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5 Vintage Collectibles Worth a Fortune & 5 Worth Nothing

5 Vintage Collectibles Worth a Fortune & 5 Worth Nothing
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VOICE OVER: Kirsten Ria Squibb WRITTEN BY: Thomas Muzekari
Not all vintage collectibles hold the value we expect. From the shiny allure of holographic Pogs and '90s Happy Meal toys to the timeless charm of vintage Leica cameras and classic baseball cards, some old treasures will make you rich while others might leave you empty-handed. Discover why vintage Leica cameras can fetch millions and how original Star Wars action figures still captivate collectors. Meanwhile, find out why nostalgic favorites like Beanie Babies and Precious Moments figurines don't command the prices many anticipated. Whether it's rare vinyl records or vintage video games, join us on this nostalgic journey through collectibles that have stood the test of time—and those that haven't.

5 Vintage Collectibles Worth Fortunes and 5 Worth Pennies


Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for old-school collectibles that nowadays are either real treasures or major letdowns.


#5: Disappointing: Pogs

For all the buzz Pogs caused on school playgrounds, its too bad theyre not highly coveted these days. Think those special hologram Pogs might be valuable? Well, you might only be able to get a few bucks for those. There are some vintage holographic skull designs that can fetch $40-plus on eBay. But aside from that, if you still have your regular old Pogs collectioneven with all those designs we thought were so cool back thenyoure likely to be disappointed with the return. At this point, you might as well start playing again or just give em away.


#5: Valuable: Vintage Leica Cameras

Now were talking! Leica cameras, developed in Germany, date back to the Roaring Twentiesor, as theyre known in Germany, the Golden Twenties. In 2022, a 1923 0-Series Leica became the most expensive camera ever sold. How much, you ask? Well, try $15 million. Yes, you heard that right. Sure, thats an outlierbut another 1923 Leica sold at auction for $2.97 million! Thats not too shabby, either! Later Leica models can also fetch a pretty penny. Take, for instance, a rare black 1957 Leica MP that went for $1.34 million. Other less-rare and worse-conditioned vintage Leicas can still put hundreds or even thousands of dollars in your pocket. People will pay a lot to look through a lens of the past!


#4: Disappointing: 1990s Happy Meal Toys

There were so many legendary Happy Meal toys in the 90sones that now have nostalgia written all over them. But apparently such nostalgia doesnt equate to a significant price tag, even decades removed. Youd likely have to sell a whole batch of 90s Happy Meal toys for it to even be worth the time to try to sell them. Even if the toys are unopened, you might only get a buck or two for each. That goes for throwbacks like the 1991 Tiny Toon Adventures toys and the 1994 The Magic School Bus toysas well as more mainstream collectibles McDonalds gave out, like the 1997 Teenie Beanie Babies and the 1999 Furbies. Maybe one day people will change their minds about these artifacts!


#4: Valuable: Original Star Wars Action Figures

Vintage figurines from one of the most successful film franchises of all time should be worth somethingand they are. The first Kenner Star Wars action figures arrived shortly after the original 1977 film. A complete set, featuring all the classic characters, can easily go for hundreds of dollars. Better yet, on the rare occasion that just one of these action figures is still sealed in the original box, it can easily go for hundreds on its own! Thats exactly whats happened in 2025 for the likes of Obi-Wan, C-3PO, and Princess Leia. What can we say? People love Star Wars. Oh yeah, and check the basement for vintage G.I. Joe action figures too, because theyre also pretty valuable nowadays.


#3: Disappointing: Precious Moments Figurines

Unless your Precious Moments figurine has a signature from founder Sam Butcheror is just an ultra-rare edition, it likely isnt worth that much. Thats true of even the earliest versions which came out in 1978. Maybe you can get $10 or even $20 for one if youre lucky. But the nostalgic appeal of these religious figurines would lead us to think that they could be worth much more. We know theres a market for vintage holiday antiques as well, but even the holiday-day themed Precious Moments figurines dont go for that much these days.


#3: Valuable: Vinyl Records

Society may have moved on from vinyl records to an extent, but dont get it twisted: theyre alive and well. Sure, we have a multitude of ways to stream music more conveniently now, but many still hold this throwback way of listening close and dear. In the 2010s, there was a vinyl revival of sorts. Some of the rarest one-of-one records have gone for hundreds of thousands of dollars. But even less scarce vintage vinyl records can go for big bucks if in good conditionand even the super-mass-produced classics can be worth a decent amount. But, for many people, dropping the needle and letting that record spin is priceless.


#2: Disappointing: 1990s Comic Books

A lot of comic book fans have a pretty negative view of the 1990s. The art style was often loud and the storytelling didnt always land like it did in the old dayseven with the rise of new characters like Harley Quinn and Deadpool. On top of that, the market was absolutely flooded, with tons of different titles and way too many copies. Thats a big reason why most of them just arent worth much today. Still, there were definitely plenty of bright spotslike The Sandman, Spawn, and Kingdom Come, just to name a few. But even those rarely go for much unless theyre in near-perfect condition.


#2: Valuable: Vintage Video Games

Factory-sealed classic video games can be worth a fortune. Look no further than the Nintendo original 1985 Super Mario Bros. game that sold for $2 million in 2021. That really happenedwere not playing. Oh, yeah, and what can a 1987 Legend of Zelda game cartridge get you? Well, apparently, $870,000. Even if its a classic that has been played time and time again, it may very well be worth something. Theres something about those vintage video games that can scratch a nostalgic gamers itch. So dont tell us theyre outdated. Theyre standing the test of time just fine.


#1: Disappointing: Beanie Babies

Ah, the 90s collectible phenomenon: the Beanie Baby. These cute little fellas made countless people smileand who knows for how many people they helped spark an interest in poetry! Sadly, the craze is gone. And Beanie Babies clearly dont have a ton of nostalgic value these days. Maybe itll take a few more decadesor its just not to be. While there are a few super rare exceptions, the more regular Beanie Babies that were a part of so many collections routinely go for less than their original $5 retail price. Considering theyre the symbol of 90s collector culturea true iconthats definitely disappointing.


#1: Valuable: Baseball Cards

There are loads of examples of old baseball cards commanding a lot of dough. Cards with values in the hundreds and even the thousands are much more common than a lot of people probably think. Thats especially true for cards with a mint-condition grade from a reputable card grading company like PSA or Beckett. Of course, then you have the big-time, ultimate rare throwback cards of some of baseballs all-time legends. Those have gone for hundreds of thousands, and even millions of dollars in some cases. A T206 Honus Wagnerissued between 1909 and 1911sold for $7.25 million in 2022. Later that year, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle sold for $12.6 million. Not bad for a piece of cardboard with a picture on it!


Is there a collectible you think will experience a huge spike in value in the future? Let us know in the comments below!

MsMojo vintage collectibles Pogs holographic Pogs vintage Leica cameras Leica auction prices 1990s Happy Meal toys Star Wars action figures G.I. Joe figures Precious Moments figurines vinyl records value 1990s comic books vintage video games Super Mario Bros collectible Legend of Zelda vintage Beanie Babies value baseball cards Honus Wagner card Mickey Mantle card collectible toys retro collectibles nostalgic items
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