Game Boy
The Game Boy first came out in 1989 and became an instant hit all around the world, with kids begging their parents to buy these hand held video game devices. Now you’ll be hard pressed to find them at a store but they can be found on eBay for prices ranging from $750 to even $4000!
Game Boy
Antique Cookie Jar
You might not think about cookie jars when you think about antiques, but some of these can actually be worth quite a lot. On PBS show Antique Roadshow, evaluator Reyne Hirsch confirms that a vintage cookie jar in the shape of a cartoon character can fetch thousands of dollars. A Little Audrey cookie jar was purchased on eBay for $3400 in August 2019.
Antique Cookie Jar
Vintage Perfume Bottles
Perfume bottles in the 1900s were an art form on their own. These beautiful antique bottles can go for thousands of dollars. Antique Roadshow evaluator Eric Silver confirmed that some of these antique bottles sell very well at in-person auctions. There have been bottles that have been sold for $8500!
Vintage Perfume Bottles
VHS Tapes
Most of us have moved on to streaming platforms, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are a lot of VHS tapes sitting around, forgotten in basements and attics. However, some of these have become quite valuable. In fact, several Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck tapes have been listed on eBay for around $1500.
VHS Tapes
Vintage Band T-Shirts
Vintage band T-shirts have become quite the commodity, especially ones that are no longer available to purchase easily. The Nirvana In Utero Tour made of crew members was sold for $7000. Another T-shirt, a Beatles one from their album Yesterday and Today, which was banned, was listed for $20,000!
Vintage Band T Shirts
Kugel Christmas Ornaments
Eric Silver claims that Christmas ornaments are seriously valuable. Sleds sell for $100, brown glass ornaments are worth up to $1700. Kugel ornaments are the most valuable, as the German ornaments date back to 1840 through the 1940’s and have been sold for up to $18,000.
Kugel Christmas Ornaments
Vintage Lunch Boxes
Lunchbox collector Thad Reece has shared that vintage lunchboxes can sell for up to ten thousand times the orignal price they were sold for. One of the most valuable ones include a 1963 The Jetsons lunch box that sold for $1650, a 1962 Dudley Do-Right one that sold for $2200, and a 1954 Superman lunch box that went for $13,000.
Vintage Lunch Boxes
Pokémon Cards
If you were around in the 1990’s, you’ll know that Pokémon Cards were an absolute craze. While the object of these was to trade them, anyone who held on to them could be sitting on quite a fortune. Some cards, like the first edition Charizard 1999 have sold for thousands. The Charizard sold for $13,000! A PSA Mint card from the Tropical Wind Trophy in 2001 sold for a whopping $500,000.
Pokémon Cards
Vintage Advertising Signs
Before the days of TV and Internet advertisements, signs were the only way to advertise a product. Companies put a lot of effort into these signs, and some of these are worth a whole lot of money today. In 2019, a vintage Coca Cola sign was sold on eBay for a staggering $5700.
Vintage Advertising Signs
Apple iPod 1st Generation
While most of us have had at least one iPod over the years, if you managed to hang onto the original 1st generation iPod, it can be worth thousands today. In July 2019, an original iPod was sold for $2200 on eBay. Ones that are still functioning can go for up to $16,000!
Apple IPod 1st Generation
Old CDs
While CDs seemed to be the technology of the future for a while, we’ve all moved on to digital means of listening to music. However, a lot of us still have piles and piles of old CDs sitting around somewhere. A lot of these can be worth a ton of money, like a 1993 signature Michael Jackson series, or a 1998 Coldplay EP, both of which can go for $1500.
Old CDs
Boy Scout Badges
Many Boy Scouts spent years collecting badges through many different activities, and now all of that effort could actually pay off with a big pay day. Collectors Weekly has suggested that some of these badges have gone for $1170. In fact, the older the badge, the more likely it’s worth a lot of money. Some from the 1930’s and 40’s have been listed for $4500 on eBay.
Boy Scout Badges
Old Coins
While we all know that coin collecting is one of the most beloved collections out there, did you know that a lot of these coins are actually worth quite a lot of larger denominations of money? Jeff Bidelman, a former dealer at Rare Collectibles in Pennsylvania, once found a collection of 200 year old coins that were wroth $200,000!
Old Coins
Weathervanes
Weathervanes were once a very common way to know which way the wind was blowing. It was especially commonplace to find them atop barns and rural homes. Nowadays, apps will do this job, but antique weathervanes are now worth quite a lot. A 19th century weathervane will go for $7000 on eBay, while a Native American one was sold by Sotheby’s in 2006 for $5.84 million!
Weathervanes
Polly Pocket Toys
In the 1990’s, Polly Pocket toys were some of the most in demand toys on the market. Now, older sets have become quite valuable, and have been listed on eBay for $1900. Even the accessories can be quite valuable, for example a Polly Pocket pencil cause that was sold on eBay for $810.
Polly Pocket Toys
Costume Jewelry
Many of us who have held on to costume jewelry for years are tempted to toss them away without any thought, but you should know that some of these pieces can actually be worth quite a fair bit of money. For example, designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s pieces have sold for $2000 and up to $5000 on eBay.
Costume Jewelry
Tiffany Lamps
Tiffany lamps were some of the most popular lamps ever sold, and while these might remind you of old time diners, some of them are very valuable today. Some could fetch you $4000, and some might go for up to a whopping $1 million!
Tiffany Lamps
China Sets
If you’ve inherited a china set or two, you probably just kept them in a box hidden somewhere. However, some of these can get you quite a lot of money. Some 1900s antique china sets can sell for up to $5000 online.
China Sets
Cuckoo Clocks
Cuckoo clocks used to be all the rage to have at home, with the little bird letting you know what time it was. These date back to the 1730’s Germany. While most people won’t have them in their homes anymore, in 2019 there have been some that were listed on eBay for $2000.
Cuckoo Clocks
Rocking Chair
Rocking chairs were once quite a commonplace item to find in people’s homes, especially back in the 1700’s. These rockers have helped lull babies to sleep for many years, but nowadays, these chairs can fetch you quite a chunk of change. Rocking chairs from the 1950’s to 70’s can go for about $5000.
Rocking Chair
Boom Boxes
Boom boxes were at the height of their popularity in the 1980’s, as they were some of the first devices that allowed music to be portable. Of course, we have many methods of doing this these days, and so boom boxes have become a valuable commodity. A Sharp GF-999 Stereo Boombox has been sold on eBay for $3000, while a 1988 Lasonic TRC-975 Ghetto Blaster Boombox sold for $8250.
Boom Boxes
Trunks
Old trunks might look like a relic of the past, but if you’ve got one of these, you should know that they are worth quite a pretty penny. Eric Silver has shared that a French fashion house trunk could be worth thousands. Trunks from the 1870’s can also sell for about $700.
Trunks
Typewriters
Typewriters are no longer the way that most of us get our typing work done, but these have become beloved novelties that can fetch quite a hefty sum of money. According to Branford House Antiques, a Hooven Automatic Typewriter was sold for $7500. The most valuable is the Malling-Hansen Writing Ball, which can be worth up to $100,000.
Typewriters
Signed Yearbooks
Yearbooks were a great way to have a memento from the 4 years you spent in high school or the 3 years in middle school. In fact, signed yearbooks that include photos of celebrities before their fame can go for thousands. For example, a yearbook containing James Dean’s photo sold for $10,500. If it’s signed, it will earn even more money.
Signed Yearbooks
Vintage Comics
While a lot of parents were convinced their kids were wasting their time reading comic books, if those kids held on to those comic books, some of them could be worth quite a fortune now. In fact, an original The Incredible Hulk sold for $320,000 at a 2014 auction.
Vintage Comics
Original Star Wars Toys
When Star Wars first came out in 1977, the world was not ready for how much of a lasting phenomenon it would become. Countless sequels, theme parks, and endless merchandise have been released since then. Some original toys can be worth quite a lot, like an orignal Luke Skywalker toy that’s worth $25,000 or a Falcon Millennium ship worth $3000.
Original Star Wars Toys
American Girl Dolls
A lot of kids who grew up in the 1980’s and 90’s remember playing with American Girl dolls, which also have accompanying movies and books. Some of these dolls are worth quite a lot now, like a Samantha doll that was sold for $4200 on eBay.
American Girl Dolls
Video Games
Video games and consoles are ever evolving, with the older sets becoming more valuable as time goes on. Old PlayStation and Nintendo game cartridges can earn some serious money, like an N64 Mario Kart game that is worth hundreds nowadays.
Video Games
Cell Phones
Cell phones have certainly come a long way since the early days of mobile phones. Many of us have our old phones tucked away in a drawer somewhere, but some models are worth a lot of money. A DynaTAC 8000X from 1983 went for $550 in 1983, so you could potentially trade in an old clunker for a brand new smartphone.
Cell Phones
Antique Guitars
Antique guitars are another commodity, and the older the guitar, the more it could be worth. For example, a Gibson ES-175 was sold for $5500 in 2014, and a 1953 Fender Telecaster can be worth up to $10,000.
Antique Guitars
Happy Meal Toys
Happy Meal Toys were the best part of getting a Happy Meal as a kid, but if you’ve held on to any of the toys until now, you could be in for a wonderful surprise. Many of these old toys can go for hundreds of dollars, which is amazing considering the meal itself cost a fraction of that.
Happy Meal Toys
Flip Clock Radios
Flip clock radios used to be the most common way to tell the time, set an alarm, and listen to some tunes. However, now you’re most likely to see one in an old movie rather than in person. A Panasonic flip clock radio was sold for $300 on eBay, which is not too shabby at all.
Flip Clock Radios
White Furby
Anyone who was around during the 1990’s and early 2000’s can vouch that Furby talking dolls were simply inescapable. It’s pretty difficult to find them nowadays, especially the all-white ones, which can sell for about $800.
White Furby
Vintage Soda Crates
Vintage soda crates might not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of valuable antiques, but you’d be surprised to hear that they can fetch you quite a fair bit of money. Some crates that are branded can earn you a few hundred dollars, which is impressive for an old empty soda crate.
Vintage Soda Crates
Vintage Handbags
Designer handbags are often quite expensive, so they might be a good investment for the future, since vintage handbags can earn a decent chunk of change. A vintage Chanel bag kept in good condition can sell for about $3000, while bags that are more worn in can still earn several hundreds as well.
Vintage Handbags
Polaroid Cameras
Polaroid cameras were once all the rage, and though modern iterations have once again become popular, the orignal ones are quite valuable nowadays. A 1960 Polaroid 120 camera was sold for $430, not bad at all for an old camera.
Polaroid Cameras
Beer Cans
Funnily enough, old beer cans have become quite a valuable commodity these days. You might be upset you’ve tossed some of these into the trash, since beer can collector Jeff Lebo was able to collect 87,000 old cans that are now worth a collective $1.6 million. American beer brand cans from 1935 and 1941 are the most valuable.
Beer Cans
Vintage Postcards
Postcards were once a popular way to show your loved ones that you’re thinking of them while abroad. Now, vintage post cards are worth quite a lot, particularly Christmas cards. Individual post cards can fetch between $10 to $50, while postcards signed by someone famous could earn way more. For example, a Christmas card that was signed by Princess Diana and Prince Charles was sold for $4400 at an auction.
Vintage Postcards
Cereal Boxes
Old cereal boxes might be a surprising one, but they’re worth quite a lot. Those that have not been opened and have been kept in good condition can go for up to $1000. An old 1960 box of Nabisco Shredded Wheat is worth about $1000. Funnily enough, a box of Kellogg’s Sugar Pops from 2009 is worth $1600.
Cereal Boxes
Old Stamps
Collecting stamps might be a funny trope, but there’s a good reason why so many people do it. Some sets of old stamps can be worth quite a fortune! In fact, in August 2019, a set of old stamps sold for a staggering $90,000. That’s a lot of money for those little stamps!
Old Stamps