The vintage toys Glasgow loved - and how much they could be worth now

Many of the old toys and games Glaswegians loved in the 70s, 80s and 90s are worth a fortune today.

Can you bear to part with that My Little Pony? Is there a Furby lurking in your loft? 

Researchers at Cath Kidston’s lifestyle department have looked at the toys which dominated the market throughout those decades – and discovered what they might be worth if you sell them today.

The 1970s were an exciting time for the British toy industry. Many new playthings were influenced by pop culture and TV shows, such as GI Joe and Star Wars, and this decade saw the rise of electronic toys. 

Spacehoppers were all the rage, which at least meant kids could enjoy some physical activity as well as all the increasing screen time.

Flashy Hot Wheels cars took the industry by storm shortly after their release in 1968, but they became a definitive toy of the 70s – and they are still popular today.

If you were to sell your 1970s collection - depending on which cars are in your possession, and the condition they are in – you could make some decent money. In 2022, the 1971 Magenta Sugar Caddy was valued at £1053 and the 1971 Porsche 911 Momo 277 Urban Outlaw at £1620.

Classic toys such as Hornby trains and Corgi die-cast cars are always sought after too.

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Alexander White, age five, is pictured here in 2008 in the Glasgow Model Centre on Cathcart Road when the two companies announced they were merging.

Alexander White, 5, with Hornby and Corgi models in 2008 (Image: Newsquest)

The Corgi brand was created in the 1930s by a Northampton firm called Mettoy, and it launched its first die-cast cars in 1956. Its best-selling model was a James Bond Aston Martin DB5, and other popular models include a John Player Special Lotus Formula 1 racing car and a Batmobile launched in 1966. It moved into the adult collector market in the 1980s.

Hornby is famous for its trains, of course, but also owns car racing brand Scalextric and Airfix aeroplane model kits.

Older readers will remember clackers, which were first sold in the late 60s, and which became a playground staple in the 70s and 80s.

Our photographers captured Woodside Senior Secondary pupil Alice Forsyth, 12, demonstrating exactly how to play clackers to her classmates in the 80s.

Though originally released in the 1950s, Fisher-Price Little People remained a popular toy throughout the 1970s. These iconic plastic play figures allowed for imaginative and creative play that could last for hours.

According to the Cath Kidston research, vintage sets of Little People are going for almost £300 on eBay.

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In the 1980s, the popularity of electronic toys continued to grow rapidly, but two of the most popular buys had nothing to do with technology.

Coleco introduced a line of dolls called the Cabbage Patch Kids, which came with adoption papers and birth certificates, and they took the country by storm. Now, they could be worth a lot of money. Recently, Teresa Ann, a 1985 Cabbage Patch Doll, sold for £1600 on eBay, while a 1986 Anna Greta went for £655.

In 1982, Hasbro released a line of small, colourful, plastic ponies which came with a variety of grooming accessories including brushes and combs. My Little Pony was an instant hit and now, if you’re the owner of an original collection, you could be sitting on hundreds of pounds. The rare Baby Minty Pony can pick up around £420 on the resale market, and the rarer Rapunzel My Little Pony can sell for over £1200 on eBay.

Luxury gaming consoles such as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis arrived in the 90s, and children went mad for Sonic the Hedgehog and Mortal Combat.

Buzz Lightyear toys, from the movie Toy Story, caused huge queues up and down the country as parents snapped them up.

Tamagotchi, from Japanese company Bandi, introduced as to digital pets, which had to be fed, played with and cared for. Nowadays, an original British Tamagotchi could make up to £3500. A Tamagotchi Original White Lotte could even reach £50,500.

And popular TV show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers gave 90s kids the chance to buy some cool action figures and playsets, which are now selling for up to £200 online.

Which favourite toys do you remember from childhood?

Have you held on to them and kept them in mint condition? Or did you make a mint selling them online?

Get in touch with Times Past by emailing ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.