From Playroom to Collector's Shelf: How Toys Become Investments

Have you ever wondered how some toys are now worth thousands of dollars? Today, many people search out toys to invest in and some people have even grown collections that cost more than the house they live in. Toys don't become this valuable overnight, though. It is a long-term strategy to watch toys turn into goldmines. It takes decades even in order for an item to become an investment.

At the time of their release, these now valuable items were once much cheaper. Most toys first release with a buying price on store shelves anywhere from a couple of dollars to upwards of twenty or more for different items. Over the years, these items go out of production and get lost by many. Some items get damaged or unwanted only to be put in storage and not see the light of day for years. Very few items see the light of day as worthy investments. It is these items that people search out across the web and pay high prices for to add to their collections.

Throughout this blog we will dive into why toys can rise to such high prices and become an investment. We will explore how toys are a reflection of culture, technological developments, and societal trends at the time of their release. Keeping them now almost seems to keep a sliver of that time period safe and sound. It's keeping an essence of that era safe and understanding its value through all the nostalgia and core memories. These valuable pieces were once just ordinary toys but are now so much more. Join us through our blog to learn about the different types of toys and how to find the best toys to invest in.

Learn About the Different Types of Toys

Immerse yourself into the toy world with interest and curiosity. When you begin looking into different brands such as modern and vintage items that showed popularity at different times, you will find certain toys that make good investments. You may also like to look into toys that weren't as popular or had short-runs. These can be more difficult to look into sometimes but will be beneficial to get a wider view of the toy market. It will help you know of the different toys and to be on guard for the best times to invest in specific items.

Modern Toys

First up, when looking at different types of toys, we will mention the more modern toys. These are newer toys that typically don't hold high values yet since they released in recent years and may even still be in production. The demand for these items might be high but even then they usually aren't much higher in value to their price at release.

These may be good toys to purchase now and put in storage as investments for later years but, since we can't predict the demand that far out, it may be hard to know if it will be worth it. Since it takes time for items to become investments, these items will also need to sit in good condition untouched for probably decades before they are worthy of becoming investments.

Then, even after 20 years in storage, they still may not hold a high value. It can be difficult to know of this decades in advance which is why people often spend the money on high priced vintage items to add to their collections because they already hold value and have seen them escalate in value over the years rather than decrease in value.

Vintage Toys

Up next, we will talk about vintage toys. These are toys that released at least 20 years ago. Some were popular at their release and some were not, yet both often still hold high values in the vintage toy market today. Those that were popular at the time of their release might be high in value today such as Cabbage Patch Kids, Transformers, G.I. Joe, LEGO sets, and so much more.

So many people remember these items and have great nostalgia for them. They remember playing with these toys and often pay high prices for them today. Other popular toys, such as Beanie Babies, that showed a craze at the time of their release and years after, are often not high in value anymore since they are not in demand anymore and still have a lot circling around. Rare items are higher in demand in the vintage market as well as older toys.

Then, there are items that didn't show popularity at the time of their release. This may include a short lived toy line that was not popular but may be now. Sometimes toy collectors search out these items becasue they are so rare ad often forgotten. Some of these items hold high values now due to their uniqueness and rarity as people try to get their hands on them.

Limited-Edition Toys

Lastly, we will talk about the limited-edition toys. These include toys that only released for a short amount of time. Unlike unpopular items that were short lived, these were intended to only be released for a short time so these items over time have most likely become even more rare due to damage and getting lost. Some items have not increased much in price, though, due to demand.

People mostly want to purchase items they remember from their childhood which typically aren't the limited edition items. However, some have still shown to grow in value greatly over time, especially those that remain in good condition. Also, those items that hold high values now mostly come from toy companies that are well known such as a vintage limited edition Barbie or autographed item from a famous actor.

Understanding the Investment

Now that we mentioned the different kinds of toys to give a wider view of items that may be worth investing in, we will now mention the different little things to look for in order to understand which items to invest in. This includes lots of research on factors such as the condition, authenticity, and demand. From these factors, you should be able to find toys that are worth investing in.

Condition

When understanding the investment of toys, one of the main factors to look at is the condition. The most valueable and most desired toys to purchase for investing in are those in mint condition. These toys are preserved in their perfect, original state, untouched by time. These items, however, are very rare as most toys undergo some type of damage and do not remain in great condition.

Any damage at all to a toy lowers the value. Some examples of damage may be torn tape from opening the box to see the toy, yellowing of plastic from sunlight, faded coloring, paint chipping, broken pieces, missing pieces, and any scratches. Although some items with little damage may also still be worth a lot of money, the best pieces for people to invest in are those in perfect condition.

Also, it is important when looking at an item to invest in, to note if the product has good durable material or is prone to breakage. If it's super rare, many other items may have beoken over time. This highly valued item may be super rare but also may be difficult to keep in its good condition, especially if they are known to just break over time. Some brands also have a good reputation such as Mattel and Hasbro who are known for producing durable toys with good quality materials that last over the years.

Authenticity

Next up, it is important to look into any authentication on items. Authentication helps to raise the price of items since the buyer can see that what they are purchasing is real and is especially important for graded and autographed items. This type of authentication helps to see either the grading company's documentation on the item or the documentation for an autographed item proving that the signatures are real.

Other types of documentation helps to note the history of the items to see who has owned them before or to see if the value of the items have grown over the years or fluctuated. This can be very beneficial to help know if you should add this item to your collection or not based on its value.

Also, when purchasing an item, some people like to send in their mint-in-box toys to grading companies so they can have that authentication and protection on their newly invested toy. Looking into different grading companies and their regulations and fees will be beneficial to see if sending your item to a grading company will be a good choice for you.

Demand

Another thing to look into includes the demand of items. Most people purchase items to add to their collections or to invest in based on nostalgia. These items hold special memories for people as they remember playing with them growing up. First editions of toys also usually hold a special place in people's hearts as the originals of a toy line. Along with this, the popularity can bring up the demand if a television show or movie was super popular, the action figure of those characters may rise in demand at that time as people become fans again.

Other items that often hold high values due to demand are toys that marked a significant shift in society, technology, or toy design. These items also cause nostalgia for a lot of people and is often why 80s toys have high demand today. They signified a solid shift that would impact the future and so many people today who were kids in the 80s remember fond memories from playing with these toys and seeing the characters on TV. These people who were fans in the 80s are also adults now and are often at a spot in their lives where they are able to invest in these high valued nostalgic toys.

Demand really is what determines whether or not a toy has value at any given time. Where there's demand, prices sky rocket but if there's no demand then the value for these toys lowers. There may be times when everyone is looking for a specific item so it will rise in value. This is why watching the market is so important to note when things are in high demand or not.

What to do With Your Toy Investments

Lastly, on our blog, we will mention the things to consider and steps to take in order to best care for your toy investments or to sell them. This will help with keeping your newly invested toys in good condition and knowing when to sell your invested items again if you were to do so.

Storing Them Properly

Now that you own a valuable toy as an investment it is important to make sure you store it properly. With a toy collection, storing toys in totes and loose figures in ziplock bags helps to preserve their condition without getting damaged. So many factors go into how an item can get damaged, as we mentioned before, but knowing how to take care of your items and where to store them keeps them in good condition.

Some people utilize climate controlled storage units and locks or alarm systems to keep their collections safe and sound. This way, their collection is free from damage and won't get messed with unlike if they were just sitting on a shelf. When investing in items, you want the value to stay the same or go up, not down. This is why so many people wish to put their invested items in storage rather than on display.

Some items may have a battery port. In order to store these properly, removing the batteries before storage keeps the toy working and the battery port from corroding. Keeping toys away from sunlight and locations where dust gathers easily will also help with storing them properly and keeping them from damage.

Keeping them Clean

Another factor in keeping your high valued toys from decreasing in value is to keep them clean and in good condition. While keeping them in proper storage helps tremendously with keeping their good condition and you probably won't need to clean your items much if at all, regularly checking in and seeing if your items need cleaning will help to secure their value.

Different toys need different cleaning methods since they all have different materials and shapes. For purely plastic toys, a light dusting should be efficient while tough spots may need a little soapy water but nothing more. Other items such as boxes just need a light dusting. It is important to be cautious using water on hollow items that may grow mold, wood items, and battery powered items. Contacting an expert and doing research on different materials will help to know how to properly clean your toys without damaging them.

Watch the Market

When looking at items to invest in, keeping your invested items, or looking at selling your items, keeping an eye on the market is very beneficial. This will help to know which toys are high in demand and when your items are high in demand. This way, you can keep track of which items to purchase when and how valuable your item is at certain times to see when might be the best time to sell it if you were to.

Browsing online markets and auctions helps to see the demand as well as getting in contact with experts and other enthusiasts. These people will help to explain the market, keep you updated, and answer any questions you may have for the market and demand.

Know When to Part With Items

Lastly, there may come a time when you wish to sell your items. Knowing when to part with these is important since the demand for items rises and lowers throughout the years and can determine the value of toys. Watching the market helps with this to know if you should sell your item at certain times to get the most amount of money for them.

Media releases help with this, too. If there's a new movie, television series, video game, or other media release with your characters in it coming out then there's a good chance it will rise in value after this release. When these new media releases come out, people remember the original toys and desire to own those again. This then escelates the demand and would be a good time to sell items. Similarly, when an actor passes away or has a big change in the media world, the original action figures and toys from when they first starred might be high in demand again.

Final Thoughts

Although many of these toys released decades ago, getting a hold of them now is like securing a piece of history, the essence of a time period. Investing in these toys keeps a valuable item in your hands that will stand the test of time, other investments, and even inflating currency if the item is well cared for. Knowing about different toys, understanding what makes them investments, and searching for how best to invest yourself are all useful tools to help get a collection started or simply secure one item to invest in.

Do You Have Old or Used Toys?

Don’t let your collection sit in storage gathering dust—turn it into cash! At Wheeljack’s Lab, we specialize in evaluating and buying vintage and used toys, from single standouts to entire collections.

Our friendly, expert team has decades of hands-on experience in collectible toys, so you can expect honest evaluations and a smooth process from start to finish. Ready to sell? Call us at 888-946-2895 and let’s get started.

About the Owner, Chris Ingledue

Chris is the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab Pop Culture and Toy Shop. His vision has always been to reconnect collectors with the toys and pop culture that shaped their childhoods—sparking memories, nostalgia, and imagination along the way.

Each day in the “Lab” feels like Christmas year-round. From scouring the internet for the next great treasure—much like flipping through the Sears Catalog of years past—to eagerly awaiting the postman’s arrival like Santa himself, Chris lives and breathes the thrill of the hunt. Helping collectors around the world experience their own version of Christmas is what makes being a vintage toy buyer an absolute joy.