As one collector from Psychology Today wrote, “Nostalgia is what got me into collecting in the first place. It piqued my curiosity. The curiosity turned into passion, and the passion turned into dedication.”
“We’re seeing an incredible demand for pop culture artifacts from this era of neon colors, Saturday morning cartoons, and cassette tapes,” says appraiser Marsha Dixey of Heritage Auctions. “Entertainment or pop culture,” she continues, “is the category that is really the most collectible and bringing in the highest values right now.” “We sell more items related to pop culture than any other type of collectible objects in the market,” agrees Jason Barron of iCollector. “This has to do with the fact that people who collected these items in the past now have the purchasing power to pay high prices for them.” There’s simply nothing like nostalgia.
But here’s the catch: it has to be in good condition and authentic. Some unopened box, unbroken packaging, and professional grading can make that old relic from your attic into a life-changing sale. These are just a few of the top collectibles from the 1980s that everyone wants and is willing to pay big money for.
1. Prototype Nintendo PlayStation Console
Prior to Sony producing a PlayStation of their own, they worked on a hybrid console with Nintendo. Only 200 of these prototype stages were produced, with the exception of one, which cost $360,000 in 2020. A rare console like NES in the 1980s, even if it is fairly ordinary, can cost between $1,000 to $3,000 if it is in functioning condition. An unpacked deluxe system in near-mint condition costs in five figures. Rarity, as argued by Dixey, is a crucial influence on prices.
2. Factory-Sealed NES Games
Individual games may prove more valuable than a console. For example, games such as Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda are auction legends in and of themselves, with one unopened 1985 copy of Super Mario Bros. fetching over 1 million dollars. A game’s popularity, rarity, and quality are factors in determining a game’s worth, and a high graded, factory-sealed game is the ultimate prize. Even relatively common games can shock a seller if manuals and boxes are included.
3. Kenner Star Wars Action Figures
The 3.75 line from Kenner is the epitome of toy culture within the 1980s. While finding sets with the original packaging is desirable for any collector and quite expensive at that, prototypes such as the Rocket-Firing Boba Fett that was recalled for various reasons related to consumer safety? Well, those kinds of items have commanded prices that are simply stratospheric, such as $525,000 and even $1.34 million for the “variant.”
4. Original American Girl Dolls
The collection of Pleasant Company’s 1986 dolls, such as Samantha, Molly, and Kirsten, is pricey if it includes the signature and the characteristic white torso. The price of a signed Samantha could reach $12,000, while the cost of other vintage dolls would go up to $7,000. Other items such as the wooden trunk of Kirsten and the wicker table set of Samantha might cost several hundred dollars, but most of the tan-bodied dolls will cost under $100.
5. Rare VHS Tapes
Most VHS tapes are worthless, but-txtmaintained and rated versions of cult classics, banned videos, and genre films can reach exorbitant levels. Horror and sci-fi films from the end of the 1970s and 1980s, for example Halloween and Star Wars, have reached as high as $25,000. Banned videos such as the Disney reel Song of the South are highly sought after with unopened VHS tapes being a lucrative business venture.
6. Cabbage Patch Kids
Such soft-bodied dolls triggered buying frenzies in the 1980s. Now different models sell for high prices. A rare prototype clown model made in 1987 was sold for $10,000. The original packaging and documents can make a standard model sell for up to $2,000.
7. Transformers Generation One Figures
Hasbro’s first series Transformers in the shape of Optimus Prime and Megatron may sell for $300 to $2,000 based on its condition. Some of the rarest ones that came in their packaging and are still sealed, like the Jetfire figure, can sell for as high as $24,800.
8. Masters of the Universe Playsets
He-Man’s Castle Grayskull is a nostalgic reminder of the toy boxes in the 1980s. Finding one in the packaging can fetch prices between $1,500 and $4,000, and rare characters such as Savage He-Man or variants of She-Ra may fetch price ranges in the hundreds and thousand-dollar ranges.
9. My Little Pony Figures, Generation
One Pastel ponies from the 1980s are highly collectible. Mail order exclusives like Rapunzel can retail for over $2,500. Sets that come with original paintable manes, accessories, and box art are highly sought after, and complete originals are now scarce. These collectibles from the 1980s offer more than just that to a generation of children who played with them.
Such items have already become scarce due to being common. According to experts who deal in collecting and selling such items, grading and authenticity matter. Many of these items that took priority in the past can today offer financial gain due to their authenticity. The past is recalled and rewarded in today’s market.
