The 25 most Valuable Garbage Pail Kids Cards - Prices and pictures.

Bukimi Kun

Rather than being a single card, Bukimi Kun was a set of cards released as a limited edition in Japan. Though in the Bukimi Kun set several designs appeared in earlier sets, what makes Bukimi Kun set unique are the names of the characters: they are written in the Japanese hiragana and katakana syllabary. Another factor that makes these cards worth any collector’s eye is the fact that only several hundred copies were released in Japan, and so far it is the only Japan Garbage Pail Kids release. A complete set is worth at around $700 but on eBay a Bukimi Kun Nasty Nick/Evil Eddie card has a $15,000 price tag.

La Pandilla Basura

The Garbage Pail Kids released in Spain, La Pandilla Basura roughly translates to “The Trash Gang” and unlike other series, has not seen a 2000s revival despite releasing 4 sets throughout the 80s and 90s. Even without the cards, an empty La Pandilla Basura album cover itself is worth around $400 or more.

Gang Do Lixo

Released in Brazil, Gang Do Lixo is iconic for its image of a boy sticking his finger up his nose and literally through his head. The Gang do Lixo release would go on to be so popular that not only were another two releases planned throughout the two decades after the first release, another company released a bootleg version titled Loucomania. Act fast: a full Gang do Lixo set goes for up to $300 on eBay.

Havurat Ha’zevel

Like Japan’s Bukimi Kun release where the names of the characters are replaced with the native language of the region, Havurat Ha’zevel has some of our most iconic Garbage Pail Kids but with Hebrew names instead. Though the back of the cards are blank cardboard, a Havurat Ha’zevel set can land you a handsome price from $185.

2010 Garbage Pail Kids #3a Adam Bomb (Flashback Series)

The Flashback Series specifically features different iterations of Adam Bomb, the poster child of the Garbage Pail Kids franchise. These iterations essentially incorporated different images of how Adam Bomb’s head would blow apart, ranging from a colorful arrangement of fireworks to what seems to be Adam Bomb popping out of his skin. Cards from this series range from around $20 to $115 on eBay.

2015 Garbage Pail Kids #2a Gorgeous George

You may or may not agree about whether or not this caricatural depiction of George Washington is indeed gorgeous, your wallet would appreciate his potential worth: a mint condition of a 1985 Gorgeous George card is going for just under $200.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #161a Shorned Sean 

Showcasing the image of a boy slipping up during a shave—shaving off the skin of his cheek rather than his overnight stubble—Shorned Sean was originally released with the fourth series and will definitely shave off dollars from anyone’s wallet as it’s worth a handsome price of $300.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #47a Disgustin’ Justin

Based on the motorcycle-riding group Hell’s Angels, Disgustin’ Justin is a Series 2 release depicting a biker guzzling down a can of beer while on the go. What makes this card special is its direct reference to alcohol; while previous cards only allude to the presence of booze, Disgustin’ Justin makes it clear that he’s drinking and piloting at the same time. Prices for a mint condition Disgustin’ Justin cards fetch up to $250.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #53a Jolted Joel 

From the Battle of the Band series, Jolted Joel depicts a kid playing electric guitar while being electrified (whether by his performance or not we aren’t too sure). While not as gruesomely depicted as his fellow Garbage Pail Kids, a Jolted Joel from the 1985 Original Series 1 set will gain you $200 if bought by an avid collector. A Japanese version just sold for over $1000.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #113b Liberty Libby

A caricature of New York’s famous Lady Liberty, instead of a torch and her stone tablets, Liberty Libby carries a bag of trash and a bundle of newspapers. From the Original Series 3 set, a Liberty Libby can rake at a handsome price of $655 if it’s a clean copy from the Original Series 3 set.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #70a Bad Breath Seth

What looks like a post-apocalyptic landscape is only the disastrous effects of a boy with bad breath—Bad Breath Seth to be exact. From the original series 2 and featured in the official Garbage Pail Kids movie, Bad Breath Seth is worth about $200 in good condition.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #28a Oozy Suzy

A literal warning about playing with fire, the Oozy Suzy card shows a wax model of a girl being melted into thick globs of wax by a gentle flame. First released in the Original Series 1 set, a 1985 mint condition Oozy Suzy can net you around $890 on eBay.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #49b Schizo Fran

If you have a headache looking at this card, which shows the internal battle of a two-headed girl as each head dukes it out, maybe you could use some extra cash to grab some Advil along the way. A 1985 release of Schizo Fran in mint condition could potentially net you up to $2,200 on eBay.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #48a Tongue-Tied Tim

If you find your hands tied trying to hand off your Tongue Tied Tim card, never fear as Tongued Tim can fetch a handsome price among trading card collectors: prices for this card go up to $340.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #235a Ugly Hans 

While we’re all familiar with the act of making faces with our hands, Ugly Hans takes it to a whole new level by making the face itself come alive. Face the ugly no more as a 1986 Ugly Hans can sell for as high as $660 on eBay.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #132b Unzipped Zack

Interpreting the phrase “birthday suit” to a literal level, Unzipped Zack may be from the 4th old series but he’s worth a pretty penny: copies of this card can run up to $600.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #30a New Wave Dave

Showing a boy graffitiing a wall (with the slightly mysterious words SMUT below his spontaneous master piece), a New Wave Dave from the Original Series 1 set goes for around $1,300.

2015 Garbage Pail Kids #7a Mad Michael Jordan

Though released recently in 2015, prices for the Mad Michael Jordan Garbage Pail Kids card is almost $350 for a mint condition card due to its image of the iconic basketball player and its release on the 30th anniversary of the Garbage Pail Kids franchise. Hardcore Garbage Pail Kids collectors and basketball fans alike will adore this card depicting Michael Jordan scooping a basketball into a hoop with his tongue à la Garbage Pail Kids style.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids #46a Rappin’ Ron

Before Trump, another well-known president was featured as a Garbage Pail Kids card: former president Ronald Reagan. While he is dropping not beats but probably policies at the presidential mic stand, prices for a mint condition Rappin’ Ron can go up to $250.

2017 Garbage Pail Kids #3b Trump Terror

Though only released as a card in the 2017 Adam Geddon set, a mint condition Trump Terror card is already priced at near $300 on eBay. Whether one regards it only as a special edition or a reflection of the current political climate, the Trump Terror card is a memorable addition to any collection, nearly completed or not.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 1b Evil Eddie

This 1980 Garbage Pail Kid is worth almost $2,200 in mint value today on eBay. Not the card with the highest value, but still a popular favorite and valuable card piece among the collector and little kid alike, though the value for each version of the card is different. The artwork on the Evil Eddie card is exactly the same as the artwork on the grotesque Nasty Nick piece. This card features a little vampire kid holding a woman dressed in a short, white dress and smiling at the viewer. The vampire kid clings to her, ready to bite. A baby bat watches on proudly.

In the initial cardboard series, there are a total of 82 “a” and “b” cards. The main difference between the “a” card and the “b” card is the character that was played. Each card lives up to the Garbage Pail Kid name and is a far cry from the cute and cuddly alter ego of the Cabbage Patch kids. Of course, the disgust painted into each card created a fuss among each outraged parent. It was definitely a different reaction to the more popular Cabbage Patch kids that the girls loved.

When it comes to the differences on these “a” vs “b” cards, the variations were usually on the reverse side. Some had checklists while others had mock awards on the back.

These cards are rare to find in mint condition, especially concealed in their original wrapper, which is why the avid collector will pay top dollar for these cards despite their disgust.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 8a Adam Bomb

This 1980 Garbage Pail Kids card value comes in at $4,000 mint value on eBay making it one of the most valuable Garbage Pail Kids card pieces on our list. When the collector and little kid think of the Garbage Pail Kids franchise, this Adam Bomb card is usually the first grotesque card piece that comes to mind. In fact, this Adam Bomb card is probably the most recognizable card piece on the market among the collector and little kid, but certainly not the most grotesque.

Why?

This was the picture that was used on the original cardboard boxes and each wrapper in which the Garbage Pail Kids cards were distributed for the first five series. The added advertisement of this Adam Bomb card piece makes it one of the most popular card pieces among the avid collector today simply because of the “positive” recognition that comes with the Adam Bomb card for little kids and fans alike.

With the increased positive advertisement of the Adam Bomb on box card and wrapper, this Adam Bomb card is enormously popular and valuable. Any collector will pay big money for a copy of the high-grade version.

This grotesque Adam Bomb card shows him pressing a detonator as a mushroom cloud erupts from his head, making it a beloved card for kid and collector alike. While this Adam card is by no means the most popular or the most valuable, it is easy to see why parents were so outraged over the release of the cards considering the Adam series is the cleanest among the pack and has been recreated and renamed through the series that followed.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 22a Junky Jeff

At mint value, the 1980 22a Junky Jeff Garbage Pail Kids piece brings in $1000 on eBay.

This grotesque card features a little kid having his garbage-riddled head raided by a starving alley cat. The little boy is overweight, clothless, and covered in junk. The top of his head is cut off and various gross objects peek out while the little boy looks on with an empty smile.

The likely message behind the advertisement here is that many little kids’ heads can be filled with “garbage,” in the form of any kind of useless information or interests. No matter how true the sentiment might be, the little piece of cardboard still created a fuss among each outraged parent.

Another advertisement message hidden among the cards is the notion that alley cats get their food from the garbage. The cat in this card looks happily down at the junk before it while licking its lips.

The card is also set at night, so it could also be saying that anything that happens at night is garbage, as was a popular opinion of a parent and little kid in the early 1980 so perhaps not all the subliminal advertisement behind the card is bad.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 5b Jay Decay

This uniquely valuable 1980 Garbage Pail Kid card clocks in a mint value of $900 on eBay, though the most recent card only sold for $500. That is most likely because it lacked its original wrapper. Jay Decay is a rare card for the avid collector. This card back has one of two variations: either a checklist or a mock award/certificate. Rare checklist backs appear to have gained value with collectors, especially if the checklist was left in its original, unchecked form.

On the front, a little zombie kid is shown rising from the grave while a full moon shines brightly in the background. His clothes are tattered, an eye is missing and it’s clear the artist was trying to show as much disgust as possible. Perhaps this underlying advertisement once again plays off the idea that nothing good happens to a little kid after darkness falls. Maybe the parent was outraged and made a fuss out of the card because it seemed to mock their values and what they considered appropriate at the time. Despite the grossness of the card, it’s still easy to see why this card is popular among the little kid and avid collector alike.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 24b Nerdy Norm

This weird 1980 Garbage Pail Kid card comes in with a mint value of $900. Not the most valuable card, but still a nice bang for the buck for a little piece of cardboard. the card depicts a blond-headed baby with the signature 1980 hair swoop. He’s naked except for a diaper. One cigarette juts out of his hair and he holds another in his mouth. He’s surrounded by beer mugs, coffee mugs, coke bottles, and all the junky things a kid could want. Not exactly a positive image any parent would want their little kid to see. It is a wonder that this type of card wasn’t marketed more for a parent than a kid at all.

But, when you consider card #24a Nervous Rex, it becomes much more apparent that the underlying advertisement message with these two cards is how people deal with anxiety and nervousness through coping mechanisms like drinking and smoking. Perhaps it also sends the not-so-positive message that if nerds want to be cool, they should smoke and drink coffee. This makes sense if you consider the idea that smoking had just reached the height of popularity among the cool kid crowd in the 1980 and 90 eras. This still probably didn’t sit well with any parent at the time.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 8b Blasted Billy

This kid card brings in a mint value of $850 on eBay, even in mint condition. This may be because of the fact that it is a replica of the Adam Bomb and not as rare or favorite. Blasted Billy is basically Adam Bomb’s cousin.

They both picture Cabbage Patch kid in a tuxedo with his messy brown hair exploding into a mushroom cloud bomb above his head. It seems to support a message that being rich isn’t everything. Or perhaps it was a nod to the atomic bomb that was just being introduced at the time.

Even still, it is the same exact picture of Adam Bomb in the cardboard box and in the wax packs, but the value of Blasted Billy is far less than the Adam Bomb by several thousand dollars.

It might also be that the name “Blasted Billy” just doesn’t have the same ring to it as “Adam Bomb.” Or maybe by the time Blasted Billy came along, people were getting tired of seeing the same advertisement messages repeated.

More likely the truth is that the average kid probably had a more positive association with Adam Bomb, considering that it was the card blasted on every advertisement. So the kid and collector alike would’ve recognized Adam Bomb over Blasted Billy.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 55b Brutal Brad

This card brings in a mint value of $500 on eBay, even in mint condition with the wrapper included. It is definitely one of the least valuable cards on our list.

Some more serious subjects were portrayed in later releases of Garbage Pail Kids such as #55b Brutal Brad. Brutal Brad is depicted as a hairy caveman that violently hit a cavewoman with his club and dragged her along by her scalp. He carries a rock weapon and is covered in hair.

So what is the overall advertisement message to the little kid or even the parent for this Garbage Pail Kid? It seems to support the idea that abuse is normal behavior or that violence is a natural part of human nature. Overall, not the most positive image for the little kid to see.

Perhaps they were mocking how outraged parents had become and the major fuss that was being created over the little card set. Maybe that is even why the card only brings in a value of $500 today even in mint condition in the wrapper.

The strange part of this card is the fact that is has a female counterpart called #56b Brutal Bridget. It shows the same imagery, but the roles are reversed. The little cavewoman tosses a rock weapon over her shoulder and carries what looks like a dead caveman in her other hand. Sweat falls from her brow as she runs back home. Strangely, the female counterpart brings in an extra hundred dollars if found in mint condition. Perhaps because of the fact that it is a female counterpart and not just a female card.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 26a Slobby Robbie

The estimated mint value of this Garbage Pail Kid card is $700 on eBay, including mint condition and sealed in the wrapper. It’s one of the most valuable cards on our list, though not the most valuable.

Slobby Robbie shows a morbidly obese little kid eating ice cream and candy as the scale he sits on explodes under him. The scale even seems to be breaking the floor underneath the little kid from his own weight. It’s still not the most positive image of these cards, but still not the one that shows the most disgust either. If there is any helpful or positive message to be found in these cards, then this is certainly one good example: don’t eat too much junk food.

Or perhaps the little card piece shows what a little kid looks like when a parent gives them everything they ask for. Similar cartoons have been drawn to underline the rich stealing from the poor, but is that really an advertisement message a couple would want to send to a little kid?

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 23b Leaky Lou

This kid brings in a mint value of $700 on eBay. The next card is just flat out strange.

Leaky Lou shows a child drinking a glass of water flowing right through the many holes which cover his body, and he doesn’t care. Some of the holes have corks in them, but not nearly enough to prevent the disaster which is happening here. This is definitely one of the cards that reeks the most possible disgust for the kid and parent alike. It isn’t a positive image at all. After all, what could this type of image be saying to any kid?

Just imagine the fuss that this bit of cardboard created in the early ’80s for a parent. The kid featured in the advertisement also seems to be the youngest of the bunch. Still in diapers, though those diapers aren’t really needed with all that mess being created. Perhaps this was the company’s male version of the wet and cry Cabbage Patch Kid doll that was a favorite for young girls at the time, but even for boys, it isn’t a great image. With these types of cars, it’s easy to see why Adam Bomb was the one chosen for the advertisement.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 41a Mean Gene

This kid card brings in a mint value of $700 on eBay. These cards are a rare value along with its counterpart, #41b Joltin’ Joe. This is because the card is the last of the first series and starts off the second. Cards found in mint condition can be considered rare and valuable, therefore are a favorite for the avid collector.

Similar to the original Adam cards, Mean Gene is a throwback to the classic 80’s war movies like G.I Joe and Rambo. While young girls swooned over the Cabbage Patch babies and Barbies, the boys were watching the latest war movies, making this card a reflection of entertainment at the time.

This little kid has lit dynamite ready to explode in his left hand, while his right holds a heavy machine gun. He wears spiked combat boots, spiked wrist cuffs, and a camo outfit complete with the army sunglasses. His weapons are complete with arrows and a grenade. He is the ultimate depiction of every 80s movie now, even the more comedic ones.

These two cards show a lot of violence, but because of the ware movies circulating at the time, were probably not a big issue for a parent like some of the other cards.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 4b Electric Bill

This kid brings a $700 price tag for mint value. #4b Electric Bill and its counterpart #4a Fryin’ Brian are arguably two of the most cringe-worthy and disturbing cards in the first series. They show the same horrible images of a kid being tortured by powers out of his control, unlike other cards that display what happens to a kid if they don’t stick to the straight and narrow.

A young kid is shown in prison garb being shocked in the electric chair. The kid is even pinned down by handcuffs and ankle cuffs. These two cards are even more violent in appearance than the Adam Bomb/Blasting Billy cards or the nuclear explosion shown in those cards. There doesn’t seem to be any sense to the images presented. It’s just downright disturbing for kids and adults alike.

Perhaps it is the picture of extreme pain on the face of the kid. If you can’t understand why a parent wanted these cards to be banned, then look at these cards. There’s no understanding of the advertisement message the company was trying to sell to kids through this series.

These cards are a rare find in mint condition, which helps to give them value to a collector despite the disturbing images

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 83b Sumo Sid

This kid brings in a mint value of $650, putting it in the middle of the pack as a valuable favorite for a collector. Card #83b Sumo Sid is the very last card issued for the second series, and therefore receives a bump in value because it is difficult to find them in mint condition, making them a rare gem for a collector.

The image of a sumo wrestler with the ground cracking under him is not nearly as controversial as some of the others on the list, and probably created less outrage for parents and kids alike. It isn’t even as violent as the Adam cards that made the advertisement for the cardboard boxes the cards came in.

The image is probably one of the simplest we’ve seen as it simply shows a sumo wrestler smiling up at the kid. Because the cards are the last of the series, it is almost impossible to find in mint condition and therefore it is a valuable keepsake for a collector, even though it brings in fewer dollars than some of the more violent images. This is perhaps because of how many still exist or the lesser effect of card compared to Electric Bill and the Adam cards.

1985 Garbage Pail Kids 7a Stormy Heather

This little Garbage Pail Card brings in a mint value of well over $800. Stormy Heather was also known as April showers and appeared in the first series number 7 a/b. She is one of the few female cards, which makes sense, considering the cards were originally advertised for the boys. Like many of the cards on this list, it is rare to find this one in mint condition, adding a bit more value for a collector.

The picture is an illustration of a young girl in a yellow raincoat and red rain boots getting electrocuted during a rainstorm when lightning strikes her directly on the head, missing her umbrella. The card can go for $800 in gem mint graded condition.

Perhaps the fact that is a rare depiction of a female adds a little more value for a collector, as it’s priced way higher than some of the more valued cards. Despite the electrocution, it is not as violent as Electric Bill or Junkie Jeff and is painted with bright, vivid colors. Other than wild hair turned black, there doesn’t seem to be any harm Heather at all. Maybe the company didn’t want to show girls with the same violent temperament then they showed boys. That probably would’ve created even more outrage among the parents.

1985 Garbage Pail kids 37a GuilloTINA

The GuilloTina Garbage Pail Kids collectible is probably the most violent for the cards including females, even compared to electric Bill and only brings in a mint value of $500 for a collector. It shows the viewer a young girl dressed in pink prison garb with her hands tied behind her back, smiling as the guillotine comes down on her neck. She has bright blue eyes and red pigtails. She looks like she could be on the cover of a blizzard strawberry shortcake book or something.

Just try to imagine what the company was trying to convey to kids with this rare, awkward card. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t carry as much value as Stormy Heather or the other female cards. The image is quite disturbing, and not something parents would want their children looking at overtime. What advertisement message could a scene like this possibly say to a young boy, after all? It’s definitely the most cringe-worthy image on the list so far.

Despite the $500 value, cards found in mint condition are selling for even less than $500 on some sites. IS it because of the fact that it is a female kid on the card, or the cheery violence happening in the picture?

1986 Garbage Pail Kids 110b Snooty Sam/U.S. Arnie

The GPK’s were great artists, at least, because they put a new spin on an old image and made it all new. Snooty Sam was a variant of Uncle Sam that was a bit more candid. Instead of being blindly patriotic, Snooty Sam told you the cold truth, that America didn’t actually have the best interests of the citizens at the core of their government. Maybe it’s because Uncle Sam looked like a Cabbage Patch doll and picked his nose, but this card was a favorite among kids. There’s no listed mint value for this GPK, it doesn’t seem to be a favorite for traders, but is still worth mentioning for its unique sense of style.

1983 Garbage Pail Kids 43a Smelly Kelly/Doug Plug

This was another one of those weird original cards. It isn’t listed with a mint value, but it’s worth mentioning for its weirdness alone. It shows a naked baby as a fire hydrant and a young pup sniffing happily around it. The artists capture perfectly the moment that the character realizes what is about to happen with shock and awe as most of their cards do. Like most cards, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the meaning behind it.

This one has a counterpart like most of the cards called Doug Plug, much like the other cards mentioned here, it has been recreated over the years.

Each card seems to get weirder and weirder. It’s hard to see what made them a favorite among kids or collectors. Maybe the 80s were really just a different time or maybe it was the unique art that stood out at the time like the weird image of Smelly Kelly that made the cards a hit among male children, it’s hard to say.

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