DO you have old toys cluttering up cupboards in your home? If so you could be sitting on a small fortune. Popular vintage toys sold on second-hand selling platform eBay for hundreds or even thousands of pounds last year, according to a study of eBay sold prices data by insurer Home Protect. And they don't necessarily need to be very rare items - many of those fetching the highest prices are simply old versions no longer available to buy from retailers.

Some of the most popular toys going for hefty prices include vintage Barbie and Bratz dolls, My Little Pony figurines, old Lego sets, Playmobil and Sylvannian families sets and beloved beanie babies. David Joyson, home insurance and consumer expert at Home Protect, said: "In an age where nostalgia is more profitable than ever, particularly with the resurgence of brands like Barbie, there has never been a better time to cash in on your childhood favourites.

"This growing trend, especially fuelled by online auction platforms like eBay, reveals that some toys are more than just sentimental keepsakes - they’re valuable assets. "From Lego Star Wars sets to rare My Little Pony figures, these toys have proven to be worth a small fortune. ". Here are some of the most valuable toys that sold on eBay last year. The most expensive toy found to have sold on eBay in 2024 was the Lego Star Wars Cloud City set, which resold for £2,050.

The set from 2003 is considered to be relatively rare - particularly box sets in good conditions with all of the pieces, which has pushed up its price tag. Next up was the Skull's Eye Schooner Pirate Ship, with a set fetching £1,700. Meanwhile the Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collectors Millenium Falcon sold for £1,120. Bearing in mind most of these sets originally retailed for less than £100, sellers could make a huge profit on their old toys.

The Star Wars Cloud City set, for example, sold in 2003 for £99.99, meaning it resold for a 1,950% markup. Barbie has also made a comeback since the smash hit film was released in 2023. "Barbies also hold significant worth, with rare items seeing strong demand, particularly following Barbie’s recent resurgence in popularity due to the live-action film," David said. An old Barbie horse toy in an unopened box resold last year on eBay for a whopping £928.

The companion to Barbie, released in 2001, comes with a saddle and bridle and a long mane that can be used to create fun and fancy hairstyles. The particular edition that sold for the high price tag on eBay was in pristine condition and in its original, unopened box. Toys in mint condition tend to fetch higher prices than items that look noticeably used or don't have original packaging or tags. David said: "The pre-owned item was sold in its original, unopened box in pristine condition.".

And a chic Silkstone Fashion Model Barbie doll resold for £300 last year. The doll, introduced in the year 2000, is dressed like an artist and wears a black beret perched atop her blonde hair and a trendy black and white striped top. And the doll comes with accompanying art supplies, including a palette and brushes. A particularly popular My Little Pony figurine fetched a whopping £1,022.48 on eBay last year.

The vintage G1 My Little Pony Orange Cotton Candy doll wtih a Flat Foot and Unmarked Hoof was sold for the hefty sum after receiving 25 bids, despite not even having its original box. David said: "This shows that when it comes to rare and unique items, collectors are willing to pay top dollar, even without perfect packaging.". That wasn't the only toy in the My Little Pony collection to make a mint. A pre-owned My Little Pony advent calendar, the G1 MLP Advent Calendar, resold for £94 even without its original box.

A mint condition TY Beanie Babies Billionaire 14 teddy sold on eBay for a whopping £475 in 2024. The particularly rare version of the teddy, known as the "employee exclusive" version, was pre-owned but came with its original packaging. Other top Beanie Babies selling last year included the Billionaire 13 and Billionaire 7 teddies, as well as a very rare Dusty Chicago Cubs bear from 2003, which sold for £75.

Other old toys fetching high sums on eBay include Bratz dolls, Playmobil sets, Furby toys and Sylvanian Families sets. A collector's Bratz doll fetched £539 last year, while an Era 1 Furby toy sold for £199. "If you come across an item you think may have a high value, get it professionally valued," David said. You can list up to 300 items on eBay for free every month and sellers no longer pay any kind of fee, so you'll keep your whole profit.