35 Old McDonald's Toys That Are Actually Worth Money
You remember these, right? Everyone does. McDonald’s toys weren’t just a mainstay for most of our childhoods. They were what got a lot of us started as collectors.
McDonald’s toys just aren’t the same today. Partly because they aren’t horrifying. In the old days, everything was made with poorly constructed plastic molds. Even the really cool toys had a bit of a, well, melty aura.
That doesn't mean they're not worth anything, though. In fact, here are a few of the most valuable McDonald’s toys. Some of them may still be collecting dust in your old bedroom.
35. 1998 Ronald and Pals Happy Meal Set
Released: 1998
Sold: Aug. 1, 2022
Price: $44.96
*Note: Prices are based on eBay sales for the complete McDonald's toy set, unless otherwise noted.
Why the Set Is Valuable
For some reason, Halloween toys are almost always hits. This Ronald and Pals Haunted Halloween McDonald’s Happy Meal set was an actual display used at a McDonald's restaurant in the 1990s.
McDonald’s ran their 1998 promotion nationally from Oct. 9 to Oct. 29, and most of the displays themselves were tossed out afterward. This 20-inch display survived, including all six toys: Iam Hungry, Witch Birdie, Black Cat Grimace, Jack-o-lantern McNugget Buddy, Ghost Ronald, Scarecrow Hamburglar and Ghoul.
How are we already craving fries just reading this?
34. Kung Fu Panda
Released: 2008
Sold: Dec. 10, 2021
Price: $60
Why the Set Is Valuable
The reality is that pretty much every major movie release gets a McDonald’s toy. So the question is: What makes some items collectibles and some not?
It could be the popularity of the movie. After all, "Kung Fu Panda" was wildly successful. It could also be exactly how well the figures lend themselves to the McDonald’s toy format.
You can see right here that the Kung Fu Panda characters make for adorable figurines in a way that, say, "The Shining" never will.
32. Space Jam 2 (Tie)
Released: 2021
Sold: March 14, 2022
Price: $75
Why the Set Is Valuable
It’s possible that you either don’t remember or weren’t aware that there was a "Space Jam" sequel, called "Space Jam 2: A New Legacy." If this is true, we're sorry.
If you were aware of this series, in which … basketball defeats the internet … you might be interested in this set of 14 collectible figures from the movie, which includes mainstays such as Marvin the Martian and Lola Bunny.
32. Jurassic World (Tie)
Released: 2020
Sold: Jan. 15, 2022
Price: $75
Why the Set Is Valuable
Whether you loved or hated "Jurassic World," there’s something we can all agree on: Dinosaurs are fun to play with.
The "Jurassic World" toy set included 12 movable pieces, with fan favorites such as the T-Rex and Brachiosaurus.
The packaging of each shows how each toy can be manipulated.
31. Disney’s Toy Story 2
Released: 1999
Sold: Jan. 3, 2022
Price: $78
Why the Set Is Valuable
Is it weird to collect toys that are known for coming to life when you aren’t looking at them?
This McDonald's toy set includes pretty much every recognizable toy from the "Toy Story 2" movie, which gives it a bit of an ominous vibe, especially because they are shrinkwrapped forever.
The complete set included an incredible number of 20 toys, which doesn’t seem possible for the movie.
27. Nintendo’s Super Mario (Tie)
Released: 2017
Sold: Feb. 2, 2022
Price: $80
Why the Set Is Valuable
Celebrate one of the video game’s classics with the Nintendo Super Mario set. This set includes Mario (of course), Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Toadstool, and Bowser. Plus an empty turtle shell. You were probably a bit disappointed if you got the empty turtle shell.
Is it weird that Princess Peach always has markedly different sizes and proportions to Mario and Luigi? It’s like she’s a tiny doll in a large world. This certainly isn’t the only Mario toy that was released for McDonald’s — they’ve even done Mario Kart — but it is currently one of the most collectible.
27. Happy Meal Toys (Tie)
Released: 1988
Sold: Feb. 11, 2022
Price: $80
Why the Set Is Valuable
Does this feel weird to you? You purchase a McDonald’s Happy Meal, and you receive one of four toys.
These toys are very small, plastic, personified versions of the food you’re eating. As you eat your fries, you stare at your fries. Your fries stare back.
27. Muppet Babies (Tie)
Released: 1986
Sold: March 14, 2022
Price: $80
Why the Set Is Valuable
There was a time (a weird time) when every franchise was turned into babies. Muppet Babies, Looney Tune Babies, A-Team Babies, whatever.
This set of five includes Kermit, Fozzie and Miss Piggy. Probably the most fun part of this is that these are sold as display collectibles, which are absolutely not for children or babies.
27. SpongeBob SquarePants (Tie)
Released: 2021
Sold: Jan. 22, 2022
Price: $80
Why the Set Is Valuable
Some children’s shows defy explanation. Based on the popular children’s show "SpongeBob SquarePants," this McDonald’s set included 10 toys.
Many of the toys were just various iterations of the character SpongeBob SquarePants, going about his happy-go-lucky lifestyle.
26. 2001 McDonald's Snoopy Happy Meal Toys
Released: 2001
Sold: July 27, 2022
Price: $87.57
Why the Set Is Valuable
"Peanuts" has been around since 1950. Charlie Brown might be the star, but everyone knows his beloved sidekick Snoopy is the best character.
In 2001, McDonald's collaborated with "Peanuts" to release 16 different Snoopy toys, aptly titled "The Many Lives of Snoopy." For under $100, you can have the complete set.
Chicken McNuggets sold separately.
25. Mr. Men And Little Miss Figures McDonald's Happy Meal Toy
Released: 2019
Sold: Aug. 1, 2022
Price: $92.28
Why the Set Is Valuable
Mr. Men and Little Miss was a popular animated TV show for kids that aired from 1994 to 1997. It was based on a book series by British author Roger Hargreaves, and it was extremely popular in France. It later caught on in the U.S., and the series is currently seeing a huge resurgence.
"Little Miss" memes have caught on like wildfire, so now might be a good time to sell your Little Miss toys.
23. Vintage McDonalds Happy Meal Girl Doll (Tie)
Released: 1997
Sold: Aug. 11, 2022
Price: $99
Why the Set Is Valuable
Not all McDonald's toys were tiny plastic junk. Some were big plastic junk, like their series of Happy Meal baby dolls. Actually, they were surprisingly well made for something produced by a burger chain.
For doll collectors, this one might be worth investing in just for its historic value. It was never opened, discovered in a private collection and stored away for years.
23. Marvel Comics Vintage 19902 Happy Meal (Tie)
Released: 1990
Sold: July 20, 2022
Price: $99.99
Why the Set Is Valuable
Any small, free toy is all but guaranteed to go over well with kids. These McDonald's toys, however, were popular among grownups too.
Marvel fans in the '90s scrambled to get ahold of these, and the set sold on eBay included all eight original toys. The set has a few dings in the cheap plastic, but the toys themselves are in mint condition.
21. Furbies (Tie)
Released: 1998
Sold: Feb. 7, 2022
Price: $100
Why the Set Is Valuable
For a variety of reasons, we're hesitant to include this set. First, on moral grounds: These were terrifying.
But here’s the thing about Furbies. There were 80 of them. A complete set from 1998 goes for around $100. That means the collectibles, held onto and treasured for three decades, are worth about $1 apiece.
You’re almost better off keeping these just to prove that for some insane reason you collected 80 Furby variants in the 1990s.
21. Muppet Kids (Tie)
Released: 1989
Sold: March 9, 2022
Price: $100
Why the Set Is Valuable
This is a bit of a weird one. First: Who knew that Muppet Kids even existed? You may have heard of the previously mentioned Muppet Babies, but this isn’t them.
The Muppet Kids is a set of four McDonald’s toys depicting preteen Gonzo, Fozzie, Piggy and Kermit. And it’s rare enough that these toys are some of the most expensive if you consider how much each individual toy in the set is worth.
20. Avenger’s Endgame
Released: 2020
Sold: Feb. 2, 2022
Price: $119
Why the Set Is Valuable
One thing you may notice is that even very recent toy sets tend to be worth something. The "Avenger’s Endgame" set is comprised of 24 Marvel figurines, including Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, the Hulk and other favorites. In fact, you can more or less make money by collecting a complete set as soon as possible and then selling it.
This is because some collectors try to purchase the complete sets of new McDonald’s releases before most people have tried to collect them. So McDonald’s sets are one of the few collectibles in which you can probably make money on something brand-new.
19. McDonalds Hot Wheels & Barbie Happy Meal Toy Prize Store Display
Released: 1992
Sold: June 20, 2022
Price: $125
Why the Set Is Valuable
McDonald's did a Beanie Baby collab more than once, so it's only logical that they also released a line featuring not one, but two of America's most popular toys: Barbie and Hot Wheels.
They released Barbie and Hot Wheels toys on their own, but this collaboration included both. They were hugely popular because kids could pick between a car or a Barbie figurine with each Happy Meal.
This store display includes every toy in the Barbie x Hot Wheels mashup, with a whopping 16 toys in total.
18. Minions
Released: 2021
Sold: March 26, 2022
Price: $130
Why the Set Is Valuable
We enjoy nothing about typing the phrase "Rare Gold Minion," but here we are. In 2021, a set of 26 collectible Minion toys was released.
They still remain highly collectible, and to be fair, they certainly have more personality than some other sets. The Rare Gold Minion is a special collectible that’s actually heavier than the others.
It’s the Minion version of a shiny.
17. 101 Dalmatians
Released: 1996
Sold: January 24, 2022
Price: $135
Why the Set Is Valuable
Imagine for a moment that you’re an executive in 1996. "101 Dalmatians" has just come out, and it’s a glorious hit. You’ve decided that you’re going to reward the fans with a series of collectibles. What do kids like? McDonald’s. Kids love McDonald’s.
What do parents like? Their kids screaming at them to collect a set of 101 distinct toys. So the trick a lot of collectors used is that you could just write to McDonald’s and get the toys, but a lot of parents didn’t know that.
Now they do.
16. Vintage 1990 Super Mario 3 McDonald's Happy Meal Store Translite Sign
Released: 1990
Sold: July 28, 2022
Price: $139
Why the Sign Is Valuable
This one isn't technically a McDonald's toy, but an ad for one. The chain used to display Translite signs advertising their current promotional toy offerings, but they typically get thrown away when a new toy line comes along.
This 22-by-22-inch sign has a few signs of wear, but it's a miracle that it was rescued at all.
15. Disney Princess
Released: 2021
Sold: Jan. 6, 2022
Price: $150
Why the Set Is Valuable
Have you ever wondered why the Disney Princess lineup is so important, but the Disney Prince lineup is never talked about? Aladdin, Simba — for every princess, there’s a prince. Why isn’t Nala a princess? Is it just because she’s a cat? That seems unfair.
We don’t know if the answers to any of these questions are important. What we do know is that the Disney Princess set included eight princesses, including Jasmine, Mulan and Moana.
14. Sing 2
Released: 2021
Sold: Fe. 2, 2022
Price: $158
Why the Set Is Valuable
A recent set of 12 of the stars of the movie "Sing 2," this McDonald’s toy set goes to show that some things are collectible just because a specific group of people really want them.
"Sing 2" was released fairly recently, and the McDonald’s toys in question are simply mini figurines. But as it was hard to collect all of the toys, the set still has some rarity.
13. McDonald's Happy Meal Magic Frozen Fruit Snack Maker & Happy Meal Magic Pie Maker
Released: 1993
Sold: July 27, 2022
Price: $169.99
Why the Set Is Valuable
As millennials all pass the 30-year mark, it's no surprise that many of them are seeking the comfort of 1990s nostalgia. Pop tarts, Gushers fruit snacks and watching "All That" sounds pretty good right about now, so why not add some mediocre dessert in the mix?
Like a less effective Easy Bake oven, this McDonald's toy prepares your favorite sugary treats — if your favorite treats are chewy pie dough and so-so sorbet. The fact that the toy doesn't require batteries says a lot, but it's worth it for memories alone.
12. 1982 McDonald's Dukes of Hazzard General Lee Happy Meal
Released: 1982
Sold: June 23, 2022
Price: $175
Why the Set Is Valuable
Back in 1982, a McDonald's Happy Meal wouldn't have been complete if it wasn't served inside a box shaped like the Dukes of Hazzard car.
There were five different boxes to collect, but because the boxes were so thin, most of them were thrown out alongside ketchup packets and greasy containers of fries.
11. McDonald’s Changeables
Released: 1987 to 1990
Sold: Jan. 15, 2022
Price: $189
Why the Set Is Valuable
Imagine if your hamburger turned into a robot. In the 1980s and '90s, we didn’t have to imagine. The McDonald’s Changeables set consisted of Transformer-like fast food items that are now a piece of American history. For instance, the Hot Cakes robot pterodactyl recalls a time when fast-food companies were allowed to use styrofoam.
None of the Changeables really make sense. They’re all a weird melange between robots, dinosaurs and just all-around creepy dudes.
But a good part of the appeal was the simple and satisfying transformations.
10. Disney’s 102 Dalmatians
Released: 2000
Sold: Dec. 31, 2021
Price: $199
Why the Set Is Valuable
If you thought 101 dalmatians were a lot to collect, what about 102? Apparently, "102 Dalmatians" is the British crime comedy sequel to "101 Dalmatians," the live-action remake of the 1961 original. It appears (and we hesitate to spoil this movie for anyone) that the climax of this movie is 100 puppies being baked into an immense cake. Yikes!
"102 Dalmations" cost $85 million to produce and made $183 million back, which is too much in our opinion. But you can own a part of its … history ... so that's something.
9. Carnival Happy Meal
Released: 1990
Sold: Feb. 27, 2022
Price: $210
Why the Set Is Valuable
This is one of the smaller but more interesting sets. The Carnival Happy Meal set consists of four little rides that can be assembled, including Grimace in Turn Around, Hamburgler on Ferris Wheel, Birdie on Swing and Ronald on Carousel.
That’s right: Do you remember when McDonald’s was all about Grimace, Hamburgler, Birdie and Ronald? Kids these days probably don’t even remember when they were being sold burgers by a monster, a thief, a legally distinct muppet and a terrifying clown.
But we do.
8. Halloween McNugget Buddy
Released: 1992
Sold: March 14, 2022
Price: $269
Why the Set Is Valuable
Well, OK, think about it. What’s spookier than chicken, formed into McNuggets, and then dressed up in Halloween costumes? There are a lot of layers involved here, and none of them are super great.
This limited edition release from 1992 features the McNugget Buddies in costumes such as a ghost, pumpkin and Frankenstein’s nugget monster. And because they were produced in 1992, they’re all more or less brown blobs — highly collectible brown blobs.
7. Lego Bionicle
Released: 2001
Sold: March 17, 2022
Price: $275
Why the Set Is Valuable
So it turns out that people collect Lego even when it’s not Lego. The Lego Bionicle set includes Huki, Onepu, Maku, Jala, Kongu and Matoru.
Targeted toward kids, the Lego Bionicle line is obviously extremely popular with the same demographic as Happy Meals — making this set extremely collectible.
6. Walt Disney’s 50th Anniversary
Released: 2021
Sold: March 29, 2022
Price: $299
Why the Set Is Valuable
Featuring classics such as Mickey Mouse, Sebastian, Lumiere, Frozone, Jiminy Cricket, Dumbo, and both the Lady and the Tramp, this Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Toy Set is incredibly popular amongst Disney fans.
In fact, it’s probably the most popular McDonald’s Toy set to date — which is interesting, considering it was just released in 2021.
Individual pieces of this set aren’t extraordinarily valuable, but the entire set is. Consequently, you’ll mostly find it as a boxed collectible with all the pieces still shrinkwrapped.
5. 2022 McDonald’s Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear Happy Meal Toys Complete Set
Released: 2022
Sold: June 6, 2022
Price: $320
Why the Set Is Valuable
McDonald's toys don't have to be old to be valuable. This Pixar Lightyear toy series was released in 2022, but snagging a full set is a royal pain.
Want to pick up a full set of eight, including all your favorite Toy Story characters? Have $300 to burn? Just buy the set.
Collecting all eight would take an awful lot of Happy Meal purchases.
3. McDonald's Happy Meal Display Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Sega 1993 (Tie)
Released: 1993
Sold: Aug. 7, 2022
Price: $325
Why the Set Is Valuable
Like we said, it's tough to guess which toys will become collectibles in a couple of decades and which will be worthless. The more popular the toy franchise, however, the more likely it is to become a collectible.
"Sonic the Hedgehog" has been one of the longest-running game series in Nintendo history, and the movies only made it more popular.
This set is old enough that the adhesive keeping each toy in place has worn off, leaving the toys loose. That just adds to the set's authenticity, if you ask us.
3. McDonald's Super Mario Bros 3 Happy Meal Toy Store Display (Tie)
Released: 1990
Sold: Aug. 16, 2022
Price: $325
Why the Set Is Valuable
In the 1990s, McDonald's and Nintendo teamed up to give away four different Super Mario Bros. 3 toys: Mario, Luigi, a Koopa Paratrooper and a Goomba toy.
McDonald's usually had a display close to the front of the store as an incentive to order a Happy Meal, and this was one of them. Some '90s McDonald's cashier must have recognized that the game-related store display might be worth something one day.
2. Mattel Mcdonald's Happy Meal Magic Snack Maker 1993
Released: 1993
Sold: Aug. 9, 2022
Price: $355
Why the Set Is Valuable
The pie and frozen fruit treats weren't enough? Don't sweat it. Mattel Mcdonald's Happy Meal Magic Snack Maker comes with everything you need to make sugary fries, sugary drinks and sugary burgers.
Are we sensing a theme here? Like the piemaker, this one doesn't actually cook anything. When it's from 1993 in its sealed, original packaging, however, the ingredients don't seem to matter.
1. Vintage 1979 Star Trek McDonald's Happy Meal Store Sign
Released: 1979
Sold: July 4, 2022
Price: $899.99
Why the Sign Is Valuable
Again, this one isn't actually a McDonald's toy, but collectors will love the vintage look of this old display sign.
This Translite display was up on a McDonald's wall in 1979. It has a few marks on it, but so would you if you were made in the '70s.