McDonald’s TY Teenie Beanie Babies
Here’s something that’ll blow your mind – those tiny Beanie Babies from McDonald’s Happy Meals are worth way more than you’d expect. All 10 mint condition, unwrapped TY Beanie Babies from McDonald’s 1997 promotion go for around $370 on eBay now. But here’s the reality check most people need to hear.
Known as “Teenie Beanie Babies,” they were sold in sets of twelve, like this one. Unopened and in good condition, resale value $16-$18 for the set. The truth is, most McDonald’s Teenie Beanie Babies aren’t making anyone rich, despite what you might read online. Current value of most beanie babies are less than $20, most are in the $5-8 range.
However, there’s one exception that collectors go absolutely crazy for. That’s the International Bears collection of four Teenies bears that included Britannia from Britain, Erin from Ireland, Glory from the U.S., and Maple from Canada. You can rake in some cash for a set of all four, but it’s worth noting the Britannia bear alone (in its OG packaging, for whatever reason) sold for $10,000 on its own. Talk about hitting the jackpot with a Happy Meal!
Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Complete Set
Now this is where things get really interesting – McDonald’s 1996 Disney’s 101 Dalmatians promotion was absolutely insane. This premium consisted of dozens of different PVC figures. The figures were distributed randomly to the different restaurants and came in an opaque bag. Imagine trying to collect all 101 different puppies!
The complete sets are where serious collectors put their money. A set of 101 Dalmatians Happy Meal toys from 1996 sold on eBay for just under $400. The listing included all 101 figurines in their carrying case and a certificate of authenticity. That’s some serious cash for what started as free Happy Meal toys.
The 101 Dalmatians toy collection from 1996 remains a prized set for collectors, especially Disney fans. Released alongside the live-action movie, this set featured 101 unique Dalmatian figurines. Complete sets, especially those with extra pieces or still sealed in their original packaging, are now in high demand and can fetch impressive prices. The nostalgic factor, combined with the popularity of the Disney movie, has led these toys to become a must-have for collectors.
Burger King Pokémon Gold Cards
Remember when Pokémon was taking over the world? Burger King capitalized on that craze in the most brilliant way possible. The best of these collections though were the gold-plated cards that came in a Pokéball case. A complete set of these can sell for over 100 dollars! These weren’t just regular trading cards – they were actual gold-plated collectibles.
A complete set goes for $325 on eBay. The fact that these came from a fast-food restaurant makes them even more remarkable. The various cards that came in the set were Charizard, Pikachu, Mewtwo, Jigglypuff, Togepi, and Poliwhirl. They were so cool, that’s it is hard to believe they were kids meal toys.
What makes these cards especially valuable is their crossover appeal – they attract both Pokémon collectors and fast-food toy enthusiasts. The quality was surprisingly high for a promotional item, and the gold plating has held up remarkably well over the years.
McDonald’s Changeables Transformers
Here’s a toy line that perfectly captured the transformer craze of the ’80s with a McDonald’s twist. The lack of retail availability of the Transformer toys, especially at first, paved the way for many imitators, a category that also encompasses a McDonald’s Happy Meal toy: Changeables. Just like Transformers, Changeables could also be converted into robots, but instead of turning into a semi-truck or Lamborghini Countach, the Changeables’ base form was a popular food item, such as a burger, fries, or an ice cream cone.
The concept was genius – instead of cars and planes, these robots transformed into McDonald’s menu items. ‘Changeables’ was a toy series produced by McDonald’s and given as the prize inside a Happy Meal. The series took advantage of the transformable robot gimmick popularized in the 1980s; only the ‘Changeables’ turned into popular McDonald’s menu items.
While the Changeables clearly aren’t as valuable as some of the original Transformer toys that inspired them, which can be worth thousands of dollars today, collections can still go for $80 to $150. Not bad for toys that were originally free with a kid’s meal!
McDonald’s Furby Collection
The late ’90s Furby craze was absolutely wild, and McDonald’s jumped on that bandwagon with mini versions that kids went crazy for. This was the case with the Furby toys in 1999 and the subsequent clip-on key chains, which were included in McDonald’s Happy Meals and brought joy to kids everywhere. These weren’t just cheap imitations either.
Released at the height of Furby mania in 1999, the Furby set is a rare find for collectors of both pop culture and fast-food memorabilia. Featuring eight different Furby-themed toys, each capturing the quirky electronic character in miniature form, this set became a fan favorite. The display piece, often found in pristine condition, is particularly valuable for serious collectors.
The timing couldn’t have been better – Furby toys were selling out everywhere, and suddenly McDonald’s had mini versions available. The fact that there were eight different variations made collecting them all a real challenge, which only adds to their current value among collectors who remember the original Furby phenomenon.
Burger King Star Wars Complete the Saga Set
Even though the prequel trilogy gets a lot of hate, the Burger King toys from that era are actually pretty valuable now. Burger King’s Star Wars “Complete the Saga” Toys (2005) … These toys might be the one and only good thing to come out of that poor excuse for a Star Wars trilogy George Lucas unleashed on the world in the early aughts. This seller is asking for around $70, but I think you could get way more because I’m a Star Wars geek and I know how crazy we all are.
Star Wars collectors are notoriously passionate, and they’ll pay premium prices for complete sets from any era of the franchise. The 2005 “Complete the Saga” series covered all six movies that existed at the time, making it a comprehensive collection that appeals to fans of both the original trilogy and the prequels.
What’s interesting is how these toys have aged better than the movies they promoted. While the prequel films remain controversial, the toys have become nostalgic reminders of that specific moment in Star Wars history, making them more valuable to collectors who want to own a piece of the complete saga.
McDonald’s Halloween Boo Buckets
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These orange plastic pumpkin buckets weren’t technically toys, but they’ve become some of the most sought-after McDonald’s collectibles ever made. If you still have a couple of these scary Happy Meal accessories stashed away at the bottom of the closet, even a small collection is worth from about $50 to $100. It also stands to reason that the older buckets are more valuable, with a collection of three from 1990 selling for $150 on eBay in 2023.
The Boo Buckets hit different because they weren’t just meal containers – they became part of Halloween tradition for millions of kids. Parents would let their children use them for trick-or-treating, and many families kept them year after year as decorations.
The nostalgic value is incredible because these buckets represent both McDonald’s history and childhood Halloween memories. Unlike typical Happy Meal toys that might get lost or broken, the buckets were sturdy and functional, which means more of them survived in good condition, but the emotional attachment people have to them drives up their collectible value significantly.
Who would’ve thought that those free toys you got with your Happy Meals could turn into such valuable treasures? The fast-food toy collecting world proves that sometimes the most unexpected items become the most sought-after collectibles. Whether it’s the nostalgia factor, the difficulty of finding complete sets, or just the pure joy these toys brought to millions of childhoods, one thing’s certain – that old box of Happy Meal toys in your attic might be worth more than you think.
