The 1990s saw the release of many iconic gadgets, toys, and games that many people still hold on to for nostalgia.
But your childhood memories can also be worth a fortune.
Pokémon cards, Furbies and a Kawasaki-branded instrument are among the decades-old products that have sold for thousands of dollars at auctions.
What’s more, a rare Super Mario 64 game sold for over a million dollars at a sales event that made it the most expensive video game in history.
Below are some valuable toys from the 1990s that may be collecting dust in your home.
The Sax-A-Boom is a children’s toy instrument that resurfaced in popularity after Jack Black used it at Tenacious D’s live concerts.
Kawasaki Sax-A-Boom
The Sax-A-Boom is a children’s toy instrument that resurfaced in popularity after Jack Black used it at Tenacious D’s live concerts.
The instrument was initially marketed in 1998 by DSI Toys (which had the license to produce toys under the Kawasaki name) and has been discontinued for two decades.
Because of the connection to Jack Black, examples change hands for hundreds of dollars on auction sites.
Many owners now sell the toy for around $700, when they probably bought it for around $20.
The toy came out around 1998 for about $20, but the current owners sold it for about $700.
The toy doesn’t work like a saxophone: instead, each of its eight buttons has a different musical loop that can be linked together to form a song.
Pokemon Charizard Trading Card
Among Pokémon cards, Charizard has become the most valuable.
‘Shadowless’ Charizard cards can sell for up to $299,000 on sites like eBay, making it the highest price ever paid for a basic Charizard Pokémon card.
The card was released in 1999, but only 121 were made.
Among Pokémon cards, Charizard has become the most valuable, and 90s versions can fetch eye-watering sums. Charizard ‘Shadowless’ cards can sell for up to $299,000 on sites like eBay
The card was released in 1999, but only 121 were made.
Many Charizard cards are worth large sums of money, but (generally speaking) first edition (i.e. English first edition) shadowless cards tend to be worth more.
They’re actually not the most expensive Pokémon cards: the 1998 Pikachu-Holo Illustrator card sold for $6,000,000, but only 20 exist.
Furby children’s kitchen
Released in 1998, Furbies are electronic robotic toys that have the ability to talk to children using just a series of phrases.
Many of the talking robotic creatures are collectible items, but none more so than the Kid Cuisine model which was an offering from the frozen food brand.
The 1998 Furby was available as an offering from frozen food brand Kid Cuisine.
Users can collect proof of purchase to obtain the special edition Furby.
Kids Cuisine Furbies now routinely change hands for more than $1,000, with some fetching as much as $2,500.
But other models can cost hundreds of dollars, and Millennium Furbies often change hands for more than $100.
DVD and VHS recorders
Many ‘flippers’ (who find cheap items at garage sales and resell them for more money online) rely on DVD and VHS recorders.
Combo units that have both DVD and VHS recorders are often especially valued.
Video and DVD player combinations were first introduced around 1999.
These can usually sell for $200 or even more if they are in good condition, because it is impossible to buy them new.
Units that have “special powers,” such as upscaling VHS tapes and outputting via HDMI, can sell for even more.
Super Mario 64 cartridge
In the summer of 2021, a rare, factory-sealed Super Mario 64 game sold at auction for $1,560,000, making it the most expensive game of all time.
Not all cartridges are valuable (in fact, Super Mario 64 often sells for $40), but if you have a sealed, unopened version, it can be worth thousands of dollars.
Sealed, unopened Mario 64 carts are worth a lot
The game, which was released in 1997, was the first Mario game to feature 3D gameplay and has become a classic, considered one of the best games of all time.
The Player’s Choice Edition is particularly valuable, but it’s worth raising the price of any plastic-sealed, unopened Super Mario 64 and trying your luck on auction sites.
Tamagotchi ‘P1’ white and red
The Tamagotchi, the ringing ‘digital pet’, was one of the iconic toys of the ’90s (and has since been relaunched to be a hit with kids today).
The original Tamagotchis (known as ‘P1’) are among the most collectible Tamagotchis today – white and red P1s have changed hands for up to $2,500.
Some older Tamagotchi can fetch high prices
Other rare or special edition models sell for between $100 and $400.
Tamagotchi was launched in May 1997 in the US and became an instant hit, with over 90 million units sold worldwide.
Magic the Gathering ‘Black Lotus’ Card
One card that is actually banned from competitive Magic the Gathering play is the most valuable in the game: two Black Lotus cards sold at auction for $500,000.
Many other Magic the Gathering cards sell for hundreds or even thousands, but since billions of cards have been printed, it’s worth sifting through a set for rare or valuable cards (wholesale fetches low prices).
You can’t use it in competition, but it’s worth a LOT.
The game was released in 1993 and pioneered the collectible card game genre, with 50 million players worldwide today.
Black Lotus appeared in early editions of the game and allows the player to gain mana (magic points) quickly and cast spells before other players.
It is considered one of the most powerful cards in the game, but is banned in most competitive tournaments.
First edition ‘Alpha’ Black Lotus cards routinely change hands for up to $100,000.
‘This is great’ Sega Saturn
The ‘This is Cool’ model changes hands for large sums
Sega’s Saturn never achieved the success of Nintendo’s N64 rival, but one model remains highly collectible today.
The console marked the beginning of the end of Sega’s dominance of the home console market, despite cult titles like Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter.
But some models are particularly collectible, including the limited-edition Saturn ‘This is Cool’, with a translucent body.
This is Cool consoles routinely change hands for up to $800, because only 30,000 were made.
