10 Vintage Cereal Boxes That Are Worth Some Serious Cash Now

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Over the last few years, the global collectible market has surged in popularity. In the early 2020s, prices of Pokémon cards, classic cars, and sports memorabilia skyrocketed, and we saw billions of dollars go into digital collectibles like NFTs. In 2024, the entire collectible market size hit a whopping estimated value of $294.23 billion, according to Grand View Research. With an estimated Compound Annual Growth Rate of 5.5%, experts forecast that the collectible market will be worth over $422 billion by 2030. Millennials and Gen Z collectors are among the driving factors behind the craze, and the potential for significant profits from holding onto nostalgic items like vinyl records, old comics, and vintage cereal boxes seems to be a surprisingly realistic way to supplement one's income. And now this collectible market has expanded far beyond the usual antiques, sports memorabilia, and toys.

Old and rare cereal boxes are fetching big bucks — and they don't even necessarily have to be good cereals. In fact, they can be some of the worst cereals on the shelf! Yes, we've seen how Wheaties athlete boxes have remained a must-collect piece of memorabilia for sports collectors, but straight-up cereal boxes? Where there is rarity and nostalgia, there is a market, and these are just nine of the many vintage cereal boxes that are worth some serious cash now.

Slimer! And the Real Ghostbusters is the first Ralston Cereal Company box on this list, and it demands a brief lesson in cereal history. Ralston Cereal was originally a part of the Ralston Purina company. Its cereal brands were spun off into Ralston Corp, which was sold to General Mills in 1994. As a result, many of their relatively obscure one-off brand licenses were canceled — including this Ghostbusters cereal — which lacked new movies or cartoons to sustain its popularity and keep cereal sales moving. This box is in demand by Ghostbusters fans, and sold for over $47 in August 2025.

Apple Jacks is a cereal brand everyone knows, but did you know that it was created by a Kellogg's intern in 1965, first debuting as "Apple O's"? Eventually, it would switch to its iconic name "Apple Jacks" across the world. This box showcases how truly vintage and rare collectibles can yield a big price, as this particular box's price is often over $1,000.

Based on the Rainbow Brite cartoon series and collection of dolls, as well as cult feature film "Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer," Rainbow Brite also had a short run as a cereal that is sought after by collectors. The original box's prices range between $900 and $4,000.

During the height of Nintendo-mania in 1988 and 1989, Ralston distributed the Nintendo Cereal System cereal. This would actually feature two different cereals in the box in separate bags, including a Super Mario Bros. Action Series cereal and a Zelda Adventure Series cereal. Gamers lucky enough to own it often ask between $400 and $1,000 for the box.

The 1980s were a golden era for cereal licensing. It seemed like anyone who hit a certain level of popularity was allowed to become a breakfast meal for kids — and that included Mr. T, hot off his success in Rocky III and The A-Team. The sweet corn and oats cereal from Quaker (which boasts the first ever cereal mascot) was even in the shape of the letter T. You can find original boxes of this cereal for around $400, but knockoffs of the art have been widely circulated and can be purchased for much cheaper.

You can't have a valuable cereal box list without a healthy amount of The Breakfast of Champions: Wheaties. Perfectly landing in the intersection of sports memorabilia and a valuable piece of nostalgic breakfast history, this was Tiger Woods' first Wheaties cover. Woods was actually on multiple Wheaties covers in 1998, and while this is his "rookie" cover, both 1998 covers are often priced for hundreds (and even thousands) of dollars.

Lou Gehrig was the first athlete to appear on a box of Wheaties. His epic swing is actually on the back of the box, but that doesn't lower the demand or value for this extremely rare piece of memorabilia. There are very few of these boxes for sale, meaning that an $8,000 listing isn't surprising to see.

You can't discuss valuable memorabilia or collectibles without including Michael Jordan. No athlete has been featured on more Wheaties covers, and this was the only time where Jordan's face can be found on a box of the short-lived Honey Frosted Wheaties. The line ran from 1995 to 2002, adding to the novelty of this rare cover. This box is on the cheaper side of vintage cereals, but some listings are still asking for over $700.

The first Pokémon games were released in 1996, and by 1999, the brand was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It seemed like every kid with a Nintendo Game Boy had to collect them all. By the time the cartoon came out in 1997, the little creatures were a household name. This was punctuated by their first limited edition cereal, which came out with a foil or standard cover in 1999 and 2000. The foil covers are more valuable, with many collectors asking for up to $400 for their box (especially if it's unopened). Standard covers often range between $30 and $150.

Another Ralston Purina original is Cookie-Crisp cereal. The vintage box from 1985 is sure to drum up some old memories, even though Cookie-Crisp is still being made today (General Mills bought the rights to it in 1997). The asking price for this specific box is over $400 (though an older, more obscure 1970s box can usually be found for under $100).