130 Nostalgic Toys You May Have Forgotten Existed If You Were Born Pre-2000

Growing up, I had a plush version of Toto (Dorothy’s dog in The Wizard of Oz) that I was utterly obsessed with. I took that little ball of fake fur everywhere with me, and after a few years, he started looking extremely worn down. But I didn’t care. He meant everything to me and was the closest thing I had to a pet after begging my parents incessantly for a real puppy.

Toys from childhood can hold a lot of sentimental value, and seeing ones you’ve forgotten about can instantly flood you with nostalgia. So if you’re in the mood to reminisce about the past, you’ve come to the right place, pandas. We took a trip to the Vintage Toys subreddit and gathered some of their best pics below. Enjoy scrolling through this virtual toy collection, and be sure to upvote the ones you wish you still had!

#1 Found At Savers!

Image credits: mikaylarae86

To find out more about the Vintage Toys subreddit, we got in touch with one of the group’s moderators. They were kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share some background information about the community.

“r/VintageToys came about from a desire to have a place to discuss older toys. The modern toy scene, to our perspective, regularly seems to have issues of scalpers, unmet release dates, the unhealthy drive of chasing that new shiny release and just drama,” the mod noted. “Yes, there is some of that in the vintage scene as well, but in my experience it just seems less.”

“By focusing my collection on older toys, I’m aiming to avoid SOME of that nonsense. It has been a little weird watching the community grow from nothing. It’s been very organic,” they explained. “I’m not out there trying to recruit viewers or anything. Just posting about old toys and occasionally keeping the peace.”

#2 Found This In The Attic Of My “New” Old House

Image credits: Secret_Row_4602

So what makes vintage toys so special? “To my eye, vintage toys are just beautiful,” the moderator says. “I view them as art pieces that can connect me to my childhood.”

We also wanted to know if they had any favorite childhood toys. “I still have a good amount of my childhood toys. Unfortunately, my parents did purge a large part of my Jurassic Park collection when I was storing it in their basement during college,” they shared. “I’ve spent years restoring it piece by piece. Yes, I could go online and buy most of it, but that takes the fun out of the hunt.”

“I prefer checking out small Mom and Pop geek stores whenever I get the chance. One thing you can find at these smaller brick and mortar stores that you don’t find online is local connections,” the creator says. “My favorite location, Galactic Comics and Collectables in Bangor, ME, is a perfect example of this. They have really helped me fill some of the holes in my collection. Recently they were able to hook me up with a bunch of Battle Beasts.”

#3 My Parents Surprised Me This Past Weekend With All Of My Childhood Toys. I Assumed They Were Gone Forever

Image credits: Demonic-Tooter

We also wanted to know what the members are like in r/VintageToys. “The community itself is quite peaceful and rarely needs much moderating, despite the growing amount of traffic,” the moderator says.

“It helps that it really isn’t a divisive topic. Honestly, most of the moderating is removing people trying to sell stuff unsolicited,” they continued. “Our community is a place of appreciation, not a marketplace. People come here to talk about and look at cool vintage toys. There are more than enough digital marketplaces; we don’t need to be another.”

#4 I Believe This Is Every Marble From My Grampa’s Collection!

Image credits: mrl1957

Finally, we asked the moderator about their favorite posts in the group. “My favorite posts are when someone has been trying to identify or locate a replacement for a particular toy, and the community comes through and is able to tell them what it is and where they can find one,” they shared. “This is especially true for plush toys. Almost everyone grows up with some kind of stuffed animal and remembers it fondly. However, most of them are hard to ID. So when we can help those people, it is very satisfying.”

#5 I Clean Out A Lot Of Hoarded Houses And Garages And I Found These From 1979 Recently! They Aren’t Worth A Lot, But They Look Cool As Hell And Are In Pretty Good Condition!

Image credits: Hollywizzle311

#6 My Dad (70), A Retired Nuclear Engineer, Has Actively Collected Vintage Toys For 35-Years

Image credits: MrProdigal

What was your favorite toy as a child? Were you super into Legos or more of a Lincoln Logs kid? Or perhaps you loved Barbie and Polly Pocket? Personally, I was super into Webkinz and American Girl Dolls. I even took a trip to the American Girl Place in Chicago to have a tea party with my mom, and it was an experience I’ll never forget.

Nowadays, kids seem to have extremely high-tech options when it comes to toys. I see many playing games on iPads and zooming drones through public parks. But even though the toys of the past were simple, they were extremely loved. And many encouraged kids to actually use their imaginations!

#7 Friends Dad Passed 4 Years Ago, These Things Were Nearly Thrown Away

Image credits: Lrd01

#8 Dad Worked At Pizza Hut. Brought This Home For Me In 1988

Image credits: MisterListerReseller

#9 My Grandpa (84 Years Old) Has A 1977 Kenner Star Wars Collection. Does Anyone Know The Approximate Value?

Image credits: No-Bet6209

Many of the toys featured on this list were all the rage decades ago. But some of them are still super valuable today! Paris 35 wrote a piece explaining why that is, and they first noted that these old school toys “carry history, culture and the tech know-how of their eras.” These toys are rare today, and they have a certain je ne sais quoi that you just won’t find in the mass-produced plastic toys being shipped out from Amazon warehouses all over the globe.

#10 Found A 1987 Jcpenney X-Mas Catalog This Weekend

Image credits: mongo4mayor

#11 Found This Today At An Antique Mall…..so Many Memories!

Image credits: QuoteCandid

#12 Got This Guy At The Thrift Store For $4 My 2 Year Old Loves It

Image credits: leospaceman4

When we look back on toys from the past, Paris 35 notes that there have been several distinct vintage toy eras. First, we had early wooden toys. Then tin toys came onto the scene. After World War II, new materials like plastic started appearing in children’s toys. Then, licensed merchandise started becoming incredibly popular. In fact, this is still the case today, as Star Wars, Disney and similar franchises seem to dominate the toy aisles.

#13 This Week’s Landfill Finds

Image credits: reddit.com

#14 Little People Sets From Parents’ House

Image credits: jleestone

#15 Some Vintage Toys That Are At My Grandmas

Image credits: Soundslykdepression

If you’ve got some vintage toys of your own laying around the house and you’re curious about how much they’re worth, Paris 35 says that it depends on a few factors. First, consider the rarity and demand of the toy. How many were produced, and how widely available were they back in the day? And if you manage to get your hands on something rare today, it will be a lot more valuable if it’s in great condition. Of course, it also has to be an authentic piece, rather than a knock-off.

#16 Antique Games We Found In The Attic Today. They All Look To Be Around 1920’s

Image credits: Flimsy_Situation_506

#17 Pulled Up To An Antiques Shop And This Was Waiting For Me Outside. I Had To Have It

Image credits: tracylane74

#18 Found My Favorite Wagon As A Kid!

Image credits: KarenR21

Some of the most popular vintage toys that are certainly worth collecting are classic action figures, timeless board games and beloved childhood dolls. If these items are still in their boxes in mint condition, you could probably sell them for a pretty penny. But you might not even want to! They could be special family heirlooms that you’ll want to continue passing down for generations. And if you’re holding onto a board game, be careful not to lose any of the pieces!

#19 Cootie Game Toy Sealed Schaper Vintage 1976

Image credits: HammerHimToday1128

#20 My Vintage Happy Meal Transformer Toys

Image credits: icunucme2

#21 $6,000,000 Man

Image credits: jleestone

If you’re on the lookout for your favorite toy from childhood, start checking out online marketplaces and auctions. You might also be able to find what you want in a local antique shop or at an estate sale. It could take months, or even years, to get your hands on a vintage piece. But it will be worth it when you get to hold it in your hands and feel that magic of childhood all over again!

#22 Had Since I Was 3

Image credits: Unique-Historian2767

#23 Halloween Mcnuggets!

Image credits: poopoopeepeeboy88

#24 Some Vintage Toy Finds At My Local Thrift Store Today. A Little Piece Of Someone’s Childhood Was Dropped Off Here

Image credits: cje1220

We hope you’re enjoying this list of nostalgic toys, pandas! Keep upvoting all of your favorites, and let us know in the comments below what memories these toys bring up for you. Then, if you’d like to see even more images that will instantly transport you back in time, we recommend checking out this Bored Panda list next!