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The top 20 toys of all time

These 20 timeless childhood toys, from Barbies to LEGOs,  were chosen by visitors and fans at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis as the cream of the crop. Which toy took the top spot?

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The world's largest Etch A Sketch is shown in Boston in this 2006 commercial file photo. Etch a Sketch made the list of the top 20 toys of all time, but it didn't snag the top spot.
  • By Brandon Ballenger Contributor

What was your favorite toy from childhood?

If a Nintendo Entertainment System doesn鈥檛 count, I鈥檇 have to say LEGO or Lincoln Logs. I鈥檇 probably still play with them today if I had them around. And that鈥檚 just the kind of toy the聽聽was looking for when they chose the 100 most iconic toys of the past century 鈥� toys with memories, stories, and intergenerational appeal.

Here鈥檚 the Top 20, as chosen by museum visitors and fans. We added a few tidbits ourselves 鈥� like when they first became widely available (according to Wikipedia) and how much they cost today. For bonus nostalgia, click the toys鈥� names to watch their classic TV commercials.

It鈥檚 worth noting there鈥檚 nothing more recent than 1984 at the top of the list, although new versions of many are still made today. And collector鈥檚 editions aside, they鈥檙e all pretty affordable today as well鈥�

1.聽G.I. Joe

  • First widely available: 1964
  • Cost: From聽$4

2.听罢谤补苍蝉蹿辞谤尘别谤蝉

  • First widely available: 1984
  • Cost: From聽$2.50

3.聽LEGO Toys

  • First widely available: 1947
  • Cost: From聽1 cent

4.听叠补谤产颈别

  • First widely available: 1959
  • Cost: From聽$9

5.听痴颈别飞-惭补蝉迟别谤

  • First widely available: 1966
  • Cost: From聽$7

6.听叠颈肠测肠濒别

  • First widely available: 19th聽century
  • Cost: From聽$40

7.聽Cabbage Patch Kids

  • First widely available: 1982
  • Cost: From聽$14

8.听颁谤补测辞苍蝉

  • First widely available: Crayola in 1903, but centuries ago
  • Cost: From聽$1.50

9.听笔濒补测-顿辞丑

  • First widely available: 1955
  • Cost: From聽70 cents

10.听惭翱狈翱笔翱尝驰

  • First widely available: 1934
  • Cost: From聽$10

11.聽Raggedy Ann

  • First widely available: 1918
  • Cost: From聽$8

12.听厂辫颈谤辞驳谤补辫丑

  • First widely available: 1965
  • Cost: From聽$15

13.聽Etch A Sketch

  • First widely available: 1960
  • Cost: From聽$9

14.聽Little Golden Books

  • First widely available: 1942
  • Cost: From聽$4

聽15.聽Hot Wheels

  • First widely available: 1968
  • Cost: From聽$5

聽16.聽Lincoln Logs

  • First widely available: 1918
  • Cost: From聽$14

聽17.聽Candy Land

  • First widely available: 1949
  • Cost: From聽$11

聽18.聽Roller skates

  • First widely available: 1863
  • Cost: From聽$15

聽19.聽Silly Putty

  • First widely available: 1949
  • Cost: From聽$3.50

聽20.聽Mr. Potato Head

  • First widely available: 1952
  • Cost: From聽$9

Brandon Ballenger is a writer for聽, a consumer/personal finance TV news feature that airs in about 80 cities and around the Web. This column first appeared in Money Talks News.

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