From Lego to Barbie & Hot Wheel cars – your kids’ old toys could be worth THOUSANDS… so are you sitting on a goldmine?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the mad rush to make sure children get a visit from Santa is on. 

There are some childhood toys and games that are valuable and there’s no denying that certain gems could be worth £100s or £1000s in years to come.

GettyAccording to these experts, it’s worth going through your kid’s toys to see if there’s something that could potentially be worth thousands[/caption]

Particularly when they are rare, and worth more the older they get! 

Brandrated Investment and financial advisor Terry Booth said some Christmas toy gifts can actually have a lot of value. 

The finance expert said: “For most of us with children, we buy for them in the hope they get the maximum amount of fun out of the toys.

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“But for some, buying toys is a hobby that can result in big cash rewards in the future – but you have to know what you’re looking for. 

“If you understand how the market works you can grab yourself a bargain and sell it in the future for x10 the value, though the methods of how to increase your profit aren’t foolproof.”

Financial advisor Terry explained the main thing you’re looking for when buying collectors’ items is rarity, with three other important components following closely behind. 

He explained that you can have the most popular toy in the world, but if the company produced five million of them then it’s not going to increase in price as much as you’d hope. 

He added: “The next is authenticity, which is self-explanatory.

”Finally, condition and age.

”If you want your item to increase in value, it needs to be kept in good condition.

“It’s a million-dollar question to know how and why some common gifts increase in value. 

Unfortunately, there’s no fool proof way of knowing what will and won’t take off in value. 

“We can hazard a guess, and deduce from what’s happened in the past, but you can’t walk into a toy shop and walk out with an item that you know will be £1000 five years later.”

Terry explained some toys will always be sought after, such as limited edition cars, special edition leg box sets and toys with slight or major defects.

Meanwhile fellow finance expert Kevin Pratt at Forbes Advisor UK added that research shows that common toys that may be worth a lot of money include pokémon cards, limited edition LEGO sets, model trains/cars, figurines of characters (including Funko Pops), beanie babies and Barbies.

He said: “Two decades after a particular toy is popular, the kids who have since become adults want to rekindle childhood memories, and therefore as the demand increases, as does the value of the toy. 

“Limited edition toys are also often worth more initially, and in turn hold their value. 

“And like any investment, a toy can become valuable in its own right and attract interest based on its ability to appreciate over time – so you don’t have to be a toy aficionado to get involved.

“But as with any investment, it’s important to recognise that values can fall and there’s always a risk you might lose some or all of your money.”

The experts revealed the common toys kids have which could be worth lots of money in the future.

COMMON TOYS KIDS HAVE WHICH COULD BE WORTH MONEY IN THE FUTURE

Limited edition LEGO sets

Financial advisor Terry said Lego is already an expensive toy, so the idea of them increasing in value might seem wishful thinking, but it’s all about buying the right sets.

When Lego has pop culture tied in – like it has for the last few decades – e.g. Harry Potter, Star Wars and Ghostbusters, these sets are usually limited in number. 

Terry referred to the famous example of the original LEGO Millennium Falcon (unopened) which sold for $16,000. 

He said: “The key is buying Lego that is based around franchises which you know will continue to grow in popularity, and of course, keeping them unopened.”

Meanwhile Kevin added: “Anything that has a franchise, for example, Star Wars or Harry Potter, is always likely to have value. 

“The large following from fans means there will usually be demand for memorabilia, so look out for limited edition items over those mass-produced.

“It’s not always possible to tell if a toy is going to hold its value, but if it’s kept in good condition then it could have potential.”

Cards (such as Pokemon or Nintendo Animal Crossing)

Cards are already collectables in nature, so it’s not hard to work out that some will increase

over time, added Terry. 

But he added that trying to gauge which ones will go up in value is almost impossible though, as the market is entirely built on supply and demand. 

The financial expert said: “This year Pokemon cards increased in value solely because  YouTubers began opening packets in their videos. 

“The main thing is to keep them in good condition, preferably in plastic container sleeves.”

Funko Pop Bobbleheads

Another common toy that your kids have which could be worth a lot of money include the Funko Pop Bobbleheads, revealed financial advisor Terry. 

He said people probably assume that because these toys are everywhere at the moment that they would lose their value over time, but he said it’s all about buying the right ones. 

He said: “Like big clothes shops like H&M, there are some times throughout the year that Funko releases figures that are in limited numbers, such as some Simpson figures from the early 2010s.”

Fortnite figures/items based on video games

Financial advisor Terry said that in his opinion, a lot of the value in collecting toys is based on items that seem to be very male dominated. 

He said: “I believe men hold onto their inner-child more than women, so tend to reminisce over toys they once had. 

“Because of this, figures and items based around video games remain hugely popular.

”From Mario in the 1980s, Sonic in the 90s, to Halo in the 2000s – nostalgia on items centred around video games is big business.”

Hot wheels cars

Similarly, if you’ve been in a toy shop in the last 20 years, you will know that Hot Wheels cars are everywhere. 

They’re common toys that your kids might have, which could be worth a lot of money.

Although they seemingly release 100s every year, there are usually a few that dramatically increase in value, revealed Terry. 

He said: “They tend to be ones based on real cars from classic eras, or around pop culture franchises.

“Toy collectors love rare items, and there is nothing rarer than a defected item that’s still in its packaging. 

“From Pokemon cards with the wrong colours, to action figures with a misspelt name on the packets, if you have a defect item you could have a one of a kind in your home.”

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GettyToy collectors love rare items so it’s worth keeping them around for a little while[/caption]

ShutterstockA favourite amongst many, the Barbie doll could give you good money[/caption]

HandoutLimited edition Funko Pop Bobbleheads is another common toy that people would be ready to pay thousands for[/caption]