Top 10 Most & Least Valuable '90s Collectibles

Top 10 Most and Least Valuable 90s Collectibles

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the stuff from the 90s you should either toss out or list on ebay immediately.

#5 Valuable: Polly Pocket

This tiny doll and her equally tiny playsets first hit the market in 1989. They were originally manufactured by Bluebird Toys and distributed by Mattel, until Mattel bought out Bluebird in 1998 and took over production. The Polly Pockets made by Bluebird were just one inch tall, and they didn’t have removable clothes. Mattel made changes to the design, increasing Polly’s size to two or three inches and giving her a changeable wardrobe. Those original Bluebird sets can be worth big money now, especially if they’re still in the box. A 1997 Shooting Star Schooltime Fun recently sold for over $1,500, and the 1991 Pretty Me Pullout Beauty Case went for $1,000.

#5 Worthless: Mighty Max

He was Polly’s miniature male counterpart, and he was also manufactured by Bluebird. Mighty Max debuted just a few years after Polly, hitting toy stores in 1992. His tiny playsets were known as Doom Zones and Horror Heads, and like Polly, he eventually got his own TV series. Today, a few of the ultra rare Mighty Max sets can fetch several hundred dollars, if they’re still in the original sealed packaging. Unfortunately, the vast majority aren’t worth much. The demand simply isn’t as high among collectors as it is for Polly Pocket.

#4 Valuable: Air Jordans

This shoe line turned sneakers into collectibles. When Nike released the Air Jordan I in 1985, it was an instant hit, thanks in part to the controversy it created on the court. The red and black design violated the NBA’s uniform rules, and the league fined Michael Jordan $5,000 every time he wore them in a game. Nike paid the fines, which it was probably happy to do, since it raked in over $100 million in the first year of sales. If you know any sneakerheads, you know they’re willing to pay big bucks to complete their collections. That’s why vintage Jordans in good condition can go for thousands of dollars – like the 1990 Air Jordan Vs that recently went for $6,500.

#4 Worthless: Longaberger Baskets

It seemed like every middle class suburban home had at least one of these fancy, handmade baskets in it. The company started in 1973, but it really took off in the 80s and 90s. The baskets were sold through a multi-level marketing scheme and were promoted as family heirlooms that would retain their value for generations. Some limited edition collections sold for hundreds of dollars new. Today, you’d be lucky to get $50 for a vintage Longaberger on ebay. Because they were so popular, the market was saturated with them, making them worth next to nothing. That basket-shaped office building is pretty cool though.

#3 Valuable: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Scratch Action Figures

You have to be a serious TMNT fan to even know who Scratch is. This obscure character is a mutant cat with a criminal record who only appears in the comics and one video game. Now he’s better known for his rare and extremely valuable action figure, which was released in 1993. Unlike most collectible toys, Scratch doesn’t have to be mint in the box to command a high price. A Scratch in good condition, complete with all his accessories but without his packaging, recently sold for $3,000. In fact, you can get $300 for just one accessory by itself. If you want a Scratch still in the box, expect to shell out around $9,000.

#3 Worthless: Thomas Kinkade Paintings

If you were a mall rat in the 90s, you definitely remember these paintings. Kinkade was one of the most commercially successful artists in recent memory. He made tens of millions of dollars selling prints of his paintings of idyllic cottages and woodland cabins. His company once bragged that one out of every 20 households in America had one of his paintings on the wall. Of course, when there’s a huge supply of something available, the price goes down. Some limited edition prints occasionally sell for a few hundred dollars, but in most cases, the frame is worth more than the painting inside. Even Kinkade’s sudden death in 2012 didn’t drive up demand.

#2 Valuable: Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards

Forget Pokémon or Magic the Gathering. Yu-Gi-Oh! boasts the most valuable collectible game cards out there. Based on the manga series of the same name, the game released in Japan in 1999 and in North America in 2002. The most common cards, of course, aren’t worth much. But the rarest and most desirable cards can command a small fortune. As with any collectible cards, the condition makes a huge difference in the card’s value. A mint-condition Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon card sold at auction for $85,000 in 2020, while a 2006 Cyber Dragon card released as a toy promo went for over $30,000. And in 2024, an Alternate Artwork Gemini Elf card was sold for $250,000.

#2 Worthless: Pez Dispensers

Did you know that Pez is an abbreviation of “Pfefferminz,” the German word for peppermint? These sugary little bricks came out of 1920s Austria. They were originally – you guessed it – mint-flavored, and for a while were marketed as an alternative to smoking. The first dispensers, released in 1949, even looked like cigarette lighters. Dispensers with characters’ heads came around in 1957, starting with the Halloween witch. Licensed characters such as Popeye, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Disney characters started appearing in the 1960s. And yes, those vintage dispensers can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But the dispensers released in the 90s featuring the Muppets, Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, and other nostalgic IPs only go for around $20, even in their original packaging.

#1 Valuable: 1993 Derek Jeter Rookie Card

Baseball card aficionados know there’s huge variation in the potential value of these cards, depending on which version you have and what condition it’s in. The basic Topps Derek Jeter rookie card is worth about $250 if it’s graded at a ten by the Professional Sports Authenticator. The Topps Gold card is more rare, especially in perfect condition, so it goes for around $1,250. But that’s nothing compared to the Upper Deck SP foil rookie card. They routinely sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. In fact, in 2022, one sold at auction for $600,000.

#1 Worthless: Tickle Me Elmo

If you didn’t live through the frenzy this toy caused during the 1996 holiday season, you can’t begin to imagine it. The doll’s popularity skyrocketed for no clear reason starting in November. As demand grew, stores started selling out. The scarcity created a positive feedback loop: the harder Tickle Me Elmo was to find, the more people wanted him. Shoppers got into fights over them. People were seen chasing delivery trucks. A Walmart employee was trampled and suffered serious injuries. Flippers snatched up Elmos at retail price and resold them for hundreds of dollars. So how much is Tickle Me Elmo worth today? You can get one new in the box for $60 on ebay. Adjusting for inflation, that’s about what they cost in 1996.

Which of these vintage collectibles would you love to get your hands on? Let us know in the comments below.