If you grew up with a closet full of board games, there’s a good chance most of them eventually ended up at a garage sale, thrift store, or in the trash. At the time, nobody thought twice about getting rid of an old game with a beat-up box, but some of those childhood favorites have become surprisingly desirable collectibles.
Board games have been part of American family life for generations, and nostalgia has created a market for everything from early Monopoly sets to electronic games from the ’80s and ’90s. Condition, rarity, completeness, and original packaging can make a huge difference, but these 13 games are worth recognizing before you clean out an old game closet.
Barbie Queen of the Prom
Mattel’s 1963 Barbie Queen of the Prom captured an unmistakably 1960s version of teenage life as players collected everything they supposedly needed to become prom queen. Original editions with their colorful artwork, cards, playing pieces, and other components intact have become nostalgic collectibles for vintage Barbie fans.
Mall Madness
If you were a kid around the late ’80s or ’90s, there’s a good chance you remember the excitement of Mall Madness and its electronic “voice of the mall.” Complete working sets with the 3D shopping mall, ATM, escalator, cards, and electronic components can sell for around $150 to $250 or more, depending on the edition and condition.
Fantasy Forest
TSR’s Fantasy Forest introduced younger players to a colorful world of fantasy adventures, complete with creatures, challenges, and artwork that gave the game much of its charm. Its connection to TSR and fantasy gaming has helped keep it interesting to both vintage board-game collectors and fans of early role-playing culture.
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Crisloid Backgammon Sets
Older Crisloid backgammon sets can be surprisingly collectible, particularly beautiful examples with Bakelite-style swirled pieces and their original cases. Exceptional complete sets have sold for more than $1,000, making that dusty old backgammon case worth opening before you give it away.
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Vintage Parker Brothers Monopoly
Millions of Monopoly games were made, so simply owning an old one doesn’t guarantee a payday, but early Parker Brothers editions from the 1930s are a different story. Complete examples with the original board, box, houses, hotels, tokens, cards, and period play money can attract collectors and sometimes sell for hundreds of dollars.
Milton Bradley Dark Tower
Released in 1981, Dark Tower combined a fantasy board game with a computerized tower that produced sounds and controlled parts of the gameplay, making it incredibly memorable for kids who played it. Production didn’t last long, and complete examples with a functioning electronic tower have become difficult enough to find that some have sold for around $1,000.
Hank Bauer Be-A-Manager Baseball
This 1960s baseball strategy game allowed players to act like big-league managers, making decisions using cards based on actual players and statistics from the era. Complete versions containing their original player cards, including famous names such as Mickey Mantle, can appeal to both sports memorabilia collectors and vintage board-game enthusiasts.
Richard Breese’s Keywood
Keywood isn’t the sort of childhood game most people will recognize, but its extremely limited production is exactly what makes finding one so interesting. Only about 200 copies of Richard Breese’s 1995 game were reportedly produced, and scarce examples have sold for hundreds of dollars, including sales approaching $1,000.
Walt Disney Haunted Mansion Game
Disney’s vintage Haunted Mansion board game recreated the attraction with rotating elements, three-dimensional scenery, Doom Buggy pieces, and familiar rooms from the ride. Complete examples can command considerably more than an ordinary vintage children’s game, particularly when the fragile pieces and original box have survived intact.
Camp Grizzly
Camp Grizzly turns the classic summer-camp slasher movie into a board game, with players attempting to escape a killer named Otis as they make their way around the camp. Its cult following and limited availability have made copies difficult to find, with sealed examples commanding particularly high prices.
The Munsters Masquerade Party Game
Released in the 1960s, The Munsters Masquerade Party Game let players join Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie, and the rest of the show’s wonderfully strange world. Complete examples with the original character standees, cards, board, and colorful box artwork can be especially desirable and have reportedly sold for several hundred dollars.
Dream Phone
Dream Phone was pure 1990s nostalgia, with players using an oversized electronic pink telephone to gather clues and figure out which mystery boy had a crush on them. Working examples are collectible, but an unopened copy, still sealed in its original packaging, can be worth considerably more and has sold for $200 or more.
