Here’s How Much Your Vintage 1960s Toys Might Be Worth
These days, toys are big business — and they’re not just for kids. Adult collectors now make up the most lucrative segment of toy consumers. In fact, in the first quarter of 2024 alone, adults spent more than $1.5 billion buying toys for themselves, per CNN.
Experts say that nostalgia seems to be driving the toy market, with many adults fondly looking back to a simpler time in their lives. That would explain why older toys — especially toys from the 1960s — are in demand today, meaning you could likely sell them for some money.
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Interested in selling some of your old toys? Be aware that not all toys are as valuable as others. Here are some of the most common toys from the 1960s, along with their market value today.
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Chatty Cathy
Chatty Cathy, produced by Mattel in the early 1960s, was once considered a serious rival to Barbie. Chatty Cathy “talked” when you pulled the string on her back. Today, she’s been largely forgotten, but this adorable talking doll still has intense nostalgic value.
Pristine, mint-condition Chatty Cathy dolls can fetch between $350 and $750 if they’re still in their original box and have never been taken out or played with, according to a Chatty Cathy collectors club. To command that kind of price, the doll should also have its wrist tag, its papers and all of its original contents.
Chatty Cathy dolls that have been played with and show signs of use will fetch much less money, likely between $10 and $75, depending on how much of their original clothing they still have.
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Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven was a hit with lots of kids — after all, what child doesn’t want a delicious treat cooked in a colorful oven? Now plenty of adults are yearning for the days when cooking felt like a game instead of a daily responsibility.
That might be why there’s a robust market for Easy-Bake Ovens. The 1960s Easy-Bake Ovens came in yellow and turquoise. Today, the turquoise ovens fetch a higher price, but at a value of $50 to $70 each, according to Love to Know, they’re not going to make you a fortune. If you have a mint-condition oven in its original box, you may be able to get as much as $350, though — if you find the right buyer.
G.I. Joe
Hasbro first released G.I. Joe in 1964. The toy, a U.S. soldier, was the first-ever action figure on the market. Today, some G.I. Joes can sell for hundreds of dollars or even more. Do you have a collection squirreled away in your garage? It may be worth serious money.
The 1964 prototype sold for $200,001.10 back in 2003, per Love to Know. The other action figures don’t command that kind of price, of course. But hard-to-find G.I. Joes, like the Action Sailor G.I. Joe and the original African American G.I. Joe, can sell for as much as $500 each if they’re in excellent condition.
Barbie
No list of vintage toys would be complete without Barbie dolls! Barbie dolls were developed by Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel and a toymaker herself. Handler named the doll after her own daughter, Barbie. A few years later, Mattel introduced the Ken doll, naming the toy after Handler’s son, Ken.
Today, the original Barbie doll from 1959 can sell for $27,500 when it’s in mint condition and $8,000 when it’s in bad condition, per Collectibles Insurance Services. Limited-edition Barbies sell for $1,000 to $5,000, and Color Magic Barbies sell for $500 to $1,000. Holiday Barbies go for $50 to $2,000, and Midge Barbies go for $200 to $300, while Collectors Edition Barbies go for $100 to $600.
Etch A Sketch
These classic drawing toys were first introduced in 1959 and are still popular today. Their iconic red frames and simple approach to drawing haven’t changed much in 65 years.
Unfortunately, that means a vintage Etch A Sketch isn’t worth as much as some rarer toys are. On eBay, 1960s Etch A Sketches sell for as little as about $5. Complete sets with their original boxes may sell for a little over $40. So if you’re planning to put your old Etch A Sketch on the market, be aware that it’s probably not going to make you a fortune.
Lite Brite
Lite Brite was another popular art toy from a little later in the decade. Kids poked colorful pegs into a backlit grid to create their own designs. The toy first appeared in 1967 and is still available for sale today.
The vintage version of Lite Brite can sell for $100 to $200, per Business Insider, and in some cases, collectors have charged as much as $329 for the classic art set.
If you’ve enjoyed reading about classic toys, maybe it’s time to rummage around your storage bins to see what you may have. Happy hunting!
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