For the most part, 90s era collectibles in general and toys in particular haven’t appreciated in value the way that older items have. There are a lot of reasons for that, but it boils down to stuff from the 90s not becoming rare the way stuff from the 60s to the 80s did. But that’s not entirely true across the board. Today, we’re looking at some of the exceptions to the rule…but first, a note on condition.
Mint In Package Is A Must
Unopened toys are more valuable than loose toys no matter what era they come from. That said, the existence of the 90s collector means that an unopened package is almost a requirement for serious value. It almost guarantees the existence of unopened and unplayed-with specimens, and loose with play wear just can’t compete with that. While the toys discussed below do maintain some value loose, our research was into brand new examples.
Micro Machines Are Not Micro Value
A print advertisement for Micro Machines from the 1990s.
Galoob, Inc. debuted Micro Machines as a competitor to Hot Wheels and Matchbox in 1986. The primary characteristic of Micro Machines was, as the name implies, being tiny compared to their competitors while still being highly detailed.This lowered their price point compared to, for instance, Hot Wheels and meant that even a larger collection didn’t take up much room. That, combined with a memorable ad campaign starring legendary fast-talker John Moschitta, made them a hit.
By the early 90s, it was the top selling toy car brand on the shelf. The next frontier to conquer was licensing.The Micro Machines brand started producing vehicles and play sets based on Star Trek, Power Rangers, Terminator 2, Predator, Aliens, and above all Star Wars around 1993. Their specialization in sci-fi lead to some audience problems, as their ostensible target market was kids who hadn’t seen some of these R-Rated flicks yet. The brand petered out at the turn of the millennium, shortly after being bought out by Hasbro.
Trendmasters Godzilla Is The King of the Monster Toys
Despite Godzilla’s decades of popularity in the U.S., merchandise based on the King of Monsters and his foes has historically been thin on the ground. This is because Toho, the film studio behind Godzilla, licenses out each monster individually. Whereas licensing Star Wars can get you access to a ton of different characters and vehicles and creatures, licensing Godzilla gets you Godzilla. Want Mothra? That’s extra.
As such, most Godzilla collectibles produced in the United States were restricted to Big G himself. Not so for Trendmasters’ mid-90s line! They went for the whole menagerie: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghiddorah, Mechagodzilla, Moguera, even monsters that hadn’t yet appeared in the U.S. like SpaceGodzilla and Battra. Due to their high quality and relatively limited run, Trendmasters Godzilla toys remain highly sought after collectible pieces.
Hasbro Mortal Kombat Figures Are Worth Some Koin
Ripped out hearts and spines not included.
It is frankly baffling how much all-ages media was produced for Mortal Kombat in the 1990s.There was an animated series, two PG-13 movies, a syndicated TV show, a live stunt show, Halloween costumes, and even action figures made using molds from the recently defunct G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line. Meanwhile, the game itself was a gruesomely violent affair so shocking that it prompted congressional hearings.The older target audience of the game didn’t want action figures and many parents didn’t want Mortal Kombat in their house.
Due to this uncertain audience, the Mortal Kombat toyline didn’t last very long. But Mortal Kombat has stood the test of time, with a resurgence in high quality games and R-rated adaptations in recent years. The kids that grew up inundated with Mortal Kombat are now in their thirties, and have plenty of fuel for nostalgia.
Stuff For Kids, Not Collectors
The aspect all three toylines we’ve talked about have in common is that they didn’t interest adult collectors much back in the day:
- Serious toy car collectors didn’t have time for Micro Machines’ all-plastic construction, they wanted diecast stuff. Star Wars collectors were more into them, but their micro scale wasn’t as display-friendly as the contemporaneous action figures.
- The Trendmasters Godzilla line used designs from then-recent movies, many of which hadn’t been released stateside at the time. Dedicated Godzilla fans were well used to getting their fix from imported toys, many of which used the classic designs they’d grown up with. Kids had no such prejudices.
- There was no nostalgia market for toys based on a brand new video game franchise, and young adults didn’t want repurposed G.I. Joes – they’d even outgrown taping their old ones to fireworks!
That is the key! Heck, it’s always the key to collectible value in toys and collectibles in general. The most valuable items were originally bought by people who planned to use them, not preserve them. The larger the audience collecting and preserving something brand new, the less likely it will be valuable years down the lines.
If you’re feeling more confused than when you started this article, that’s OK. There are a lot of rules and even more exceptions to them in the collectibles industry. That’s why we recommend pairing up with experienced professionals such as ourselves when you decide to sell a collection. When that time comes, drop us a line!
What’s your favorite 90s gem? Tell us below or hit us up on social media @b2pcollect!
