Can Your Old Toys Make You Rich?
The 90s were a golden age for action figures—mass-produced, heavily marketed, and now, surprisingly valuable. What once lined toy store shelves is now fueling bidding wars among collectors. From obscure comic book characters to mainstream blockbusters, mint condition figures from the decade can now fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Here's a look at 20 action figures from the 1990s that have become shockingly valuable.
1991 Captain Planet And The Planeteers: Linka (Eco-Cycle Set) — Estimated Market Value: $300–$500
Linka was often overlooked compared to the male figures in the line. The Eco-Cycle Set was underproduced and now fetches hundreds in mint condition.
Captain Planet Action Figures Collection (1991-1994), MBXfilms
1990 Swamp Thing: Bio-Glow Swamp Thing — Estimated Market Value: $300–$500
With glow-in-the-dark features and a brief shelf life, this Kenner figure from the animated series now glows with collector interest—and price tags to match.
Toys from the attic E124 Bio Glow Swamp Thing, jason knetge
1994 Skeleton Warriors: Baron Dark — Estimated Market Value: $350–$600
This dark fantasy line never hit the mainstream, but figures like Baron Dark have developed a cult following. Their scarcity makes them a high-ticket item on auction sites.
1995 VR Troopers: JB Reese (Battle Gear) — Estimated Market Value: $350–$600
A short-lived Power Rangers competitor, VR Troopers figures are hard to find today. JB’s Battle Gear edition is among the most valuable due to its short production run.
VR Troopers (Kenner 1994) - RetroShArK, RetroShArK
1992 X-Men Toy Biz: Archangel (Metallic Wings Variant) — Estimated Market Value: $400–$700
This early Toy Biz release with metallic wings was a fan-favorite and short-run item. The variant’s shine and rarity make it a must-have for X-Men collectors.
Toy Biz X-Men Classics Archangel Figure Review, Justmenesto2
1991 Super Mario Bros Movie Koopa Figure — Estimated Market Value: $400–$700
The flop of the 1993 Mario movie made these figures almost instantly vanish. Koopa figures, especially boxed, have rebounded in value thanks to their bizarre cult status.
1998 Beast Wars Transformers: Optimus Primal (Transmetal) — Estimated Market Value: $400–$900
Beast Wars revitalized the Transformers line, and Optimus Primal’s Transmetal version became iconic. Boxed versions in good shape are increasingly rare and collectible.
Transformers Beast Wars Transmetals ( mega class) Optimus Primal 1998, alwcollectibles
1996 Kenner Aliens: Gorilla Alien (Sealed) — Estimated Market Value: $500–$850
The Kenner Aliens line combined sci-fi horror with bizarre animal hybrids. The Gorilla Alien was a favorite and now commands serious prices, especially mint-in-box.
Kenner Aliens Gorilla Alien Review, The Points of Articulation
1992 The Real Ghostbusters: Ecto-Glow Egon — Estimated Market Value: $500–$1,000
Released near the end of the Ghostbusters toy line, Ecto-Glow figures had limited production. Egon, in particular, is hard to find and highly coveted by fans.
Real Ghostbusters Ecto Glow Egon Spengler review, Ghostbusters Ireland
1997 Spider-Man Animated Series: Spider-Man With Web Flyers — Estimated Market Value: $600–$1,000
Part of Toy Biz’s extensive run, this particular figure was short-packed and had unique web accessories. Its limited run and fan nostalgia fuel its rising value.
Toybiz 1997 WEB TRAP Spider-Man The Animated Series, Toy Shiz
1993 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Green Ranger (Flip Head) — Estimated Market Value: $700–$1,000
The Green Ranger’s popularity exploded in the mid-90s. Early editions of the flip-head figure are now hard to find in mint condition, with collectors paying handsomely for the nostalgia.
Modifying an Auto Morphin Green Ranger for more show accuracy Part 1, Almost Counts Collectibles
1993 Batman: The Animated Series Combat Belt Batman — Estimated Market Value: $800–$1,200
While Batman figures were everywhere in the '0s, the original Combat Belt Batman from the beloved animated series is now considered a rare gem, especially in pristine packaging.
KENNER - BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES COMBAT BELT BATMAN REVIEW (eng), liprandi
1991 Toxic Crusaders: Toxie (Glow-In-The-Dark Variant) — Estimated Market Value: $750–$1,200
Based on the cult-classic cartoon, the glow-in-the-dark variant of Toxie is rare and incredibly nostalgic. Collectors of niche 90s franchises go wild for this radioactive hero.
1994 TMNT Scratch The Cat — Estimated Market Value: $3,000–$5,000
Scratch was one of the rarest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures ever produced. Released late in the original line, it saw limited shelf time, making carded versions incredibly valuable among TMNT enthusiasts.
VINTAGE TMNT SCRATCH THE CAT ACTION FIGURE REVIEW, Retro MD
1993 Jurassic Park: “Dennis Nedry With Stickers” Variant — Estimated Market Value: $1,200–$2,000
This variant included collector stickers and was pulled shortly after release. The figure itself wasn’t rare, but the sticker variant is now one of the rarest Jurassic Park collectibles from the Kenner line.
Mattel Jurassic Park 93 Classic Dennis Nedry Track & Chase Pack Review!!!, Andy's Dinosaur Reviews
1990 WWF Hasbro Ultimate Warrior (Purple Trunks) — Estimated Market Value: $1,000–$1,800
Wrestling figure collectors pay top dollar for rare variants, and the purple trunks version of Ultimate Warrior—only released briefly—has become a crown jewel for fans of vintage WWF merchandise.
WWF Hasbro Action Figure Collection EPIC! #1, Mr Alan In The World Of Toys
1996 Star Wars Power Of The Force: Yak Face — Estimated Market Value: $2,500–$4,000
Yak Face was only released in Canada and Europe, making him a rare find in North America. Mint, carded versions from the POTF line are highly sought after.
POWER OF THE FORCE FRIDAY! - YAK FACE, TheForceIsWithJesse
1990 Dick Tracy: The Blank (Unmasked Version) — Estimated Market Value: $3,500+
This figure was pulled before hitting many shelves due to its spoiler-heavy design. Only a few made it into circulation, making it one of the rarest 90s toys, period.
Dick Tracy: Part 2 - Drawing a Blank Vintage Toy Review Playmates 1990, RetroBlasting
1993 RoboCop: Robodog (Unreleased Test Figure) — Estimated Market Value: $4,000+
This unreleased prototype from the RoboCop toy line never officially hit shelves. A few test versions found their way to collectors and now sell for thousands due to extreme rarity.
NB Cash Figure Reviews: Toy Island 4 1/2
Rocket-Firing Boba Fett (Prototype) — Estimated Market Value: $20,000+
Though technically designed in the late 70s, this figure saw considerable buzz in the 90s thanks to re-releases and Star Wars' resurgence. A few prototypes of the rocket-firing version leaked into collector circles, and their rarity makes them immensely valuable.
The Book of Proto Fetts - Procustomfigures Prototype Vintage Boba Fetts, RetroBlasting
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