A McDonald's Toy From The 1990s Is Worth A Ton Of Money Today

When looking at McDonald's Happy Meal toys that are worth a ton, McNugget Buddies — those nostalgic 90s plastic toys that came with exchangeable outfits — can bring in a considerable amount. For instance, these toys can easily sell for $100 to $250 in already-opened containers, with still-sealed versions typically commanding higher end pricing. When considering the price of a Happy Meal in the 1990s — $3.36 at some locations — if someone had kept the McNugget Buddies toy that came with their meal, they could be in for a significant return on investment.

In fact, an eBay listing from May 2025 shows a complete 1988 set of 10 used dolls (wearing a variety of costume hats like ones worn by a police officer, firefighter, or cowboy), selling for $149.99. On Etsy, a mix-and-match set from 1998-1996, including some extra outfits but also noting that some incomplete ones was listed for $175. Single characters can also be in demand, with one Ebay seller listing a Slugger McNugget — still in the original package — for $125.99.

These plastic toys ultimately celebrate perhaps the most popular menu item ever created by accident, the Chicken McNugget. In the 1970s, McDonalds experimented with creating the Onion McNugget before shifting their focus to chicken. Then, in 1983, the now iconic Chicken McNuggets offering debuted in the U.S. In the late 1980s, Chicken McNugget characters began appearing on television commercials and, in 1988, McNugget Buddies joined the brand's Happy Meals on and off for several years.

McNugget Buddies gained another round of attention in 2023, after their nostalgic return (this time in Adult Happy Meals via a partnership with New York artist Kerwin Frost). In a November 2023 press release, McDonald's USA Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, Tariq Hassan, stated, "Fans told us they wanted to celebrate that quintessential childhood experience again," and this collection gave the company the opportunity to make it happen. 

This renewed attention might also serve to increase demand, which could lead to increased values for McNugget Buddies on the secondary market. Plus, alongside McDonald's recent consumer savings strategy, the company has also pledged to be more environmentally friendly by reducing and even eliminating plastic products. This decision even prompted McDonalds to give its classic McFlurry a new look. In fact, McDonald's plans to make this eco-friendly move global by 2025, which could make plastic Happy Meal toys a thing of the past, and therefore even more collectible and valuable than before.

The 2023 re-issued Kerwin Frost versions of McNugget Buddies could similarly rake in cash for sellers. The rarest and most valuable of these is the Golden McNugget Legend. This faux gold, spud-like-looking toy comes with a trading card emblazoned with the text: "Golden like the arches, golden like the friends, golden like the edges of McDonald's apple pie." In Australia, a Golden McNugget Legend owner put one up for sale on Facebook Marketplace in 2024 for $1,000, saying that it was very rare and only accepting a cash deal for the toy. In May 2025, the asking price on eBay for a Golden McNugget, still in its sealed Happy Meal box, was a whopping $30,000.

However, asking prices can be very different from actually realized prices, and, so far, reports have found sellers receiving closer to $120, with the standard Kerwin Frost collection, sold together as a set, fetching around $200. Time will tell how much the increased interest in McNugget Buddies — due to this relaunch — will ignite interest in the original figurines. If you own one of these classic toys, it could be worth monitoring asking and sales prices.