5 Toys and Collectibles — Which Are Valuable Investments vs. Just Hype?
Written byGabriel Vito
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Edited byCory Dudak
Headlines about Pokémon cards selling for six figures might tempt you to dig through the attic for other collectibles. But before you count on that Beanie Baby collection to fund your retirement, remember that most old toys are not worth much.
Collectors still pay top dollar for certain early Pokémon cards, vintage Kenner Star Wars figures and some retired Lego sets. Common Funko Pops and Labubu figures bought at inflated resale prices are much more likely to be hype, though.
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Rarity plays a crucial role, too, along with condition. However, a “limited edition” label doesn’t mean much if everyone saved the item hoping to cash out later. Let’s take a look at a few popular collectibles and examine their value, keeping all that in mind.
Early Pokémon Cards: Valuable (When the Details Line Up)
First-edition Pokémon cards can still bring serious money, but it depends on the exact card and its grade. Professional Sports Authenticator, or PSA, grades cards from 1 to 10. Graders consider the corners, surface, centering, focus, original gloss and other printing or condition flaws. A PSA 10 is virtually perfect, while a PSA 1 is in poor condition.
According to Goldin auction records, a first-edition 1999 Pokémon Charizard graded PSA 8 sold for $36,844 in March 2026. Then, a PSA 1 copy of the same card sold for $7,991 that day. The lower-graded copy was still valuable, but it sold for nearly $29,000 less.
Before assuming an old card is rare, identify the exact set and edition. Then, check how many copies have received similar grades. Professional grading may make a card easier to price and sell, but it does not turn a common card into treasure.
Kenner Star Wars Figures: Valuable (When Rare and Complete)
Star Wars figures have an advantage over many toys from the 1970s and 1980s because kids still know Darth Vader and Boba Fett.
“Star Wars keeps making new fans; tinplate railways don’t,” said Kayleigh Davies, a collectibles specialist at Auctionet and toy consultant for Miller’s Antiques Handbook & Price Guide.
Of course, not every figure from a galaxy far, far away is worth a fortune. Davies said toys tend to sell for more when they are complete and still have their original packaging and accessories.
According to Heritage Auctions, one of two known hand-painted, rocket-firing Boba Fett prototypes sold for $525,000 in 2024. That does not mean the standard Boba Fett figure in your childhood toy box will pay off the mortgage. This prototype sold for so much because Boba Fett remains popular and only two examples are known to exist.
Retired Lego Sets: (Sometimes) Valuable
Lego stops making sets, but collectors do not necessarily stop looking. Davies told MoneyLion that licensed sets can attract both Lego collectors and fans of the franchise.
According to Lego, the company maintains a “retiring soon” page. Still, retirement means production will end, not that demand will grow.
The 3,096-piece Ultimate Collector Series Imperial Star Destroyer originally retailed for $269.99 in 2002 an open-box example with unused contents sold for $687.50 in January 2026. That is more than 2.5 times the original price, but the increase took more than 23 years and does not account for inflation or selling costs
Common Funko Pops and Marked-Up Labubus: Mostly Hype
Many common Funko Pops are not likely to hold their value because there are simply too many of them.
“Funko Pops are this generation’s Beanie Babies,” Davies said. She pointed to large “limited edition” runs and common figures already selling below their original retail prices. In 2023, Funko recorded $39 million in charges related to disposing of excess inventory.
Some Labubu figures that once resold for more than $70 were going for about $15 in China in 2025 after Pop Mart increased production, Reuters reported.
Final Note: Check What Buyers Actually Paid
An asking price is only a seller’s wish. Completed sales show what buyers paid.
From the sale price, subtract grading costs, marketplace fees, auction commissions, shipping and insurance. Buy collectibles because you want them on your shelf. If they gain value, consider that a bonus.
This article was provided byMoneyLion.comfor informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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