10 McDonalds Happy Meal Toys From the '90s That Are Worth a Small Fortune

Thanks in part to '90s nostalgia, some everyday items from the decade have become valuable collectibles. Online marketplaces like eBay and Etsy have made it possible to earn extra money by selling nostalgic knick-knacks, including some fan-favorite McDonald's Happy Meal toys. 

However, before listing your old Changeables or Teenie Beanie Babies, it's key to understand what creates value. Most Happy Meal toys were produced by the millions and are not worth much.

A select few, like the 10 listed below, have been known to sell for serious cash.

Editor's note: All market value estimates come from eBay, unless otherwise stated.

Vintage Boo Buckets

Estimated market value: $100

Boo Buckets were part of a Halloween Happy Meal promotion. The orange, green, and white buckets, meant to look like a Jack-O-Lantern, a ghost, and a witch, were first released in the 1980s and went through several variations. All of these vintage Boo Buckets can be valuable, particularly if you have a set.

Some enthusiasts think that 1992 was the last year McDonald's released truly authentic buckets. Recently, a well-kept but slightly worn set of three from the year sold on eBay for nearly $100.

'Power Rangers' figurines

Estimated market value: $79

Never one to miss a pop culture phenomenon, McDonald's partnered with the "Power Rangers" franchise for the release of the 1995 film, "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie."

The Happy Meal toys, which featured all six Rangers each with their own color-coordinated vehicle, were a huge hit, and many fans attempted to collect them all. The toys are significantly more valuable if you have a full set with toys in original packaging.

Recent eBay sales indicate a sealed set is worth nearly $80 today, while a set with all the Rangers unwrapped is worth about $30.

McDino Changeables

Estimated market value: $65

Perhaps inspired by the popularity of "Transformers," McDonald's began offering "Changeable" toys in Happy Meals in 1987. There were a few different releases over the next few years, including McDino Changeables, which were introduced in 1990.

The toys are shaped like popular McDonald's menu items, like hamburgers, fries, and a box of hotcakes, and can be transformed into dinosaurs. You typically need a toy in its original packaging to earn a solid payout, and offering a full set is even better.

Recent eBay sales show a full set of eight McDino Changeables tends to sell for about $65 today.

Halloween McNugget Buddies

Estimated market value: $40-$80

In the '80s and '90s, McDonald's ran several promotions where it turned its menu items into popular Happy Meal toys, like McNugget Buddies. The plastic McNugget toys came with removable parts à la Mr. Potato Head. 

Throughout the '90s, the restaurant released Halloween versions that featured the McNuggets in costumes like a spider, rock star, princess, and even Ronald McDonald.

A set of six sealed Halloween Buddies from 1996 recently sold on eBay for $60. Even when opened, sets have been known to sell for $40 to $80. A 1992 McNugget Buddy dressed as a pumpkin seems to be particularly valuable.

Teenie Beanie Babies sets

Estimated market value: $30-$72

Beanie Babies were all the rage in the '90s, and many (wrongly) assumed that large collections of the cuddly bean-stuffed toys would go on to become incredibly valuable. Most are not, and that includes the smaller versions, Teenie Beanie Babies, which McDonald's released with Happy Meals in the late '90s.

There is some value in full sets or large hauls of the toys in their original packaging, though. They were first released in 1997 in a set of 10, which included fan favorites like Patti the platypus and Pinky the flamingo. An opened version of the full set recently sold on eBay for $30.

In 1998, another set of 12 Teenie Beanie Babies was released, and a full set of those with original packaging recently sold for $72.

'101 Dalmatians' sets

Estimated market value: $15-$90

To promote the release of the 1996 "101 Dalmatians" film, McDonald's actually released 101 adorable puppy toys that immediately set off mass collecting from fans of both franchises.

There is even a special collector's box, complete with a Dalmatian-spotted cover, that has space for all 101 toys and can be quite valuable today. Though they have sold for upwards of $100 in the past, recent sales on eBay suggest the going rate is about $90.

On their own, sets of a few dalmatians tend to sell for around $15 to $40 depending on the size of the lot.

Super Mario Bros. 3 toys and boxes

Estimated market value: $50-$64

"Super Mario Bros. 3" was first released in the U.S. in 1990, and naturally McDonald's marked the occasion with a set of Happy Meal toys. Collectors seem to be willing to shell out serious cash for both the toys and for the Happy Meal boxes they came in, which featured characters from the game and puzzles fans could complete.

Recently, a sealed set featuring all four toys, Mario, Luigi, Little Goomba, and Koopa Paratroopa, sold for $50 on eBay. A set of the Happy Meal boxes sold for $64.

Inspector Gadget figure

Estimated market value: $45

To promote the release of a new "Inspector Gadget" movie in 1999, McDonald's offered a fun and very on-theme Happy Meal promotion that included the Inspector split up into eight different collectible pieces.

To put the Inspector together, customers needed to get all eight of his parts, a unique feature that has contributed to the toy's value today. On eBay, the going rate for all eight parts is about $45 if they are sealed in their original packaging. Opened, the full figure tends to sell for $25 or less.

My Little Pony figures

Estimated market value: $5-$22

McDonald's has done several partnerships with the "My Little Pony" franchise throughout the years, but 1998 was the first time Happy Meals came with actual miniature versions of the colorful toy ponies.

Recent sales on eBay suggest that the toys, when sealed in their original packaging, tend to sell for around $5 for a single pony and just over $20 for a set of four.

A 1984 partnership between McDonald's and "My Little Pony" yielded more valuable bookmark Happy Meal toys.

"Jurassic Park" cups

Estimated market value: $90

This one is an honorable mention, since McDonald's technically released their series of "Jurassic Park" cups with standard meals rather than Happy Meals, but the cups are considered collectible and can be seriously valuable.

In the early '90s, ahead of the film's release, McDonald's offered a set of six "Jurassic Park" themed plastic cups, each adorned with a different dinosaur.

A full set in decent condition is worth about $90 today.

Bottom line

Selling collectibles can be a fun way to make some extra money on the side, and you may even have some highly sought-after, vintage McDonald's toys hidden away in an attic or basement.

However, it is important to consider what truly makes one of these toys valuable. Sets sell for much more than single items, and toys kept in original packaging tend to attract more attention.

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