A confluence of greater interest, the rise of online marketplaces and growing support from associations is making antique old toys worth millions. In 2024, a group of researchers valued the toy collectibles market at $19.2 billion, and the market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 10.6% by 2031, reaching $45.2 billion.
Your share of that lucrative market might be buried in your old toy box, gathering dust in the attic or hidden in a long-held storage unit. Or perhaps you’re looking to invest. Either way, this list of antique old toys worth millions can give you a sense of what people are looking for.
Quick Look: Antique Old Toys Worth Millions
- Black Luster Soldier Yu-Gi-Oh! card, Stainless Steel
- Pikachu Illustrator card
- Star Wars Red Leader’s X-Wing Fighter model
- Masterpiece Rubik’s Cube
- Steiff Louis Vuitton teddy bear
- Super Mario Bros. game
- Gold Monopoly board game
- Super Mario 64 game
- Rocket-Firing Boba Fett prototype
- Lionel “Brute” prototype
10 Antique Old Toys Worth Millions
Whether antique or vintage, old playthings can be worth a lot of money as collectible toys—often because they’re rare, in mint condition, culturally or historically relevant, and in demand. Are you planning to search through your old toys or invest in collectibles? Here is a list of 10 antique old toys worth millions.
1. Black Luster Soldier Yu-Gi-Oh! card, Stainless Steel: $10 million
Some rare toys are literally in a class by themselves. Awarded to the winner of the first-ever Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament in 1999, the Black Luster Soldier trading card is printed on stainless steel, making it the only one of its kind. In 2013, gaming media site Kotaku reported that the owner of the card listed it for $10 million, making it the most expensive card-game trading card ever.
2. Pikachu Illustrator card: $5.275 million
From 1997 to 1998, CoroCoro, a Japanese magazine for kids that promoted Pokémon cards, held illustration contests for Pokémon, Mewtwo and Pikachu, delivering 20 cards to the winners. The 1998 Pikachu Illustrator became the most expensive of these cards. In June 2021, influencer Logan Paul bought one graded PSA 9 (Professional Sports Authenticator) for $1.275 million and traded it, plus $4 million, for a PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator.
3. Star Wars Red Leader’s X-Wing Fighter Model: $3.135 million
During the filming of 1977’s “Episode IV: A New Hope,” multiple X-Wing Fighter miniatures had to be created for special effects because many were destroyed with explosives for fight scenes. Years later, a fully intact Red Leader’s X-Wing Fighter was found in the home of late modelmaker Greg Jein (who did not work on Star Wars). The 20-inch fighter sold at Heritage Auctions in 2023 for $3.135 million.
4. Masterpiece Rubik’s Cube: $2.5 million
Created in 1995 by Fred Cuellar, CEO of Diamond Cutters International, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube, the Masterpiece Rubik’s Cube was made from 18-karat gold and adorned with more than 185 gemstones, including rubies, emeralds and amethysts. And you can still solve it—the work of art, valued at $2.5 million, is fully functional as a puzzle.
5. Steiff Louis Vuitton Teddy Bear (2000): $2.156 million
The Steiff Louis Vuitton Teddy Bear is in the book of Guinness World Records as the most expensive teddy bear. Steiff, a German maker of soft toys, created the stuffed animal with fashion designer Louis Vuitton in 2000. Jesse Kim, a Korean collector, purchased the bear the same year from Christie’s in Monaco for £1.6 million (US$2.156 million) and donated it to a museum on Jeju Island in the Korea Strait.
6. Super Mario Bros. Game: $2 million
A factory-sealed Super Mario Bros. game from 1985 holds the record as the most expensive video game ever sold. Auctioned in August 2021 for $2 million to an anonymous bidder through the Rally collectibles site, the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System had been part of a limited print run and scored a near-perfect Wata grading (9.8 A+).
7. Gold Monopoly Board Game (1988): $2 million
Sidney Mobell, a jewelry artist based in San Francisco, designed a Monopoly game with 18-karat gold pieces and cards and a 24-karat gold board for the World Monopoly Tournament in London in 1988. Emeralds top houses, and rubies crown hotels. A total of 42 diamond studs form the numbers on the dice. This game, valued at $2 million, is part of the permanent collection in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
8. Super Mario 64 Game (1996): $1.56 million
Heritage Auctions sold a factory-sealed Super Mario 64 game for the Nintendo 64 game unit for $1.56 million in July 2021, making it the first video game to sell for more than $1 million. The 3D Super Mario game sold for about $60 retail when released to the public in 1996. Like the 1985 Super Mario Bros. game that eclipsed it a month later, the Super Mario 64 sold at auction graded nearly perfect at Wata 9.8 A+.
9. Rocket-Firing Boba Fett Prototype (1979):
Considered the holy grail of non-prop Star Wars collectibles, the Boba Fett prototype sold in August 2024 for $1.342 million at Goldin Auctions, nearly tripling the price paid previously for a non-prop Star Wars toy. The 1979 Boba Fett prototype is coveted because just 30 were produced and only three are known to exist. Toymaker Kenner never delivered the prototype to market because of its potential danger for kids.
10. Lionel “Brute” Prototype: $1 million
A $1 million sale of a model train may or may not be folklore among train hobbyists for 20 years. Renowned train collector Al Cox offered a 1927 Lionel “Brute” prototype and a 1950 lift bridge for $1 million in 2005. While word of an actual sale has traveled among collectors for years, no one has confirmed it. Neither the “Brute” nor the lift bridge was ever on the retail market. Cox passed away in 2008.
Find Your Antique Old Toys Worth Millions
Toy collecting is big business, and anyone with an interest in it can cash in. With this list, consider investing in one of the most expensive toys or searching your old playthings for your own million-dollar collectible toys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What vintage toys are worth a lot of money?
Several vintage toys have sold for at least five- and six-figure sums. Here’s a sampling: 1985 Hasbro Transformer G1 Devastator ($80,000) in 2015, 1969 Hot Wheels Pink Beach Bomb ($150,000) in 2018, 2000 Steiff Louis Vuitton Bear ($182,550) in 2000, 1963 G.I. Joe Prototype ($200,000) in 2003, 1930 Tipp & Co. Mickey Mouse Motorcycle ($222,000) in 2022 and 2010 Barbie by Stefano Canturi ($302,500) in 2010.
What toys are considered vintage?
Vintage toys evoke nostalgia, have cultural and historical relevance, and may hold value as collectibles. They’re considered vintage if they’re between 20 and 100 years old; antique toys are more than 100 years old. Both categories can be distinguished from modern toys by their design, materials and craftsmanship.
What are the most collectible toys right now?
Nostalgia, rarity, condition and connections to popular franchises are driving the most collectible toys right now. Those include Star Wars and G.I. Joe action figures, first-generation Transformers, Barbie, LEGO blocks, and Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards.
About Sarah Edwards
Sarah Edwards is a finance writer passionate about helping people learn more about what’s needed to achieve their financial goals. She has nearly a decade of writing experience focused on budgeting, investment strategies, retirement and industry trends. Her work has been published on NerdWallet and FinImpact.
