Forget Labubus, these nostalgic '80s and '90s toys are worth up to $7,000

So, apparently there's a thing going on that completely passed me by. Everyone is buying these little toys called Labubus, and by everyone I mean grown ups. Actual grown ups. At first I was pretty flabbergasted by this, like, get a grip amirite? But then it occurred to me that exatly the same thing happened in the '80s and '90s, and now I feel all warm and fuzzy about those toys. Sure I was a child then, but adults were buying them with the same gusto as now – remember that divorcing couple who had to get lawyers to help them divide their Beanie Babies?

Anyway, a lot of those old toys are now worth huge amounts of money. Huge. Thousands of dollars (pounds) in some cases. So I thought we should have a look at the Labubu equivalents of the past and find out exactly how much money they could get you now if you happen to have one lying around. Or how much you need to spend to buy them, if you're inspired by this post.

So here are the best examples of nostalgic collectibles (and they come with some of the best ads, by the way). To keep things fair, I've chosen toys that didn't come from an established franchise – though Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Barbies and anything Disney could have dominated the list. And I've also left off tech, which is in a league of its own.

The only question remains, will Labubus stand the test of time in quite the same way?

01. The Garbage Pail Kids

CBS News Rerpot on Garbage Pail Kids (1986) - YouTube

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The 'sorry, what is going on?' collectible that began in 1985, the Garbage Pail Kids were a series of trading cards created by Topps Company that grew to be huge throughout the late '80s. With art ranging from 'yuk' to, frankly, terrifying, these cards were a parody of the Cabbage Patch Kids and featured a plethora of weird characters, bodily expulsions from snot to sick and beyond, and so much more. As you can see from the above news report, the establishment wasn't too keen.

These cards are on eBay right now for, wait for it, a mind-blowing £7,000. That is for the rarest card – a Nasty Nick design, and there are others such as misprints and unsual designs that run into the thousands. But there are also many that are worth hundreds. So if you have one lurking around it's probably worth getting it valued. Read more about how much it could be worth here.

02. Beanie Babies

To illustrate how far this went, I've included a video of a man who went bankrupt buying huge amounts of Beanie Babies. Created by Ty Warner in 1993, Beanie Babies were a smash hit that grew bigger through the '90s mostly thanks to a clever marketing strategy of limiting supply and retiring characters. Genius. With almost every animal you can think of ticked off by Ty, there were over 2,000 types created.

In the early 2000s the Beanie Babies craze ended and many lost their value – but you can still earn a decent amount for rare ones. For example, this unusual teddy bear is going for $300. Not quite the thousands of yesteryear, but a fair nest egg.

03. Boglins

These weird rubbery guys create an almost visceral reaction in me. I remember exactly what they felt like to hold and squeeze, and they're just SO weird. Boglins were inspired by Jim Henson, created by Tim Clarke, Maureen Trotto, and Larry Mass, and licensed by Seven Towns but distributed by Mattel. Launched in 1987, they were a hand puppet toy but made out of rubber so they were quite flexible to position, and you could even move the eyes around with your fingers.

Originally, they came in three main types but more were added to the product line, sectioned into different 'tribes'. Now, I've found one on eBay for $100 – not outrageously expensive if you fancy investing... and a solid amount to put towards your holiday fund.

04. POGS

I remember vividly when the POGS trend started at my primary school. Everyone suddenly had them and I somehow convinced my mum to let me buy some from the cornershop before school one morning. My first shiny was a ladybird. I was so excited. As with marbles, we actually won and kept POGS from successful games against peers, I'm really not sure that would happen now – the teachers would probably make all property be returned to their owners at the end of the day. Spoilsports.

POGS designs had graffiti fonts, artwork and a splashy vibe on the whole – and those skulls felt so achingly cool at the time. I don't remember that game that's being advertised above, although it's the right kind of era for when I was playing them.

They're being sold on eBay in sets, with one marked 'rare' priced at $200. They probably cost about that much to buy that many at the time, but I suppose that isn't the point. And I've just realised they are perhaps in contention for the best logos of the 1990s list, what do you think?

05. Trolls

Treasure Trolls Dolls Commercial (1992) - YouTube

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It's occurred to me that this list could be of ugly creatures kids fall in love with.. but maybe that's for another time. These little things need no introduction really, as they've had a recent resurgence in the form of animated movies starring Anna Kendrick et al (in which they inexplicably sing... a lot). But the original toys are so much more charming – they're actually UGLY for a start, which is kind of key isn't it? The new character design is a world away from the beginnings of the toy.

First launched in 1956, they were a huge deal throughout the whole of the late 20th century. And the '80s and '90s were no different. The product line is comprised of a whole host of different troll characters including Good Luck Trolls (just rub their hair).

Actually, the version in the commercial above wasn't the original Troll. The doll was first made by a fisherman for this daughter, breeding the company Dam Things. But that brand was unable to copyright the design properly, leading copycat Trolls to be made – and the Treasure Troll was one of those copies.

There are plenty of Troll dolls running into the hundreds of dollars on eBay, with this slightly strange Las Vegas doll selling for $180. But the most expensive is this original Dam baby monkey Troll, which is tiny but is set to fetch £717.

06. Furbies

As I know from having a seven year old, Furbies are actually back. No, they won't be crossing my doorstep – I have too many memories of being unable to shut them up and being rudely awaken in the middle of the night. But they were iconic in the 1990s so I can see how they've made a comeback now.

The poor critters endured a brief period of banishment by some government agencies including the NSA due to concerns they might be listening into sensitive conversations (they weren't). But clearly no-one is worried about that anymore (well, not if your AI assistant is provided by some of the most powerful people on the plane – hello Alexa), so maybe it's the Furbies renewed chance to shine.

An original Furby from the first run in 1998 could fetch you up to $300. Here's one on eBay that is $248 – a relative bargain.

Love the 1980s and 1990s? See the best ads of the '80s and the best ads of the 1990s here.