Unopened toys could be more than a plaything

Years ago when I worked for a law firm the couple who ran the office use to tell us interesting stories about their friends. One time they were spending Christmas at a hotel with another family and noticed how the parents doted over their children, showering them with expensive gifts. It is perfectly understandable and natural and my mum and dad did exactly the same thing for me and my sisters. If they could afford it they bought it. My parents went out of their way, come rain or shine, to get us what we wanted for our birthdays.

This couple told us an interesting story about how the other couple bought an electric car for their child, as well as toys that were not so expensive. To their amusement, the child played with the car for something like half an hour and didn’t touch it again. He seemed to find the less expensive toy more interesting.

I am now beginning to think that this is a good thing. Parents, do not be offended or annoyed with your child if he shows little or temporary interest in a toy you worked hard to get hold of. We know there are toy collectors out there. They will buy anything that is likely to increase in value some time down the line. But as toy collectors will tell you that if they were to buy certain toys from you, those toys need to fulfil certain conditions in order for them to increase in value later on.

For example, the original packaging must not only be intact but pristine. It’s got to look like it was never opened and the toy must look like it was never played with. So if your child doesn’t even touch it, do not think of it as a total waste of money. Think of it as…an investment.

So do you wonder what toys you have that might be worth a bit? Well, if you’re a child of the 70s, it is likely that your mum and dad bought you the ‘Six Million Dollar Man’ doll. He had bionic eyes through which you could see and a bionic arm and bionic legs. I believe we have one lying around our house too but sadly his clothes have vanished and he is no longer bionic! Plus the original packaging in which he came was thrown out years ago. Ours, therefore, isn’t worth a penny. But if yours looks like it came off the shelf then you never know.

If you’re a child of the 90s, there’s a whole load of toys that are definitely worth quite a bit of money now.

Firstly, I didn’t even know that a Happy Meal Toy included Inspector Gadget. I’ve bought many a happy meal in the past and most of the toys given out ended up where they belonged, in the bin. Is this only in certain countries? Anyway, if you’ve ever received one and it’s still in good condition, keep it safe and out of your kids’ hands.

Before mobile phones these devices were all the rage. Tamagotchi Digital Pets were very popular with children who wanted a pet but for various reasons were not allowed one. So if you have one lying around in its packaging, again keep it safe.

Also sought after are the Harry Potter Books, the full set of Pokémon Cards and all the Disney video tapes in VHS format. But the videos have to be in excellent working condition and preferably still in their cellophane wrappers.

Everyone has toys from the ‘old days’ lying around their homes. But it’s not just about the toy itself. Collectors of antiques, and if they are 20 or 30 years old, that is what they are, do have certain stringent requirements when purchasing them from you because to them it is an investment. The packaging must be intact. In other words, if the item has been opened, it fetches far less than had it been sealed in its original packaging. It should even have the price tag attached to it. Collectors also like to purchase a full set from a seller, because that also adds value to the item and their purchase.

I personally find that all this toy collecting defeats the purpose of buying them in the first place. You buy them for your children so that they can play with them and are entertained. It seems that parents cannot buy these toys expecting them to increase in value some years down the line because they will have been used already.

It seems that toy collecting is for geeks and toy selling is for people who do not have children. Am I right?