50 Most Influential Toys of All Time Produced During the 1900’s

If you grew up during the 1900’s, either the 20’s, the 30’s, the 40’s, the 50’s, the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s or the 90’s, you may recognize one or a number of the most influential toys mentioned here. These memorable toys were often the best selling items for children at Christmas during their respective years of production, or for one reason or another have been described as the greatest toys of all time by a number of their previous owners.

Many of the memorable 1900’s toys have even been remodeled and redesigned and appear in their modernized versions on the shelves of large retailers today. Take Monopoly for example, while it was first introduced during the 1930’s if you walk into any toy store today, more than likely you will see the original Monopoly version or perhaps one of the Monopoly collaborations.

A handful of the most influential toys of all time have steadily increased in value over the years and have made those owners who have clung onto them a small fortune. This compares to other memorable toys that are worth no more than what they first retailed due to mass production to meet popularity demands. While vintage or antique influential toys may not be worth much to the younger generation, the nostalgic value these simple toys bring to their owners who grew up in the 1900’s is irreplaceable.

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1920’s

Iconic Toys from the 1920’s:
-Teddy Bears
-Raggedy Ann
-Radio Flyer Wagon
-Crayons
-Yo-Yo’s

The 1920’s was the first decade to see many new inventions in the toy world. Before this time, many children were passed on teddy bears and dolls from previous generations so there was no reason for toy companies to be thinking outside of the already existant toys. It wasn’t until around the mid-1920s that toy companies came up with new ideas due to advances in technology which brought to life toys such as the novelty Yo-Yo and the must-have Radio Flyer Wagon.

While the Yo-Yo has been around for hundreds of years, it wasn’t until the 1920’s that the real craze began in America. At a small factory in America, a man from the Philipines began manufacturing this historical toy naming it a Yo-Yo. In fact, the word ‘yoyo’ in the Philipines means to come back, making it a fitting name for this type of toy. While the exact cost of one of the yoyos crafted by Pedro Flores is unknown, they would have been no more than a couple of dollars each. Yo-Yo’s created in collaboration with companies such as Coca Cola can sell for anywhere between $20.00 and $100.00 USD in today’s society.

While the Yo-Yo craze was notable during the 1920s, possibly the most iconic toy from this decade was the Radio Flyer Wagon. Whether you knew it as the Liberty Coaster or the Radio Flyer, every boy and girl who didn’t own a little red wagon, wanted one. During the 1920’s each little wagon mass-produced by Antonio Pasin sold for less than $3.00, although an original today that has remained in good condition can fetch the owner a few hundred dollars. The company saw their little red wagon boom throughout the decades, and in particular during the 1950’s. Even today the company still produces wagons along with a number of other outdoors based children’s toys. While there were a number of different models produced that are worth more than a penny, those produced in the late 1920’s and 1930’s are among the most valuable.

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1930’s

Iconic Toys from the 1930’s:
-The View-Master
-Colonial Style Doll Houses
-Baby Dolls
-Board Games
-Rocking Horse
-Metals/Wooden Cars, Trucks and Trains

While there were a number of those toys described as ‘iconic’ in today’s society that leaked onto the shelves during the 1930’s, this was also a decade immensely impacted by the great depression. Children were often happy with the few toys they had to play with and due to the limited amount of money the majority of families had to get by, there was not a lot left over to be buying toys.

During the 1930’s, the well known View-Master was introduced as well as cheaper toys such as Lego and Army Men. The most notable board games released were Scrabble and Monopoly, although Monopoly definitely stands out and even today remains America’s number one selling board game.

Introduced at a toy fair in 1939 was an iconic toy that later took off in the 1940’s known as the ‘View-Master’. Created by Wilhelm Gruber, the View-Master was originally created for children but later became popular amongst adults who would use it to view images rather than seeing them in magazines. Even Forbes magazine named the 3D View-Master as the biggest toy of the decade. The reels that fitted in the View-Master were of a number of images, that were in fact in color and appeared ‘3D’. While the original View-Masters are valuable, amongst the most valuable are specific reels that fitted the View-Master such as the Disney Fairytale series that sold for a $1.25 a reel at the time of production.

Another big brand toy that is still produced today is Lego. The Lego company first began during the 1930’s although mass production did not occur until 1949 when the mold and machinery was purchased. While the Lego bricks were originally crafted of wood, later in the 1960’s when the warehouse burnt to the ground the company began only using plastic to produce their connectable toys.

As for army men, the 1930’s were the very first time they were available in plastic. The army men represented different types of battles and each held slightly different weapons. Toy soldiers eventuated from the very first army men produced, and depending on the collection your toy soldiers are from ultimately determines their current day value.

The favorite family board game Monopoly was introduced in 1935 and surprisingly enough the first editions produced had wooden houses. There were 10 metal pieces included which were an iron, purse, lantern, racecar, thimble, shoe, top hat, battleship, cannon, and a rocking horse. This allowed up to 10 children (or adults) to play.

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1940’s

Iconic Toys from the 1940’s:
-Pull Along Dog
-Kewpie Dolls
-Pedal Bikes
-Slinky
-Golden Books

During the 1940’s many toy companies began expanding their lines due to the profit seen from other big-name toys such as Monopoly from the decade prior. From small toys to large toys and everything in between, the 1940’s was a great time to be a kid. Throughout the decade silly putty, golden books, and the famous slinky were introduced.

The Golden Books began in 1942 when the first series was published including ‘Three Little Kittens’ and ‘The Little Red Hen’. These books were designed to appeal to low-income families as these were amongst the cheapest, good quality books at the time. While during the 1940’s the books could be purchased for 25 cents each, this gradually increased over the years and today you will find the new Golden Books retail for anywhere between $2.00 and $5.00 each.

Another notable toy from the 1940’s was the slinky. A simple, yet mesmerizing toy for children during this time period. When the slinky first hit the shelves in 1945, every child wanted one and many were able to purchase one at an affordable $1.00 each. The first 400 slinky’s on the shelves sold within minutes. Later came further slinky inventions such as ‘Slinky Dog’ who was made famous in the Toy Story movies.

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1950’s

Iconic Toys from the 1950’s:
-Mr Potato Head
-Frisbee
-Magic 8 Ball
-Pogo Stick
-Little People’s
-PEZ Dispensers
-Play-Doh
-Corn Popper
-Hula Hoop
-Tonka Truck
-Chatty Cathy
-Barbie Doll
-Troll Doll
-Mickey Mouse Toys

The 1950’s saw the introduction of television in many households, and with television came advertisements. While advertising on television was originally expensive, children’s shows gave companies an outlet to promote their products.

The 1950’s saw the introduction of the Frisbee, the Magic 8 Ball, the Pogo Stick, the Corn Popper, Tonka Trucks, Troll Dolls, Playdoh, Hula Hoops but most memorably Mr. Potato Head, PEZ dispensers, Chatty Cathy and Barbie.

While there were many memorable toys released during the 50’s if I was to mention them all we’d be here all day. Mr. Potato Head comes to many minds when speaking about the 1950’s. This is most likely due to the fact it was the first-ever toy to be advertised on television. The potato head toys were released in 1952 and the original came with: ears, two pairs of eyes, 8 pieces of facial hair, feet, hands, three hats, two mouths, four noses, and a pipe. While he sold for just less than one dollar during the 50’s, a Potato Head with all original pieces can fetch quite a high price at auction currently.

The Hula Hoop was also a popular toy amongst the young and old. Originally designed in Australia from bamboo, the American company Wham-O saw the design and started producing plastic versions in 1958 that they titled Hula-Hoops. Around a similar time, the Frisbee hit the shelves and then towards the very end of the decade, the well known Barbie became a must-have toy for every little girl. If you own an original Barbie doll, or you are wondering about the price of a Barbie you own take a look at our previous article.

Designed by the popular Mattel company, Chatty Cathy was another iconic toy produced in the final year of the 1950’s. While she was more memorable for those who grew up in the 60’s, Cathy was every little girls Christmas wish. She sold for around $9.96 USD at the time and came complete with hair that could be combed and styled allowing little girls to role play. Her head, arms, and legs were all moveable which wasn’t seen in many dolls prior to the 50’s.

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1960’s

Iconic Toys from the 1960’s:
-G. I Joe Figurines
-Board Games such as Mousetrap and Operation
-Hot Wheels
-Ken Doll
-Etch a Sketch
-Slip n’ Slide
-Barrel of Monkeys
-Chatter Telephone
-Easy Bake Oven

The 1960’s saw many new toys with more intricates parts than ever before. With further advances in technology board games such as Operation were a possibility where batteries were used. Toys were in abundance, and parents had began splurging more money on their children also. Many young girls wanted to be just like their moms and the Easy-Bake Oven allowed them to do just that.

Another memorable release was Ken Doll who followed on from the release of Barbie in 1959. During the 1960’s many more clothing items were also released for Barbie to sport and were priced from $1.67 to $2.69 each. In terms of outdoor toys, the slip n’ slide, that became popular in warmer climates allowed children to make water slides anywhere that had a decline.

Hot Wheels cars had made their grand entrance into the toy world and their very first racing car track set retailed for $9.99. The Chatter Telephone produced by the well-known Fisher-Price company allowed both young boys and girls to make pretend phone calls to copy their mothers or fathers as the dial landline telephone had recently been introduced.

Many of the toys produced during the 60’s were also popular and sat on shelves throughout the 70’s so catalogs from these decades appear much the same.

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1970’s

Iconic Toys from the 1970’s:
-Baby Alive
-Star Wars Figurines
-Hungry Hungry Hippos
-Uno
-Paddington Bear
-Walkie Talkies
-Skates

The 1970’s were the first era impacted by computer technology and toys were no exception. Computer games and gaming systems were becoming a reality. Figurines were popular among young children as this allowed them to play out their favorite movies.

Star Wars Figurines were popular among young boys after the 1977 Star Wars film was released. There were many other film inspired figurines circulating in the 70’s although none as popular as those that were Star Wars themed. For example, some of the Kenner produced Star Wars figurines released in the 1970s can fetch their owner over $4000.00 USD.

During the 70’s, games that could involve multiple family members such as the Hungry Hungry Hippos and Uno were popular. These allowed the children to play together and be gifted ‘joint’ presents at Christmas time.

Dolls were still a popular gift for young girls and the Baby Alive Doll was the first doll that could be fed ‘real’ food. She was introduced by Kenner in 1973 and required batteries. While the first Baby Alive doll could in fact eat, and the food would make its way to her nappy, the talking baby alive doll was not a reality until the 1990’s.

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1980’s

Iconic Toys from the 1980’s:
-My Little Pony
-Transformers
-Pound Puppies
-Game Boy
-Cabbage Patch Dolls
-Nintendo
-Glo-worm
-Slap Bracelet
-Rubiks Cube
-Polly Pocket

Toys released and loved during the 1980’s were primarily television inspired. For example, the Care Bear plush toys were released after the television series was a hit amongst young viewers. Another famous show, My Little Pony was also merchandized into small plastic ponies that were available in Belle, Blossom, Cotton Candy, Snuzzle, Butterscotch and Minty that sold for $4.99 each.

Gaming machines were becoming common Christmas presents and during the 80’s the iconic Game Boy and Nintendo console were released. The Game Boy allowed children to play virtual games on a handheld device for one of the first times ever. As for the Nintendo that was introduced in 1986, it allowed the whole family to play digital games by sharing the two remotes. The original console came with the Super Mario Brothers Game.

Cabbage Patch Dolls were also one of the most memorable toys for young girls growing up in the 1980s. Each doll was sold separately and unlike many dolls produced prior, they were soft with wool hair. They each came with their own personalities, birth certificates, and adoption papers. A Cabbage Patch Doll that still includes the certificates can fetch the owner quite a high price when sold to the right person.

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1990’s

Iconic Toys from the 1990’s:
-Cozy Coupe Car
-Beanie Baby
-Tamagotchi
-Tickle Me Elmo
-Toy Story Toys
-Furby
-Baby Born Dolls
-Teletubbies
-Simpsons Themed Toys
-Barbie’s Dream House
-Thomas Tank Engine Toys
-Sesame Street Toys

As television shows expanded, so did characterized toys and it is in the 90’s that we see iconic toys such as the ‘Tickle Me Elmo’. Toy fads within schools meant that if one child had it, every child wanted it. These fads throughout the 1990’s allowed toy companies to grow enormously. Take the Tamagotchi for example, a virtual animal that needed to be kept alive. Many schools even ended up having to ban them during schooling hours as they began to distract young students.

With an increase in mixed-gender roles, gender-neutral toys were also introduced such as the Furbys which were loved equally by boys and girls. The stance around equality also leads companies to produce toys and dolls of differing nationalities and skin tones. This meant no matter where in the world you were located, there was a toy for you. It also allowed children to understand that everyone is uniquely different. Take Baby Born Dolls, for example, they even released an African American baby during the 90’s that was loved around the world.

The Tickle Me Elmo Toy was a favorite amongst toddlers during the 90’s. The more you would tickle his tummy, the more he would laugh. This toy, in particular, was on ever second child’s list to Santa during 1996, so much so that the majority of large chain stores ran out of stock entirely.

When speaking about ‘fluffy’ toys, Beanie Babies and Teletubbies were popular during the 1990’s. Both these toys so popular in fact that production proceeded well into the 2000’s with new Beanie Babies still released today. Teletubbies were created from the hit young children show and there were four different fluffy 7-inch toys to collect. Beanie Babies, on the other hand, were a variety of different bears with hundreds to collect. Both these toys often sat on children’s beds during the 90’s and early 2000’s with many keen Beanie Baby collectors today.

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