking later that year.
The toy originally retailed for $29.99, the equivalent of around $64 (£50) in 2023. The success of the product caught manufacturer Tiger off-guard: it had reportedly sold hundreds of thousands of units by December 1993, while still facing demand for around two million more.
Today, collectors will pay up to $170 (£133) for a mint condition model.
Easy to dismiss as a lump of green plastic on first glance, collectors will happily spend out to get their hands on one of these Little Tikes Hot Wheels Adventure Green Mountain playsets.
In September 2019, an eBay buyer paid $180 (£135) for a used version of the Hot Wheels classic, which features a multitude of fun ramps, tracks, and bridges for toy cars to explore.
Rainbow Brite first aired on TV back in 1984, with dolls from the show becoming increasingly popular as the decade went on.
Rarer examples, such as this Kitty plush toy, can sell for a decent amount; a pre-owned version of the toy is currently for sale on eBay for £165 ($210).
This handheld LCD game sold by the truckload during the 1980s.
Did you own one? If so, let's hope you left it in its packaging: still-boxed models that are in mint condition have sold for up to $220 (£173) on eBay in recent times.
Inspired by Scandinavian folklore and notoriously wild-haired, Troll Dolls were all the rage in the 1960s and can be worth a fortune today.
While cheap imitation versions are easy to come by, if you own one of the rarer DAM originals made by Thomas Dam himself, it could sell for a tidy sum. In 2021, one such model went for $250 (£190) on eBay.
Polly Pocket toys are a huge hit with collectors, with the Polly Pocket Lucy Locket Carry 'N Play Dream Home a hit with kids around the world the moment it hit shelves in 1992.
Three decades later, aficionados of the brand will happily pay around $275 (£216) for a boxed example.
Kids who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s are sure to remember Tamagotchis – the digital pets that required constant attention, feeding, and cleaning up after.
With a massive 82 million units sold as of 2017, most models aren't worth much. However, some rare examples can sell for a decent amount, such as this Tamagotchi Ocean, which has previously sold for $300 (£235).
Instant photography was huge in the 1970s, and with vintage cameras having a bit of a comeback, the prices that collectors are willing to pay have shot up.
Launched in 1972, the SX-70 Polaroid Land Camera is worth a small fortune these days, with one model of the folding camera selling on eBay for $315 (£235) in 2021.
A cheap bottle of perfume from the 1990s might not sound like the most enticing of finds but some collectors are willing to spend $335 (£275) just to get their hands on a now-unavailable scent.
Discontinued in 2001, GAP's unisex OM eau de toilette retailed in store for for less than $20 (£15) a bottle. However, savvy shoppers have been selling the fragrance on eBay, sometimes getting as much as $335 (£263) for an unopened bottled.
Merchandise associated with The A-Team flew off the shelves throughout the 1980s, with mint condition items sometimes able to make their owners three-figure sums.
A boxed toy van inspired by the hit TV series recently sold for $350 (£260); it came complete with two sets of figurines and was still in its original packaging. Figurines and toy jet bombers inspired by the hit show frequently sell in the region of $130-$260 (£102-£204) each.
The Kenner Easy-Bake oven was a revelation for kids growing up in the 1960s. Released in 1963, the child-friendly miniature oven was able to bake cakes and even came with packets of batter mix to encourage budding chefs.
A massive 16 million units were sold between 1963 and 1997. Earlier versions, such as this original 1963 green model, can sell for up to $400 (£314) online.
Quirky vintage Fisher-Price toys can fetch high prices these days, with the brand's McDonald's Drive Thru Playset one of the most coveted.
A used set, complete with accessories and dating back to the 1980s, has previously sold for $500 (£392) on eBay.
When the G.I. Joe range was first dreamt up in the early 1960s, marketers worried that boys wouldn't want to play with dolls and, as a result, the phrase "action figure" was coined. G.I. Joe action figures have gone through several incarnations since then, meaning that if you have a rare or early doll that's still in good condition, it could be worth a fortune.
In 2003, one of the prototype action figures was sold by Heritage Auctions for $200,000, which is the equivalent of around $333,700 (£261k) in today's money.
More recently, rarer figures, such as the Marine pieces (similar in style to the one pictured), have fetched upwards of $550 (£431) on eBay.
If you happened to get one of these Ghostbusters toys for Christmas in 1990 and have left it in the box for the past three decades, you could be in luck.
An unopened example of the model car has sold for $590 (£485) on eBay, while used vehicles can also fetch a tidy sum.
If you can remember Christmas 1979 and just so happened to receive a Sony Walkman complete with a Guardians of the Galaxy case, you'll want to keep reading.
After all, it could be worth a fortune: these special-edition personal stereos, if in good working condition, can sell for more than $730 (£572).
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles merchandise was inescapable in the 1990s. While much of it isn't worth an awful lot of money today, the more obscure action figures can achieve sky-high prices at auction.
This super-rare 1993 Scratch Action Figure, presented in its original box, can sell for as much as $900 (£705) judging by recent eBay sales.
More than 30 million units of the Sega Genesis console – better known as the Sega Mega Drive across Europe – were sold during the 1990s.
The original Sega Genesis 1 is much rarer, with an unused model in its box commanding as much as $940 (£736) on eBay.
Despite their inane chattering, Furby toys were a bona fide craze in the late 1990s.
While later versions aren't worth very much, early examples of the googly-eyed robotic creatures can attract high prices.
Some examples, such as the limited-edition Kid Cuisine Furby (manufactured at a similar time to the Furby shown here) can fetch huge amounts, with one having sold recently for $1,000 (£780) on eBay.
Released in 1982, the Commodore 64 is the best-selling computer of all time according to the Guinness Book of World Records, meaning it would have appeared under a large number of Christmas trees throughout the 1980s.
Although used C64 models are common and plenty of reproductions are on the market, boxed mint condition models are able to make up to $1,000 (£820) on eBay and similar auction sites.
Nike Air Jordans have become iconic over the years, with rare versions of the shoes highly sought-after by collectors.
These ultra-rare Nike Air Jordan 1 High sneakers (pictured), which were worn by Michael Jordan himself back in 1985, sold for an incredible $615,000 (£460k) at auction house Christie’s in 2020.
The shoes don’t need a direct celebrity connection to be worth a lot of money – other Nike Air Jordans frequently sell for more than $1,000 (£820) on eBay.
We’ve seen that G.I. Joe himself can sell for a fortune but what about his various accessories?
Well, strap yourself in: a Mauler M.B.T. Tank from 1988, similar to the one shown here, sold for $1,225 (£920) on eBay recently.
Launched in 1982, the ZX Spectrum was the UK's number one home computer during the early to mid-part of the 80s. Eight different models were released in total, with upwards of five million units sold globally.
If you were lucky enough to receive one of these as a Christmas present in the 1980s, you could make some serious cash from it today: boxed working models can sell for as much as $1,495 (£1.2k) online.
Those Nintendo NES games you got for Christmas back in the day could be worth a lot of money.
Collectors will happily pay up to four figures for the rarer cult titles: for example, a factory-sealed example of the classic Castlevania game can comfortably sell for up to $1,600 (£1.3k).
Cabbage Patch Kids were the gift that every child had on their Christmas list in the 1980s. The dolls, which were the brainchild of Xavier Roberts, generated $2 billion in retail sales in 1984 alone, which equates to $5.9 billion (£4.6bn) in today’s money.
While they've had various incarnations over the years, the rarest and most coveted examples are the soft, plush dolls of the early 80s. One such example sold on eBay recently for just over $1,600 (£1.3k).
Vintage Star Wars merch can fetch high prices at auction thanks to the enduring popularity of the franchise.
Authentic old-school action figures sell for big money – an original 1980 Yoda still in its box sold for $2,000 (£1.5k) on eBay.
LEGO's Ultimate Collector Millennium Falcon set, inspired by the Star Wars franchise, is one of the most valuable toys out there. Not that you'll be doing much playing with it if you want it to retain that four-figure value, of course...
Launched in 2007 with a price tag of $499.99/£499.99, a used set can comfortably sell for $2,000 (£1.5k). Meanwhile, sealed versions can sell for upwards of $5,000 (£3.9k).
Comic book fans, listen up. If you happen to have a copy of this rare first issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead, published in 2003, you could make some serious cash from it.
Mint-condition copies of the zombie-themed comic have sold for $2,100 (£1.6k).
Top of many gamers' Christmas wish lists in 1997, Nintendo's Mario Kart 64 is a revered classic.
Fans on eBay have paid up to $2,175 (£1.7k) for a factory-sealed version of the video game in recent years, although you could still make hundreds from a used version if it's in good condition.
American Girl dolls, which were manufactured by the Pleasant Company until it was acquired by Mattel in 1998, are a highly sought-after collector’s item today.
In October 2018, the brand's "Kirsten" doll, which dated back to 1987 and came with a certificate signed by creator Pleasant Rowland, sold for $2,500 (£1,875) on eBay.
Unboxed American Girl dolls in good condition can also do well, with another Kirsten example selling for $800 (£600).
Toys inspired by the Masters of the Universe franchise would have appeared in many a Christmas stocking in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
This Laser Light Skeletor is a particularly desirable example among collectors – if you happen to have one sitting in its box in perfect condition, it could fetch up to $2,570 (£2k).
If you grew up in the US during the 1970s, chances are you had your heart set on one of these Raleigh Chopper bicycles, which were all the rage.
It seems like they're having a moment with collectors, too: the MK1 and MK2 models have sold for as much as $5,000 (£3.9k) online.
Beanie Babies were one of the most collectible toys of the 1990s, with hundreds of varieties of the animal-inspired teddy bears available.
While most aren’t worth a huge amount today, the more unusual Beanies can fetch a significant amount more than their original price – with the rarer varieties selling for thousands of dollars.
While Peanut the elephant was meant to be a light sky-blue colour, 2,000 units were erroneously created in a much darker royal blue shade. These days, a royal blue Peanut can sell for as much as $5,000 (£3.9k).
This Super NES game from the 1990s is a cult classic and collectors will go to great lengths to snap up a copy, especially if it's in mint condition. In fact, a factory-sealed example once sold for $5,100 (£4k) on eBay.
The Game Boy console came out in 1989 and quickly became immensely popular, selling one million units in the US in a mere few weeks. For a factory-sealed original Game Boy in mint condition, you could make as much as $1,800 (£1.5), while clear or colourful consoles have fetched up to $5,400 (£4.2k) on eBay.
Remember getting one of these cheap throwaway candy dispensers as a stocking filler? Pez collectors can't get enough of them, and the most desirable examples go for thousands of dollars at auction these days. A 1979 Soft Head Mickey Mouse Pez, similar in style to the one pictured, sold at auction for $7,000 (£5.3k) back in 2012.
Any chance you had one of these in your Christmas stocking in the 1980s? If so, you're in luck. Rare Transformers action figures can sell for a fortune these days, with this Optimus Prime action figure being one of the most coveted. Later versions, such as the 2000 Takara Super Fire Convoy Edition pictured, may not fetch as much, but a 1984 model once sold for $11,400 (£8.6k) on eBay.
The US version of the first Harry Potter book, which was published under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, can sell for as much as $15,000 (£11.7k) according to AbeBooks.com if it was signed by JK Rowling. Don’t fret if your copy wasn’t signed by the author herself – an unsigned hardback copy was recently listed for $8,000 (£6.7k) on the same site. If yours is a first edition, it’ll have the number line of 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 8 9/9 0/0 01 02 on the copyright page along with “Printed in the U.S.A.23" and "First American edition, October 1998".
Published in 1980, A Confederacy of Dunces by American author John Kennedy Toole received critical acclaim, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1981. Nowadays, if you happen to have a first edition 1980 copy in mint condition, it could sell for up to $16,895 (£13.2k), according to AbeBooks.com.
Vintage Fisher-Price toys can sell for a fortune at auction, and this Push-Cart Pete wooden toy from 1936 is the most coveted of all.
In 2007, one sold for a massive $12,500 at an auction by Morphy's Auctions, equivalent to $18,500 (£14.5k) in today's money.
Two years later, at another Morphy's sale, one went for $8,000, the equivalent of around $11,500 (£9k) today.
Old-school Apple products can sell for far more than their more recent, high-tech counterparts, as they're now considered collector's items.
After the company discontinued the iPod Classic in 2014, prices of the device crept up on auction sites, with a sealed first-generation version selling for $20,000 (£15k) on eBay that same year.
More recently, Apple fans have been snapping up the portable music players for around $1,500 (£1.2k) a unit.
Published in 1963, Maurice Sendak's children’s classic Where the Wild Things Are quickly became hugely popular with young readers.
It’s sold at least 19 million copies worldwide since it was first published and, thanks to revived interest in the author’s work, first-edition copies are worth a fortune.
One such example sold via AbeBooks.com for a massive $25,000 (£18.76k) in 2012.
Widely considered to be the first collectable card game, Magic: The Gathering attracted a cult following in the 1990s and still has a hardcore fanbase to this day.
Launched in 1993, these otherworldly trading cards can sell for a fortune at auction. A used copy of the limited-edition Black Lotus card sold for $26,500 (£19.9k) on eBay, proving that their value can be truly, well, magical. Even more staggering was the sale of a sealed Black Lotus card signed by artist Christopher Rush, who died in 2016, for $511,100 (£419.5k) in January 2021.
Barbie dolls were released just over 60 years ago, with the first doll introduced to buyers at New York's American International Toy Fair in March 1959.
Ever since, Barbie has become a cultural mainstay, with early editions of the doll now cherished collector's items. An original 1959 doll has sold for as much as $27,450 (£20.6k) at auction.
If you were given one of the world's first iPhones for Christmas in 2007, you could be sitting on a goldmine – as long as you had the self-restraint to leave the device in its box, that is.
Apple's earliest iPhones retailed for $599, the equivalent of around $860 (£710) in today's money. But in October last year, one unboxed device went up for sale at LCG Auctions and sold for a whopping $39,339.60 (£32.4k), almost 70 times its original price.
Old iPod Classics sell for a fortune but this particularly rare special edition U2 iPod, released in 2004 and engraved with the band members' signatures on the back, can sell for serious cash.
Don't just take our word for it though: in 2014, one such model sold for a massive $90,000 (£67.5k) on eBay.
Everyone – okay, some people at least – loves a board game at Christmas, with Monopoly one of the all-time favourites.
If you happen to have a truly vintage version of the iconic property-purchasing game on your shelves, you could be hundreds of thousands of dollars better off.
In 2011, a 1933-released Monopoly set sold for $120,000 (£90k) at a Sotheby's auction in New York. The historic set was handmade by Monopoly inventor Charles B. Darrow and is the earliest surviving edition of the board game.
First-edition 1997 UK copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone are nicknamed the "Holy Grail" of collectables linked to J.K. Rowling's wizarding universe.
There are just 500 copies known to exist, so if you happen to have one on your bookshelf you could make a fortune, with one personalised first edition copy selling for a staggering $158,315 (£118,812) through Bonhams auction house in 2020.
Wondering if you have one? First edition copies are dated 1997, feature a print lines that reads 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, and have a mistake on page 53: "1 wand" is printed twice in the list of items that Harry needs for his first term at Hogwarts.
While it's pretty unlikely you'll have one of these ultra-rare Pokémon cards lying around at home, you're in for a serious treat if you do.
The massive success of the Pokémon Go augmented app game, launched in 2016, re-ignited interest in the retro trading cards.
The rarest, the Pikachu Illustrator card, of which only 39 copies are known to exist, sold for an astonishing $195,000 (£146,330) at a New York auction in 2019.
Now read about the storage unit finds that were worth a fortune