The Best Selling Toys of All-Time... What was your favorite?

Here's the list of the top selling toys over the past five decades...

Which one of these was your favorite and do you remember when you got it or who you got it for?

1960s

Grand Champion: The Barbie Doll

Honorable Mentions to:
Scalextric
Twister
Etch-A-Sketch
Spirograph
Action Man
Sindy
Hot Wheels
Thunderbirds
Dr Who and the Daleks figures
Corgi’s James Bond Aston Martin

1970s

Grand Champion: Legos

Honorable Mentions:
The Space Hopper
Klackers
Airfix’s Weebles
Movie spinoff action figures from Star Wars, Jaws, Superman and The Six Million Dollar Man.
Dungeon and Dragons board games
Atari’s Pong, the first-ever video game

1980s

Grand Champion: Atari Console

Honorable Mentions:
Fantasy toys like Sylvanian Families, My Little Pony, Care Bears and the Smurfs
Cabbage Patch Kids
Action Figures from Masters of the Universe and Transformers
Rubik's Cube
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Mattel’s Big Yellow Teapot

1990s

Grand Champion: The Gameboy

Honorable Mentions:
Buzz Lightyear action figures from the Toy Story movie
Thunderbirds’ reissued and revamped Tracy Island
Beanie Babies and Polly Pocket
Teletubbies
K'nex construction kits
Pokemon trading cards
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

2000s

Grand Champion: Wii

Honorable Mentions:
Bratz dolls
Ultra-lifelike dolls like Baby Annabell
Animatronic toys like Robosapien and Roboraptor
Hi-tech remote control toys like the Flytech Dragonfly
The ever-popular Top Trumps
Geomag
Kiddie computers like the Dora the Explorer Laptop
Electronic puzzle games like 20Q
Old-favourite board games like Scrabble and Monopoly
Merchandise from the Harry Potter films

What was your favorite?

Share This Page

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alexandra on December 1, 2008 at 1:31pm: You remember now Playmobil ?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, COO on December 1, 2008 at 4:22pm: Classic.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kickass Branding on December 1, 2008 at 1:14pm: I would have to say that I had a few. I loved my Knight Rider big wheels. At the age of 8 I was pulling all nighters with Atari. I took pride in my complete He-man figure collection. I also loved my go-bots and transformers. But nothing shaped my morals like My First Sony. I still remember the first tape I popped into that badboy. I was nine and it was Motley Crue. I moved on to Guns 'n Roses and Metallica and the rest is history. Also, who can forget Garbage Pail Kids. I actually just bought John John on ebay. He was my favorite garbage pail kid. As I got older I loved my nintendo, my GT Performer freestyle bike and my skateboad.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, COO on December 1, 2008 at 4:25pm: Ride the Lightning and Appetite for Destruction was when I went from child/teen to young adult.

Garbage Pail Kids were hot for awhile. I remember selling a bunch at baseball card shows.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michael Mosby on December 1, 2008 at 1:17pm: tonka trucks not even mentioned also Lionel Trains they are still worth a lot Think you should get your stats straight Just another baby boomer; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dynamic Diva on December 1, 2008 at 1:22pm: My favorite toys were Play-Doh, Silly Putty, Slinky
simple, creative hours of fun!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Charles Johnson on December 1, 2008 at 1:50pm: I loved my Hot Wheels !! I use to race them against Johnny Lighting Cars .; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Johnston on December 1, 2008 at 1:59pm: We used to light an M-80, put it in a car with Barbie and roll it down the sliding board.... Very realistic :-); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, COO on December 1, 2008 at 4:26pm: Hot wheels were great. My love for fast cars continued on after childhood.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Johnston on December 1, 2008 at 1:52pm: Home made wood blocks were my all time favorite when I was small. I got them from my uncle Bud when I was like 5; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony Zelinko on December 1, 2008 at 2:09pm: Mine was a microscope. I was fascinated by stuff in pond water and plant cells. I went on to get degrees in Biology and Chemistry and worked at Dow for over 20 years. I even had a lab in my basement and pretended I was a scientist.

Ask yourself why can you vividly remember these toys or moments in time? It's because the memories are stored in the back part of your brain where long term memory is stored. It was anchored by a process of excitement and engagement. In almost all the cases physical and interactive touch, a so called 3-D fingerprint helped solidify the moment.

I have formed a neural hypothesis on how thoughts and memmories are channeled and anchored. If you are a teacher, mother or just want to know how to put things in your long term memory, feel free to contact me.

ps. one more thing to think about. Did you know your brain is only 2% of your bodies mass but uses 20% of your daily energy requirements. do yourself a favor and remember to eat healthy "Your Brain Depends On It"

Tony; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, COO on December 1, 2008 at 4:26pm: I loved pond water too. It was an adventure everytime I put the slide under the microscope.; ▶ Reply to This