If you’re clearing out the garage, you’re likely to stumble over cobwebs and coffee cans of mystery bits. There was somegood reason to set it aside, right?
If you’ve got a mint-condition Beatles album, it deserves pride of place in a home — not to rot away in a basement closet. And if you’re not playing or displaying this masterpiece, it’s time to cash in and supplement your income.
Many pop culture collectibles are worth a small fortune. Here’s a look at the 14 most valuable types of collectibles.
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Comic books
According to Heritage Auctions (HA), the comics market is exploding. Not only has the site sold more than one million comic books, but buyers are asking incredibly high prices. There was recently a Superman comic book priced at $3.5 million.
While you might not have comics from the 1938-1955 era, other books can be worth plenty — especially anything pre-1980. Books from that period with original artwork are highly desirable.
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Action figures
Old toys have sentiment. As the audience these toys were built for ages, the toys’ monetary value grows.
Action figure toys do very well, in particular those tied to beloved movies like Star Wars. Hake’s Auctions sold a 1979 Star Wars Boba Fett figure for $10,625.
Barbies
Barbies are a collector’s dream. The original 1959 doll is especially sought-after. A well-preserved (used) 1959 Barbie, with the box and the stand, recently listed for just over $3,000 on eBay.
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Baseball cards
According to experts, many player cards are worth a small fortune.
You likely don’t have a Mickey Mantle, which is a hot commodity, but you may have a Derek Jeter card. And if it’s signed, you could ask for $800 like multiple eBay sellers.
Pokémon cards
Pokémon cards have been around since 1996, and many have already achieved vintage collector status.
Scarcity and condition are the main factors driving value. Rare Pikachu holographic “Illustrator” cards can sell for $375,000 to over $4 million.
Old technology
Yesterday’s cutting-edge technology holds tremendous value for today’s collectors.
A floppy disk signed by Steve Jobs sold at auction for $84,115. Jobs’ signature helped, but even unsigned goods are valuable. eBay has listings for vintage computers priced at over $20,000, with some coveted goods listed for more than $100K.
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Furniture
Old furniture is popular on the collector’s market. For example, a 1956 Eames chair on Chairish was recently on sale for $24,000.
Keep in mind old does not automatically mean valuable. Several factors come into play, including manufacturer, style, hardware, and construction.
High-value furniture is sturdily built with tight joints and solid veneers.
Sports memorabilia
It’s not just baseball cards. There’s a wide market for a range of athletic paraphernalia, especially goods tied to superstar athletes.
Michael Jordan’s signed college jersey sold for $1.38 million. And it’s not just autographed goods that are making the money. Used, unsigned Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls jerseys go for several hundred dollars on eBay.
Barware
Period TV shows like “Downton Abbey”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “Mad Men” have renewed interest in collecting vintage drinkware.
Valuable items include sterling silver shakers, colored glassware, and decanters.
Vintage clocks
While we may love our smartwatches, there’s still a sizable market of analog clock lovers.
Collectors clamor toward popular manufacturers like Ansonia, Seth Thomas, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Chelsea Clock Company, Howard Miller, and Gilbert Clock Company.
Posters
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Posters for movies, concerts, and events can be extremely valuable. An original “The Wizard of Oz” movie poster went for $108,000. A staggering sum, yet chump change compared to the $525,800 a 1931 “Dracula” poster commanded in a 2017 auction.
Video games
Don’t yard-sale your old games into oblivion. Old games and gaming consoles can be worth a small fortune.
Keep in mind that games don’t have to be popular or even “good” to be valuable; it’s more about age and rarity. For instance, you can find Atari game listings for over $10,000.
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Handbags
The market for luxury handbags, brand-new or vintage, is strong. As such, there are many ways to check the value of your handbag, including auction and consignment sites like Heritage Auctions and The RealReal.
Couture brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès do especially well, but there’s also a large market for name brands like Coach and Kate Spade.
Qualities or features that impact value include condition, materials, rarity, and trim.
Coins
Double-check your coin jar. A few super-rare pieces buried in the stash could help you bring in extra cash.
The world’s most valuable coin, a gold Double Eagle minted in 1933, sold for $18.9 million at a Sotheby’s auction.
And most of us probably have a Kennedy half-dollar. According to Greysheet, Kennedy half dollars are worth $1.10 to $24,000, depending on the year minted and the coin’s silver content. But that range could be low. In 2019, a 1964 coin sold for $156,000.
Bottom line
You could have a small fortune hiding in your parents’ garage or sitting in the hutch and staring you in the face every morning at breakfast.
Before you discard old collectibles or make them live out their days in musty boxes, figure out what they’re worth and consider selling them to earn extra money. A local appraiser can help, or turn to specialty sites to jumpstart your research.
Even if you don’t sell, you should properly store the goods and consider insuring them.
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Calista Headrick leads our jobs and lifestyle content, writing and editing nearly 600 articles for FinanceBuzz. You can find her sharing thoughts on real estate, travel hacks, smart shopping, and the seemingly always unpredictable job market. She brings firsthand financial experience to her work and is proud that her personal budgeting system has helped her save a six-month emergency fund. In other words, Calista brings real-world know-how into guidance readers can actually use.
