The house with the mouse provides a never-ending supply of Disney collectibles. Much of which is gobbled up by people from all age groups and genders.
There’s just something about Disney that people fall in love with, and with it follows open wallets snapping up merchandise (which due to the lure of Disney, have regularly become collectibles).
When Walt Disney opened the fantastical theme park in 1955 even he could not have imagined the future in which a branded Disney popcorn bag could end up being sold for hundreds of dollars at an auction…
Serious collectors of Disneyana are willing to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for the truly rare Disney collectibles. And while all collectibles were manufactured equally, some have gone into the stratosphere in terms of value.
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First Off — What Is “Disneyana?”
If you are not a die-hard Disney fan, you may be thinking that our title is a typo, but I assure you Disneyana is a real thing. The term is used for a wide variety of collectible toys, books, animation cels, theme-park souvenirs, and other items produced by The Walt Disney Company. This can include products featuring a Disney character, to vintage stock certificates or company checks that have Disney’s signature.
Basically, you could term any Disney collectible under the world of Disneyana, as it focuses completely around the world that Walt Disney created a century ago. Now, enjoy our top twenty selections for the best Disney collectibles for serious fans.
20. Diamond Mickey Mouse Pendant, $350
Our first Disney collectible is none other than Mickey Mouse, but this time he is adorned in numerous colored diamonds. This is not only the most iconic character Disney ever made, but it shows the essence of Disney because Mickey’s animated scenes were the first ever created. You can get this pendant for a range of prices, as the hand-made real diamonds will racket the price into the thousands, but if you purchase a lab-made diamond pendant, it will only cost a few hundred dollars.
19. Mickey Pez Dispenser, $750
Now, this may seem like a silly edition to our Disney collectibles list, but if you can find the right edition of this Pez dispenser, you could have to spend up to $750 in order to acquire it. Though the newer editions can be sold for a few dollars, a Mickey Mouse Pez dispenser from decades ago that are hand-painted can fetch a lot more money.
18. 1930s Minnie Mouse Doll, $1,700
The other half of Mickey, Minnie Mouse has several of her own valuable collectibles too. This specific Disney collectible is a Velvet 1930s doll, made when the cartoons first became popular. These dolls are worth quite a bit of money if you can find one in good condition, especially because they embody the older design of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
17. The Band Concert Film Celluloid, $5,000
Before the huge animated films like Peter Pan or Lion King, Disney cartoons consisted of simple yet recognizable imagery, such as the Band Concert. Since the Band Concert was Mickey Mouse’s first color film, it makes this Disney collectible one of the most expensive in the classic animated film history. The original film celluloid sold at Bonhams Auction for nearly $5,000.
16. 1958 Disneyland Map, $6,500
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A pristine rolled 1958 Disneyland map will set you back as much as $6,500 at auction (and in all honesty, that value is only going to go up as they get rarer).
For those rushing to their attics, know that we’re not talking about the free guides everyone who entered Disneyland during the early years would get, but the full-size souvenir maps that were available to buy.
However, if you do have one and it is by artist Sam McKim, you’ve got yourself a bit of history on your hands.
15. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Porthole, $7,000
My favorite collectibles channel nostalgia and this next Disney collectible certainly takes the cake. For over two decades, Disneyworld has had a ride that featured the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. During the ride, you would look out of these portholes as you passed through an underwater world. Now, you can buy these priceless portholes to add to your Disney collection, that is, if you have around $7,000 to spare.
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14. Sleeping Beauty Original Production Celluloid, $15,000
Production celluloids are always priceless, especially when they come from staple animated films like Sleeping Beauty. Many of these celluloids are sold with a production background as well, immersing you once again in a classic Princess story. Being one of the earliest Disney animated films, it is no wonder that one of these celluloids can sell up to $15,000.
13. Old King Cole Mickey and Minnie Window Displays, $18,000
When the age of TV was only just beginning, there had to be another way for Disney to drive sales and get people to buy their collectibles. In the 30s and 40s, one such advertisement was using window displays in stores that featured some of the more iconic characters. For instance, these matching displays of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, which can now fetch a price upwards of $18,000 at auction.
12. It’s a Small World Animatronic, $20,000
“It’s a small world after all, it’s a small world after all…” I dragged my parents on this ride at least five times when we traveled to Disney, and it’s still one of the most iconic rides in Disney to this day. A mellow boat ride highlights the various nations and people around the world, all with the lovely song “It’s a Small World After All” playing in the background. Since the ride is so legendary, it only makes sense that the animatronics from the ride are going to pull in a lot of money. This Disney collectible can be sold for around $20,000 at auction.
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11. Walt Disney’s Fantasia, Foreword by Leopold Stokowski, $35,000
As a huge fan of books, I am glad that this Disney collectible made the list. Since there are so few books that are signed by Walt Disney, it automatically rackets up the price if you happen to have his “John Hancock.” But, the real money maker to this edition of Fantasia is that not only do you have Walt Disney’s signature, but there is also a forward by famed composer Leopold Stokowski, making the price jump up to $35,000.
10. Tokyo Disney Audio Animatronic Head, $40,000
If you get easily creeped out then this next Disney collectible may not be for you. In Tokyo’s Disney area, experts created a robotic framework for an animatronic head that was supposed to help a silicone-based head move during the park’s opening in the 70s. Without the skin-colored silicone, the head is a bit unnerving, but if you want a piece of Disney Imagineer history, this Disney collectible will cost around $40,000.
9. Space Mountain Car, $50,000
Another ride that is as iconic as the It’s a Small World ride is Space Mountain. Withstanding the test of time, Space Mountain is one of the most recognizable Disney roller coaster rides in the whole park. One of the cars from this ride is available in the Collecting Disney catalog for $50,000, so if you want to spend money expanding your Disneyana collection, this would be a crowning piece.
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8. ‘Tomorrowland’ Conceptual Art, $55,500
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In 1954 Walt Disney commissioned art director Bruce Bushman to render exciting images to promote his yet-to-be-built Magical Kingdom. This Tomorrowland image was one of four created.
This is the only image out of the four commissioned by Disney that is not in the Disney Archives, and it came from the estate of Bruce Bushman himself.
Effectively, this is Disney gold dust and worth the $55,500 paid at auction in 2015.
7. Mickey Mouse 75th Anniversary Edition Elton John Statue, $62,400
The Mickey Mouse artist-specific statues are one of the most iconic pieces in Disney, and for the 75th of Mickey, we got to see an even more elaborate piece. Inspired by great music legend Elton John, there is a lot of detail placed into the statue, which was highlighted in Sotheby’s catalog. If you don’t know Elton John specifically, then you might recognize his musical ability, which is shown in The Lion King.
6. Series A-1 Audio-Animatronics Frame, $80,000
If the Tokyo animatronic head didn’t bother you, then this other creepy robotic frame might not either. These specific animatronic frames are responsible for pirates coming to life and ghostly figures moving before the visitor’s eyes. These are the “bones” of both the animatronic and the popular Disney rides, making them super valuable. You can find them for sale between $80,000 and $100,000 in the Collecting Disney catalog.
5. Bedazzled Cinderella’s Castle, $250,000
Swarovski crystal lovers will fall head-over-heels for this piece. Instead of glass slippers, Cinderella has found a crystal castle instead. Made by the crystal makers Arribas Brothers, the replica of Cinderella’s castle is quite a sight. If you cannot afford the full Swarovski crystal castle valued at around $250,000, then there is a cheaper version for just $49,000.
4. Mickey Mouse & Goofy 1956 Comic Printing Plates, $250,000
Nearly as iconic as the animated cartoons, Disney’s comic books were a huge deal when Mickey was first created and earns the fourth spot in our Disney collectibles list. But, this collectible is a little different, because it is not a complete comic book, rather it is the original plates that were used to print the comic in the 1950s, alongside a page of the printed comic plate. With both pieces, you can find this Disney collectible for a staggering $250,000 on eBay.
3. Signed ‘Art of Walt Disney’ book with Mickey and Donald Sketch, $300,000
One of the 5 most expensive Disney collectibles is a signed ‘Art of Walt Disney’ book. It is a piece of Disney history and will be a prized Disneyana possession for as long as people love Disney (which could be for a while).
One of the reasons it is so collectible (and expensive) is that the book features Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse in the same sketch. A signed art book with that sketch is worth a life-changing $300,000.
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2. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, $441,500
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The Tomorrowland People mover is a Disney park ride that has made its way to the world of collectors:
It was used from the 60s to 90s to guide people around the Disney park. It was meant to take guests in the future – but has made its own way into the future by becoming one of the strangest and rarest Disneyana collectibles going.
There are only a few Tomorrowland PeopleMovers in the world, and one sold for $441,500 back in 2015.
1. Celebration Mickey, 2 million / Disney Collectibles
Celebration Mickey was a gift to Walt Disney on his 100th Birthday and the company spared no expense in the production of this statue.
The statute is made from 100 lb of solid gold and has the honor of being the biggest gold statue in United States history.
The value of the statue is $4 million and was up for sale in 2006. Surely, this is the most coveted amongst Disneyana collectibles?
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Disney has become one of those all-encompassing companies that is part of our daily lives, whether it be movies, TV series, memorabilia, or visiting one of the many Disney parks. If you are a huge fan of Walt Disney or Mickey Mouse, and have some money to spare, try and grab these top twenty Disney collectibles for yourself.
