McDonald’s Happy Meals first launched in the UK in 1986 containing a tasty selection of fast food and an exclusive toy.
Since then, a huge variety of items have been given away in the iconic red cardboard box. From plastic figurines of film characters, to books and games, each one has brought much joy to children as they eagerly ripped open their Happy Meal box to see what was hidden inside.
With many of the toys being part of a set, we bet most Liverpool parents will recall their children begging for another Happy Meal shortly after demolishing the first in order to try and complete their collection. Others may remember the disappointment on their kids' faces when they unwrapped the exact same toy they already had.
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As all of the items that go into Happy Meals are only available for a limited time, it’s near impossible to get your hands on them once McDonald’s have removed them. This means that some have gone on to be worth a lot of money.
The ECHO has looked into the most valuable Happy Meal toys available to buy on eBay right now. They include items that were available in the 1990s right through to present day.
The top 10 are listed below, with some of the collections selling for staggering amounts. While the cheapest costs £120, there are two sets that will set you back over £400.
10. Snoopy figurines
The cheapest item on our “most valuable” list is the Snoopy figurines from 1999. The full collection comprises 30 characters from the adored series, with the complete set costing £120.
9. Looney Tunes figurines
In 2020, Looney Tunes characters were available in Happy Meals, with there being 15 figurines to collect. The complete set is currently available for £135.
8. Super Mario figurines
Super Mario and his pals from the popular Nintendo game were included in Happy Meals in 2014. The full collection of eight figurines will set you back £135.
7. Pokémon Pokeballs
Happy Meals in 2019 included Pokémon Pokeball belt disc shooters for a time. There were various colours to collect, with the full set of 12 shooters available on eBay for £140.
6. National Geographic plush toys
In 2018, McDonald’s collaborated with National Geographic and gave away adorable plush toys of various animals in its Happy Meals. A full sealed set of 12 animals is currently selling for £240.
5. TY Mini Beanie Babies
TY Beanie Babies have been one of the most valuable Happy Meal toys for years. The full set of 12 Mini Beanie Babies from 2020 is available for £260. The collection includes the characters Blake, Winter, Griff, Neptune, Mino, Percy, Ana, Sage, Levi, Lionel, Phoebe and Weiss.
4. Minions figurines
The loveable Minions from the Despicable Me films were included in 2021 Happy Meals for a time, with 62 figurines to collect. It will cost you £350 for a complete sealed set.
3. Smurfs figurines
The plastic Smurfs figurines that were available in 2018 Happy Meals are currently selling for £395 on eBay. The set is part complete, containing 46 figures of a variety of characters out of the 60 that were made. If you have more than 46 in your collection, you could earn yourself a large wedge of cash!
2. Little Miss toys
Mr Men and Little Miss books and toys have been included in Happy Meals numerous times over the years. It’s the 2021 50th anniversary collections that are selling for an enormous price tag, with the full set of 25 Little Miss plush toys costing an impressive £450.
1. Mr Men toys
The iconic Mr Men plush toys top our list of “most valuable” Happy Meal toys. They have been included in the iconic box numerous times, but it's the special 50th anniversary edition of the toys that were available in 2021 that are currently worth the most. You can get your hands on the full Mr Men collection for a whopping £495.
Which Happy Meal toy from over the years is your favourite? Let us know in the comments section below.
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