Zack Morris phones and other retro devices are selling for big bucks on eBay

If you’re like us, you probably watched Saved By the Bell as a kid and remember that iconic Zack Morris phone. It was from the early ‘90s, had a Sears Tower–sized antenna, and looked like the sort of thing you’d use to call Pluto, not your workaholic dad.

But there’s something cool about that Zack Morris cellphone and other old technology. Maybe it’s nostalgia, the way it takes you back to a bygone era when everything seemed possible and you didn’t take it for granted that you could tell your smart home what to do.   

Many of these old brick phones are still around—and some are selling for big bucks on eBay®. Take this 1989 Motorola® DynaTAC 8000M. It’s about the size of a husky French bulldog and couldn’t fit into a pair of MC Hammer pants or Zubaz®. But someone’s still selling it for $1,200.   

Or how about its awkward, older cousin, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, which is also for sale on eBay. This ‘80s brick phone costs about $55,000, and it’s so big, the airlines will force you to check it underneath the plane. But who cares? It’s British, it’s cool, and it’s maybe old enough to be your mom.  

Want something more affordable? Check out this rare, preproduction prototype KX18 Kyocera® cell. It’s advertised as one of a kind and belonged to someone named Don K., who was smart enough to put a white sticky label with his name on the front of it. The price: $250. Thanks, Don K. Whoever you are.  

Equally cool is this vintage Motorola 90s flip phone with its original charger. You can’t use it to make calls, but it does turn on. And for $249.99, it’s a small price to pay for that new look you’ve been trying out: the kid who peaked in high school in 1996.

Of course, not every old cell phone is worth something. But there’s enough out there to make you want to Marie Kondo your closet and see what you’ve got. 

Even if all you have is a random collection of orphaned flip phones, you can always recycle them with us. Doing so will prevent fire hazards and keep them out of landfills. The planet—and your fellow humans—will thank you.