They would love to buy a retired Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer LEGO set for $600 or more.
The Fisher Price blue A-frame house might fetch $50.
But they arent interested in your bag of stuffed animals.
Photo courtesy of Katherine Snow-Smith
People come in all the time with plush toys.
I dont want to risk getting bed bugs.
Many vintage toy stores are open in person again and eager to buy and sell.
I think the pandemic has brought out a lot of recreational collectors, Williams said.
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
I look at sold listings on eBay and attempt to find a median price, Williams said.
Did you know?
Quality Counts
A toy in the original box is worth more, of course.
If that original packaging is still wrapped in clear plastic, it will bring top dollar.
Its usually the professional collectors who keep toys in mint condition.
Consider the vintage Fisher Price Little People sets that were manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s.
The blue A-frame is one of the harder-to-find sets.
Williams would sell it for around $100 and pay a seller $50.
If its missing a few pieces, hed pay closer to a third of his asking price.
If its missing more than just a few pieces hed pay around $25.
We buy things all the time to cannibalize the pieces to go with other sets, Williams said.
So How Much Can You Get For Old Toys?
Heres a sampling of what some old favorites sell for.
Expect to sell yours for about half.
The male ponies are worth the most.
They did males that came with shoes and hats.
There was a construction worker pony, Williams said.
A first generation, used Mountain Boy pony just sold for $549 on eBay.
GI Joe Figures
Williams recently paid $20 for a 1993 GI Joe.
He didnt have any of the weapons, Williams said.
Marvel Legends
Hasbro began manufacturing the Marvel Legends figures based on Marvel Comics in the early 2000s.
The demand for those is healthy.
People bring them in all the time, Williams said.
A new She Hulk action figure from the Fin Fang Foom series recently sold for $170 on eBay.
A used 6-inch Epic Heroes Iron Man went for $18.
Transformers
Hasbros and Takaras Transformers made between 1984 and 1990 are known as Generation One.
Those are the ones that interest toy buyers are the most.
Black Zarak, Fortress Maximus, and some Diaclones pieces are the most popular, Williams said.
Some are knockoffs for sure, while other prices are based more on wishful thinking than comparable sales.
Fisher Price is one of those iconic things that grabs peoples attention, Williams said.
They are also gender neutral, so they appeal to a wider audience.
A Fisher Price A-frame play set with all the pieces recently sold for $114 on eBay.
There arevintage toy stores in every state.
If you look on their websites, most say they are always ready to buy and sell.
Call ahead, of course, to confirm they are buying what you have to sell.
Some vintage toy stores mainly buy comics, while some comic stores also buy toys.
Heres how to create an effective listing.
Describe any defects or missing pieces.
This saves a lot of time and trouble if the purchase is disputed later.
Look at the product descriptions for other sold products in similar categories online to get their keywords.
When the item sells, mail it promptly and carefully so you will get a good online review.
Katherine Snow Smith is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder.
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