15 Happy Meal Toys Worth Big Bucks on eBay

ebay user hideho
ebay user hideho / ebay user hideho

It's time to go through the attic, the garage, and the boxes at your parents' house. If you saved your old Happy Meal toys, you could be sitting on a goldmine.

1. HAPPY MEAL CHANGEABLES // UP TO $140

/ ebay user kp11912003

These toys may have looked like mini versions of McDonald's fare, including a container of fries, a carton of chicken nuggets, and a milk shake, but with the right touch, they transformed into mini robots. The 1987 series was popular enough that McDonald's revisited the idea in 1989 and 1990. An assortment of the little guys are being sold for anywhere from $20 to $70, with one complete and sealed lot recently selling for $140.

2. MONSTERS, INC. // UP TO $100

/ eBay user 4bloomers

Five years before Disney put the brakes on its relationship with McDonald's (reportedly due to the health implications of fast food, although both sides denied this), they teamed up to promote the newly released feature Monsters, Inc., releasing a set of 10 toys with glow-in-the-dark pieces alongside doors or similar props. Individual pieces can easily sell for $5 a piece, but a complete, unopened set of the limited release toys can be yours for $100.

3. 101 DALMATIANS // UP TO $70

/ eBay user kingdaddy50

There’s a reason this complete set from 1996 is worth up to $70—there were literally 101 of them to collect. McDonald’s even released a special case to contain the pack of puppies.

4. 102 DALMATIANS // UP TO $70

/ eBay user danddscifi

If you missed the first promotion, you got another shot at success in 2000: The 1996 tie-in was so successful, Disney and McDonald’s teamed up again for 102 Dalmatians—and a complete set of the pups will net you $70.

5. MADAME ALEXANDER DOLLS // MORE THAN $80

/ eBay user piranhabt

Full-size Madame Alexander dolls are hot items among collectors—vintage dolls in good condition can sell for well over $1000. The Happy Meal-sized versions aren’t worth quite as much, but they’re still a decent return on the price of a Happy Meal. McDonald’s and Madame Alexander have teamed up several times over the years, but the Wizard of Oz collection from 2007/8 seems to be worth the most—they've sold for more than $80. (Someone put an autographed set up for sale for $599, but it didn't sell.)

6. DIENER KESHI // UP TO $80

/ eBay user panhandlesurplusllc

Produced in the late '70s and early '80s, Diener Keshi figures are some of the earliest examples of Happy Meal toys. There were several series of the little rubber creatures, including sea creatures, dinosaurs, circus characters, and cars. Some sets are being sold for up to $80.

7. MCFURBYS // UP TO $899

/ eBay user beyondtetra

McDonald's wholeheartedly embraced the Furby craze of the late '90s. From March 22 to April 22, 1999, collectors could get 80 different mini-Furbys with their Happy Meals. A whole set was put up for sale for $899. That one didn't sell, but a lot of 126 toys—not in mint condition—went for $75. While the 2016 release of Furby Connect brought a matching Happy Meal promotion along with it, it didn't quite have the same impact as the 1999 release.

8. POTATO HEAD KIDS // UP TO $80

/ eBay user avintageguy

Long before Toy Story brought Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head back into vogue, McDonald's made Potato Head Kids—little plastic spuds with removable pieces and a lot of personality—for its Happy Meals. Partial sets frequently go for $20 to $30, and a full set of 12, even with a few pieces missing, is on sale for $80.

9. SNOOPY WORLD TOUR // UP TO $200

/ eBay user esquiredeals

This promotion hit Asian markets in the late '90s, and, like the 101 and 102 Dalmatians series, this one came with a special display case to house the whole collection. A full box, complete with 28 international-themed Snoopy figurines, can set you back nearly $200 on eBay. (If you're curious, the themes are Fiji, Ireland, Mexico, Jamaica, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Venezuela, USA, New Zealand, Indonesia, Poland, Romania, Trinidad, Macao, Thailand, Yugoslavia, Japan, Australia, Panama, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Hawaii, Holland, Finland, Korea, and Taiwan.)

10. SNOOPY 50TH ANNIVERSARY // UP TO $60

/ eBay user kanna01anna

Apparently there's always a market for Snoopy. The year 2000 marked Snoopy's 50th anniversary, and to celebrate, McDonald's released a series of toy parade cars, including Cyber Snoopy, Jammin' Snoopy, and Journey Into Space Snoopy. If you've got the complete set still in the bags, you just might have close to $60 on your hands. Unwrapped and slightly used may still be worth $43.99.

11. TEENIE BEANIE BABIES // UP TO $100

/ eBay user vnwithers

Even McDonald's got caught up in the Beanie Babies craze that swept the world in the 1990s. The fast food giant's partnership with Ty in 1997 was so hot that employees stole boxes of Beanies and phone lines were flooded by customers asking about the latest shipment. McDonald’s ran other Teenie Beanie promotions after the '90s ended, but none was as crazed as the first. In 2004, McDonald's employees were able to order a collector's set commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Happy Meal, featuring Beanies named Golden Arches, Big Red Shoe, McNuggets, Fries, Burger, Happy Meal, and Shake. The set also included a few themed after Ronald McDonald himself, and his McDonaldland pals Grimace, Hamburglar, and Birdie. (What, no Mayor McCheese?) The limited edition box with beanies still in their packages was listed at $100.

12. POWER RANGERS // UP TO $40

/ eBay user kateunc2

Like Teenie Beanie Babies, Power Rangers has teamed up with McDonald's several times over the years to promote various projects and movies. Having any of those sets can earn you some extra cash—a set of 11 toys sold for for $35, while nine toys from 1994 were listed for $32.50.

13. MCNUGGET BUDDIES // UP TO $35

/ eBay user mcjantone

McNugget Buddies—anthropomorphic chicken nuggets dressed to impress—were intermittently featured in Happy Meals from 1988 to the mid-’90s. The nostalgia factor probably drives the price up on these bite-sized toys: Six of the Halloween-themed Buddies sell for $35, and certain figures might be worth more, like this McNugget dressed as a dragon for $18.99.

14. MR. MEN // UP TO $89.99

/ eBay user ryehill_retail

If you have a complete set of these Roger Hargreaves Happy Meal characters, your friends might start calling you Mr. Rich. (Or at least "Mr. Lunch-Is-On-Me.") The Mr. Men have been featured in several McDonald's promotions across the world, including plush and plastic versions. This lot of 40 plushies is going for $89.99.

15. A FULL SET OF MINIONS // UP TO $399 FOR MULTIPLE SETS

/ eBay user bob_the_spy

McDonald’s has released Minions toys to coincide with a few of the Despicable Me movies and the Minions spinoff, with the most recent set showing up in Happy Meals just a few months ago. If you have a complete set of any of them or a combination of all of them (or a rare foreign example), you’ll definitely make a few bucks.