Vintage video game consoles and toys that have been gathering dust for decades are now selling for thousands of pounds on eBay, with an original Atari 2600 console in its 1977 box fetching between £2,600 and £4,000. This contrasts sharply with today's must-have consoles like the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X, which retail for around £450.
Atari sold 30 million consoles during its heyday, with iconic games such as Space Invaders, Frogger, and Asteroids. Other retro toys are also commanding high prices, including Action Man figures, which cost just £2.23 in 1970. Last week, a rare Action Man Lancer doll was listed for £1,100, and a Colditz play set for £850.
Airfix models, originally priced at 10p, have become valuable collectibles; an Airfix Attack Force Set recently sold for £2,479. BMX Mongoose Supergoose bikes, which cost £219 in the 1980s, can now fetch up to £3,000 in pristine condition. Raleigh Choppers, originally £34 in the 1970s, have seen even higher prices, with a Mark 1 version in bright orange listed on eBay for around £4,595.
Even inflatable Space Hoppers are selling for a profit, with prices reaching £70—a £67 increase from their 1970 cost. The humble Etch-a-Sketch, once £3, can now sell for £50. Toy collector Mark Newbold, editor-in-chief of Star Wars website Fantha Tracks, noted: 'There is a huge amount of nostalgia. People were throwing away these consoles in the 1980s because they were considered old. To find one now in good condition could be very lucrative.' He added that a Princess Leia figure in excellent condition recently sold for £9,000 at auction.
