40 Iconic Toys From the 90s That Every Kid Wanted

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Games, dolls, and other toys that made the 90s magical
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No, you aren’t wrong…the 90s were absolutely the best time to be a kid. Nerf guns, Beanie Babies, the Furby, all of the coolest toys came out in this decade. Here, we’ll take a look at the 40 most iconic and memorable toys from the era—including where to get them today. As a note on the article, we’re prioritizing popular toys from the 1990s that came out in the 90s, but we’re also going to include a few toys that were invented earlier but feel worth including due to how popular they were in the 90s.

The Most Iconic Toys from the 1990s

An illustration of popular and classic toys from the 1990s, including the Furby, Lite-Brite, Tamagotchi, Game Boy Color, Bop It, Beanie Babies, Polly Pocket, and Stretch Armstrong.

Many popular toys from the 90s reflected the era’s emerging interest in computers and electronics. Classic toys from the era include the Furby, Lite-Brite, Tamagotchi, Game Boy Color, and Bop It. Old school traditional toys from the 90s that were beloved include Beanie Babies, Polly Pocket, and Stretch Armstrong.

1

Furby

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  1. They really felt like they were alive, didn’t they? Furbies had sensors and motors so that they could wiggle their ears, blink, move their beaks, and speak “Furbish,” a goofy made-up language only spoken by these bizarre critters.[1]
    • Year released: 1998.
    • How to buy it today: Hasbro still makes these! You can buy their newest Furbies here. They range from $10-50.
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2

Beanie Babies

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  1. Beanie Babies were so hyped back in the day that there was an active investor market for them, like fine art or rare coins. Interestingly enough, they probably became so popular because of a really minor change. Unlike most stuffed animals, Beanie Babies were made to not be full of stuffing. They had enough air inside that they could be posed, moved, or squeezed around.[2]
    • Year released: 1993.
    • How to buy it today: All of the iconic Beanie Babies of your youth are for sale on eBay. Most of them cost $2-5.
3

Super Soaker

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  1. Nothing captured the summer vibe more than a good Super Soaker fight. The toy was simple, easy to use, and super fun.
    • Year released: 1990.
    • How to buy it today: There are all kinds of Super Soakers available today.
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4

Lite-Brite

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  1. Remember pushing pegs into the board and watching them illuminate? It really felt like magic at the time. It was like Legos for drawing![3]
    • Year released: 1967. The Lite-Brite gained popularity every decade leading up to the 1990s, when it reached its most popular peak.
    • How to buy it today: The Lite-Brite is still available today for only $20!
5

Foxtail

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  1. The Foxtail was a multicolored toy that was basically a soft baseball with a long, cloth tail. You could play a game with it where you scored different numbers of points based on where you caught the thing, but in our experience, it was mainly used to hurl as far as you could in random directions while chasing after it and screaming maniacally.[4]
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6

Game Boy Color

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  1. One of the most revolutionary game systems of all time was released in 1998. With classic titles like Pokémon Gold/Silver, Legend of Zelda, Kirby Tilt, Dragon Warrior, and Harvest Moon, having a Game Boy Color meant you were the envy of all the other kids.[5]
    • Year released: 1998.
    • How to buy it today: You can get them online for around $130. If you just want to play the games though, we recommend downloading an emulator on your PC and playing that way.
7

Polly Pocket

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  1. Polly Pocket was a series of 3 in (7.6 cm) tall dolls that came with small rooms you could decorate and design. These toys were so popular that they inspired multiple movies and TV shows. For the record, Tiny Tina was our favorite.[6]
    • Year released: 1989.
    • How to buy it today: Mattel still makes these toys. They’re available here and seem like they cost around $20 a piece.
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8

Bop It!

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  1. Ah, the Bop It!. Who doesn’t remember listening carefully for those robotic voice commands and then whacking the toy button unnecessarily hard like you were spiking a volleyball?
    • Year released: 1996.
    • How to buy it today: They go online for about $15-20.
9

Tamagotchi

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  1. These little digital pets came in a cute egg-shaped keychain device that you could carry anywhere. You could feed them, play with them, and they’d regularly chirp in your pocket or backpack to let you know they needed something. It seems macabre looking back on it now, but the digital pets would also die if you didn’t take care of them.[7]
    • Year released: 1996
    • How to buy it today: You can buy them today for $20-40.
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10

Crazy Bones

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  1. Gogo’s Crazy Bones were small plastic characters based on the ancient Greek practice of carving toys out of sheep knuckle bones (ergo, Crazy “Bones”). They had a really unique aesthetic that made them stand out on the toy shelf, and there was a marbles-esque game you could play with them, which was cool.
    • Year released: 1996
    • How to buy it today: They’re available in a few places, but we recommend buying large lots or sealed packs on eBay for $10-20 to get the best bang for your buck.
11

Stretch Armstrong

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  1. We weren’t the only ones to eventually get bored and cut Stretch Armstrong to see what it was filled with, right? This goofy goober was invented in the 70s, but it was a huge toy in the 90s as well.
    • Year released: 1976.
    • How to buy it today: The original version of the toy is still for sale, but it’s $50. There are plenty of knock-offs for $10-20, though.
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12

Pogs

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  1. Pogs were these flat discs that contained fun art and images on each side. You could play a game with them where you “slamming” the Pogs, but mostly people just collected them because they thought they were neat.[8]
    • Year released: Weirdly enough, we don’t know. The Pogs were popularized in the early 1990s, though.
    • How to buy it today: Nobody is making new Pogs, but you can buy tons of them on eBay for $5-15.
13

American Girl Dolls

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  1. American Girl Dolls really felt like they were more alive than any other doll that came before them. Each girl had her own history, personality, style, and vibe, and that allowed fans to really feel like they were connecting with them on a personal level.
    • Year released: 1986.
    • How to buy it today: They’re still being made by American Girl. They have become a little pricey in recent years, though. Many of the dolls cost $100-300.
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14

Tickle Me Elmo

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  1. You tickled him. Elmo laughed. This proved to be valuable enough in the mind of American consumers that the people would literally trample each other while trying to get their hands on one.[9]
15

Troll Dolls

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  1. Equal parts creepy and cute, the Troll Doll was a weird, gnome-like critter with long hair and beady eyes. In our experience, kids enjoyed them because they were kind of odd, and you could brush their hair.[10]
    • Year released: 1959. The popular “gem-bellied” versions that everyone thinks of when they picture these dolls were released in the early 1990s, though.
    • How to buy it today: The best prices we saw were on Etsy where you could buy original dolls from the 1990s for as little as $5 a piece.
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16

Power Wheels

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  1. A lot of people may not immediately recognize the name “Power Wheels” but almost everyone knows how cool you look as a kid driving in one. These motorized miniature vehicles really made you feel like you were living in the lap of luxury.[11]
    • Year released: 1984.
    • How to buy it today: The original brand isn’t around anymore, but you can buy vehicles just like them on Amazon for $100-300, depending on how fancy you want to be.
17

Socker Boppers

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  1. Socker Boppers—the inflatable boxing gloves that were a blast to play with until someone took it way too far, got hurt, and started crying. For those first rounds of fighting, though, Socker Boppers were a blast.
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18

Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots

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  1. Speaking of games that involved fisticuffs, few childhood games are as iconic and beloved as Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. The controls were fun, the game was fun, watching the heads pop up in the air when you beat the opponent was fun, it was just…fun!
    • Year released: 1964.
    • How to buy it today: The original Mattel game is available for $40.
19

Moon Shoes

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  1. We really believed these trampoline shoes were worn by astronauts when they were training to go to space. Also known as pogo shoes, these shoes were super fun until you inevitably twisted your ankle.[12]
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20

Mouse Trap

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  1. We aren’t including a ton of board games on our list, but Mouse Trap is so quintessentially 90s that we have to mention this one. The little plastic mice and the contraptions were so fun to set up and use, and the game really nailed that sweet spot between “too competitive and complex for little kids” and “too simple and childish to be fun after 5 years of age.”[13]
    • Year released: Originally, 1963. You wouldn’t recognize that version of the game, though. The version we all know and love was released in 1986.
    • How to buy it today: It’s available from Hasbro for $20.
21

Gak Splat

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  1. Gak Splat is sort of like the original slime. This gooey stuff was full of beads that could be torn apart and put back together to make all kinds of weird shapes and sculptures. It was an awesome sensory toy—even if it did leave a weird, rubbery texture on your skin when you touched it.[14]
    • Year released: We’re not 100% positive, but we’re pretty confident it first came out in 1992.
    • How to buy it today: Unfortunately, there is no modern producer of Gak Splat, and the stuff isn’t exactly designed to hold up once the package is open. You can find sealed specimens from the 1990s for around $80 on auction sites like eBay.
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22

K’Nex

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  1. It feels like almost every 90s kid had the experience of getting their hands on K’Nex, initially thinking that they were like bootleg Legos, only to realize they were a completely different building experience. They were fun to play with in a totally unique way, and building complex structures with K’Nex was so much fun.
    • Year released: 1992.
    • How to buy it today: They’re still around! You can buy them directly from the manufacturer online. They even have the classic amusement park set that was in the window of every toy store that carried these things!
23

Buzz Lightyear

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  1. We really could have picked any number of Toy Story dolls and toys, but the Buzz Lightyear interactive toy was so iconic that it deserved its own spot. This thing just felt really well constructed and fancy for a toy.
    • Year released: 1995.
    • How to buy it today: Disney still sells the same toy for $40 online.
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24

GigaPets

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  1. A lot of people (especially in Europe and the United States) grew up thinking they had a Tamagotchi when in reality they had a GigaPet. GigaPets were the western version of Tamagotchi and they sold like hot cakes because they were cheaper than the Japanese import version of the toy.
    • Year released: 1997.
    • How to buy it today: They still make these. They tend to run around $20-25 per pet.
25

HitClips

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  1. HitClips was a very odd product. It was a digital recorder and music player that had really low-quality sound. It could only play one song at a time (well, not even a full song—just a one minute clip of a song), and the songs came on cartridges that are kind of like mini Nintendo Switch games. Very weird that we were all into these.[15]
    • Year released: 2000 (yeah, it’s not the 90s, but this thing felt like it belonged in the 90s).
    • How to buy it today: The market for these things is all over the place. The most popular platforms for buying these appear to be eBay and Poshmark, where prices range dramatically from $20 all the way up to $200.
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26

Rainbow Brite

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  1. Rainbow Brite was a doll launched by Mattel that really got popular in the 90s. She was supposedly bringing color to an otherwise dull world, and she was so beloved that she inspired a whole series of TV shows and movies.
    • Year released: 1984.
    • How to buy it today: You can still buy these online for only $40.
27

Doodle Bear

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  1. While every other toy maker was wrapping their toys in 30 layers of protective plastic, the makers of Doodle Bear had an incredible idea: what if you could draw all over your toy? This washable stuffed bear relieved a lot of potential headaches for parents of children who loved writing on walls.[16]
    • Year released: 1995.
    • How to buy it today: It looks like the original manufacturer isn’t around any more, but you can buy tons of knock-off versions for as little as $20.
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28

Simon Says

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  1. Inspired by a popular playground game of the same name, Hasbro’s Simon Says game was simple and brilliant. With only four colored buttons to follow, you’d convince yourself that repeating the patterns were a breeze, and then three minutes later you’re tripping over yourself![17]
29

Poo-Chi

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  1. If you’re like us, you might not remember the name “Poo-Chi” but you’ll instantly know the toy as soon as you see it. These robotic dogs were like future Furbies, just without the weird independently-moving eyelids.
    • Year released: 2000 (these dogs were so nineties, though).
    • How to buy it today: Sealed Poo-Chis tend to fetch hundreds of dollars, but you can buy a pre-owned copy of the toy for $20 or so on eBay.
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30

Slinky

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  1. It was actually invented well before the 1990s, but as the cost of plastic fell dramatically in the 80s and 90s, it became easy and cheap enough to make enough slinkies for 90s kids that it felt like they were everywhere. The cost, combined with the fact that a Slinky (well, a dog who happened to have a Slinky body) played a very prominent role in the first Toy Story film, created an environment where this old toy was suddenly all the rage again.[18]
    • Year released: 1943.
    • How to buy it today: At under $4, the Slinky might be the cheapest toy on our list!
31

Skip It

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  1. Skip It was an ingeniously designed toy. You put one loop on one leg, and then spin the toy to kind of do a one-legged jump rope thing. It was pure joy! The modern ones even come with digital counters so you can see how many jumps you can do without hitting your shin.
    • Year released: 1988.
    • How to buy it today: You can still buy the original Skip It online for about $20.
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32

Nintendo 64

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  1. The GameBoy wasn’t the only hot Nintendo product of the 1990s. The N64 revolutionized the gaming industry forever by being the first major console to offer four-player multiplayer, which really made the Pepsi- and Mountain-Dew-fueled nights of gaming fly by. It also had some really iconic games, including GoldenEye 007, Super Mario 64, Pokémon Stadium, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.[19]
    • Year released: 1996.
    • How to buy it today: Prices are all over the place here depending on the model, condition, and authenticity. Nintendo surprisingly sells them for relatively cheap (around $100). We recommend just using an emulator if you’re just really nostalgic for the games, though.
33

Silly Putty

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  1. We’re sure there’s some kind of long, elaborate story about an inventor or company trying to come up with a cheaper sealant or something and accidentally making Silly Putty, but let’s be honest—nobody cared what this stuff was for. It was just fun to squish and throw at things.[20]
    • Year released: Originally, 1950, but the toy wouldn’t blow up in popularity until it was purchased by Crayola in 1977. It was only inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2001, though, which speaks to how popular it was in the 90s.[21]
    • How to buy it today: It depends on how much you want to buy (we’ve been eyeing that 24-pack ourselves), but expect to spend $5-20.
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34

G.I. Joe

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  1. G.I. Joe was released by Hasbro as a kind of answer to Mattel’s Barbie. It turns out, they were totally on to something. The G.I. Joe made it socially acceptable for boys to play with dolls, and boy did kids lose their minds over these things.[22]
    • Year released: 1964. The doll became most popular starting in 1982, though (this is when Cobra Commander, Snake Eyes, and the other popular characters came out).
    • How to buy it today: This toy has only gotten more popular with age, so you have tons of options out there. Expect to spend around $10-30.
35

Tech Decks

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  1. Nothing felt cooler than landing a kickflip for the first time, and nothing felt worse than realizing you just made so much noise with your Tech Deck that your teacher now knows you’ve been channeling your inner Tony Hawk instead of taking notes.[23]
    • Year released: 1998.
    • How to buy it today: They’re actually still available in most toy stores, but you can also get them online for a few dollars a piece.
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36

Magic: The Gathering

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  1. Popularly known as one of the most complicated games ever made, Magic is a beloved game that still has a growing player base. There are also so many ways to play (or even just collect the cards) that there’s something in the game to appeal to everyone.[24]
    • Year released: 1993.
    • How to buy it today: Swing by any local game store and tell them you’re interested in trying the game out. They have decks and cards they’ll give you for free so you can see if the game is right for you![25]
37

Yu-Gi-Oh!

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  1. If you were more of an anime kid than a Dungeons and Dragons kid, you probably gravitated to a different card game in the 90s—Yu-Gi-Oh! Like Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh! is still wildly popular and widely played today.
    • Year released: 1996, but the card game didn’t come out until 1999.
    • How to buy it today: There are tons of different options available depending on how much you’re trying to spend.
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38

Vortex Football

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  1. The Vortex football helped to bridge the gap between “super soft Nerf football that has negative air resistance and can’t be thrown more than 10 feet” and “literal football, which is probably too hard for your hands because you’re a child.” It had a cool tail design that would spin in the air and ensure you had a perfect spiral every time.
    • Year released: 1993.
    • How to buy it today: They’re available online for $12-20.
39

Great Adventures Castle

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  1. Much like Brendan Frasier, the Great Adventures Castle by Fisher Price was extremely popular in the 90s, disappeared for unknown reasons, and has since been rediscovered for its beloved nostalgia and quality. These kids toys were weirdly everywhere despite having no popular IP or TV show attached to them. There was a really dope bundle that came with both the castle and a pirate ship, too.[26]
    • Year released: 1994.
    • How to buy it today: eBay is your best bet here. Prices range from $30 to $500, depending on the quality of the toy, its packaging, and how many figurines it comes with.
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40

Homies

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  1. We don’t know why these little Chicago-themed figurines were so popular, to be honest. You couldn’t really play with them the way you’d play with other similar toys, and there wasn’t really anything about them that seemed to pertain to kids, but kids were nonetheless enamored. You used to be most likely to find Homies in those little coin-op toy machines that used to populate the vestibules of laundromats and corner stores.[27]
    • Year released: 1998.
    • How to buy it today: You can buy original, sealed sets for $15-30 here.

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References

  1. ↑ https://computerhistory.org/blog/how-old-is-your-furby/
  2. ↑ https://gen.medium.com/my-mother-risked-it-all-on-the-beanie-baby-market-69f8bf4405dd
  3. ↑ https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/lite-brite/
  4. ↑ https://www.cassidylabs.com/blogs/ideas/the-foxtail-game-guide
  5. ↑ https://handheldhistory.games/tag/game-boy-color/
  6. ↑ https://bluebonnetvintage.com/blogs/blog/tiny-worlds-big-memories-the-allure-of-vintage-polly-pockets
  7. ↑ https://www.mentalfloss.com/fun/toys/tamagotchi-history
  8. ↑ https://blogs.uoregon.edu/pogsforfun/
  9. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/archives/when-the-tickle-me-elmo-toy-craze-led-to-a-trampling-1.4921367
  1. ↑ https://www.mentalfloss.com/fun/toys/12-hair-raising-facts-about-troll-dolls
  2. ↑ https://tedium.co/2019/12/10/power-wheels-history/
  3. ↑ https://screenshot-media.com/the-future/trends/truth-behind-moon-shoes/
  4. ↑ https://luckypennyshop.com/blogs/board-game-history-articles/mouse-trap-game-parts-history-how-has-the-game-changed
  5. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1992/12/23/the-ooze-of-the-hour-gak-is-kids-no-1-goo/123c006f-5372-43e3-b6d0-4756b2324d91/
  6. ↑ https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-03-07-hit-clips-didnt-make-any-sense-but-they-paved-the-way-for-the-future/
  7. ↑ https://www.mentalfloss.com/fun/toys/doodle-bear-90s-toy-origins
  8. ↑ https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1302005
  9. ↑ https://www.jamesspring.com/news/the-history-of-the-slinky
  10. ↑ https://www.thetriangle.org/opinion/what-made-the-nintendo-64-so-great/
  11. ↑ https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/silly-putty/
  12. ↑ https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/silly-putty/
  13. ↑ https://www.history.com/articles/action-figures-g-i-joe-star-wars
  14. ↑ https://www.skatethefoundry.com/the-rise-of-tech-deck/
  15. ↑ https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/sigmundausfresser-seo-07152024-why-you-should-play-magic-the-gathering
  16. ↑ https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/welcome-decks-return-to-your-local-game-store-in-2024
  17. ↑ https://thisoldtoy.com/L_FP_Set/toy-pages/7000s/7110-knightscastle.html
  18. ↑ https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/image/story/2022-12-06/how-iconic-homies-toys-created-style-archive-and-shaped-fashion-style-art-in-los-angeles

About This Article

Eireann Kanzig
Co-authored by:
Eireann Kanzig
Toy Collecting Expert
This article was co-authored by Eireann Kanzig and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Eireann Kanzig is a long-time toy collector based in Cleveland, Ohio. She began collecting toys in 2018 to preserve the wonderful memories of her childhood. As a millennial born in the 80’s and raised in the 90’s, her collection includes vintage and retro treasures and modern collectibles alike. Growing up, her grandparents owned an antique store, which allowed her the opportunity to see firsthand how items are tracked down. She was even able to go to Shipshewana, Indiana, to watch her grandfather as an auctioneer. Her mother has been a great influence as well by teaching her how to find collectibles throughout her travels. Eireann has also fostered a vibrant online community, sharing her personal collection and experiences with other toy collectors on social media @toyextraordineire.
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