Sell Vintage Toys and Video Games to American Rarities

That box of toys in the attic, or the shelf of old Nintendo cartridges in the basement, may be worth far more than you think. American Rarities buys vintage toys and video games from collectors, families and estates across the country. Since 1990 we have purchased over $350 million in collectibles, and our buyers know which pieces collectors are looking for today. Get a free, no-obligation appraisal and a written offer, with no pressure to sell.

What vintage toys and video games do you buy?

We buy single rarities and complete collections, including:

  • Tin and cast-iron toys: lithographed wind-up toys, mechanical banks, trains and early cast-iron vehicles
  • Die-cast cars: Lesney-era Matchbox, early Hot Wheels, Corgi, Dinky and similar models, especially with original boxes
  • Action figures: vintage G.I. Joe and Action Man, Star Wars, Masters of the Universe and other figures, carded or loose and complete
  • Antique board games and playsets, including early American printings
  • Video games: NES, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Sega and other classic cartridges, from loose carts to complete-in-box and factory-sealed games
  • Graded games in WATA, VGA or CGC holders
  • Consoles, handhelds and accessories from the 1970s through the 2000s

Learn more in our guides to collecting vintage toys, action figures and board games and the top collectible Nintendo games.

Three vintage 1960s Lesney Matchbox die-cast model cars in turquoise, blue and red on a wooden table
Late-1960s Lesney Matchbox 1-75 series die-cast cars. Photo: DestinationFearFan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What makes a vintage toy or video game valuable?

Rarity matters, but condition and completeness usually decide the price. These are the things our buyers look at first:

  • Original packaging. An original box, card or bubble can multiply the value of a toy. For games, the box, manual and inserts matter as much as the cartridge.
  • Sealed and graded condition. Factory-sealed video games, and games graded by WATA, VGA or CGC, are the most sought-after by serious collectors.
  • Completeness. Action figures with all their original outfits and accessories, and playsets with every piece, are worth far more than incomplete ones.
  • Variations and early production. Color variations, first releases and short-run editions, such as the gold Legend of Zelda cartridge, can carry big premiums.
  • Working condition and original paint. Wind-up mechanisms that still run and paint that has never been touched up add value.

For more on figures, read our guide to collecting action figures.

Original gold-colored The Legend of Zelda NES game cartridge from 1986 on a gold background
The original gold The Legend of Zelda NES cartridge. Photo: Dave or Atox via Flickr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Museum display of vintage Action Man figures in original boxes, blister-carded accessory packs, a military jeep and a tank
Vintage Action Man figures, boxes and carded accessory packs. Photo: Cristian Bortes via Flickr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

How does selling work?

It’s simple, and the appraisal is free.

  1. Tell us what you have. Send photos or an inventory list through the form below, text them to 720-600-4740, or email them to staff@americanrarities.com. Partial lists are fine.
  2. Get a fast response. An experienced buyer reviews your items, usually within 24 to 48 hours, and follows up with any questions.
  3. Receive a written appraisal and offer. For larger collections, we offer nationwide home visits. You can also use our mail-in service, which is fully insured with no deductible.
  4. You decide. If you accept, you’re paid promptly. If you don’t, you owe nothing.

Direct purchase or managed auction

Most collections sell fastest through a direct purchase: we make the offer, pay you and handle the logistics. For world-class rarities, such as a sealed, high-grade early Nintendo game, our auction house partnerships let us manage the auction process for you, often at preferential fees.

Before you send anything: please don’t clean, repaint or repair toys, and never open a sealed game. Even careful cleaning or opening can wipe out much of an item’s collector value.

Back of red, blue and yellow original Pokemon Game Boy game cartridges lined up side by side
Original Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow Game Boy cartridges (European release). Photo: Kigsz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Why sell to American Rarities?

  • In business since 1990, with over 30 years of buying collectibles
  • Over $350 million in collectibles purchased
  • A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau
  • Life Members of the American Numismatic Association, and a PCGS and NGC authorized dealer and ANACS submission center
  • 4.7 out of 5 on Google, from 86 reviews
  • IRS-compliant appraisals for estates, insurance and charitable donations
  • Nationwide home visits and a fully insured, no-deductible mail-in service
  • Auction house partnerships for world-class rarities

Many toy and game collections arrive alongside other collectibles. We also buy comic book collections (see what makes a comic book valuable) and rare sports memorabilia, along with the rare coins and currency we’ve been known for since 1990.

Get your free, no-obligation appraisal

Tell us what you have, and we’ll give you a clear written appraisal and offer.






Upload clear photos of fronts and backs and we'll reply with a free appraisal.