12 Valuable Items You Might Not Realize Are Hiding in Your Home
You could have a few surprising items in your home that actually get more valuable with time. Many people stash items away, never realizing they could be sitting on a small fortune or a unique piece of history.
Vintage and antique items — from toys to furniture — can net you a fine price if you decide to sell them. Maybe it’s time to make an action plan of things you could actually give away that no longer fit in your home?
After researching valuable items, I noticed there was a lot of gear I let go over the years that could have made a great sale today. Let’s count 12 of some of the most overlooked items hiding in your home that you might want to consider getting a valuation check.
Barbie Dolls
Thinking about the “Wicked” Ariana Grande doll going on sale recently, I realize that Barbie isn’t going out of style anytime soon. If you have some Barbie dolls in the attic, it’s time to check what they could be worth!
If you didn’t know already, you can sell not just your Barbies, but their houses and accessories are also valuable.
The most expensive Barbie doll is a 2010 model made in collaboration with designer Stefano Canturi, worth a staggering $302,500!
Comics
Vintage comics that were so highly prized in the ‘30s to ‘70s could be worth an absolute fortune today!
According to Blackwell Auctions, comics with the price printed on the cover (10c, 12c, 15c, 20c, or 25c) are the most valuable. They recommend getting a reputable auction house that specializes in comic books to assist in assessing the value, as these captivating stories could be worth anywhere from a few hundred thousand to seven million dollars. Holy smokes!
Vintage Magazines
We can’t mention comics without mentioning their sister, the magazine. Vintage magazines might not make you a millionaire, but early issues of iconic magazines — especially those that predate their popularity — are worth the most money and can fetch you a higher price.
For example, the first edition of pulp magazine The Shadow, published in April 1931, sold for $156,000 at Heritage Auctions in 2021.
Vintage Chandeliers
Those vintage chandeliers you or your older family members have gathering dust could be incredibly valuable. Even the smaller ones could fetch a high price. According to Blackwell Auctions, the early American chandeliers can sell for as much as $7,500 if they are in good condition.
To identify an antique chandelier that wasn’t primarily wired for electricity, you want to look for small drip cups for candles or hollow gas tubes called gasoliers. Glass components usually have a yellow or grey tint, and the glass or crystal components may be hand cut.
Depression Antique Glass Tableware
Antique glass tableware from the Depression era was mass-produced in the US in the 1920s and 1930s. You can find it in many colors, but pink and green were the most popular.
According to Love Money, a collection of six pink Depression glasses recently sold for $306 on eBay. Not quite as much as the other items mentioned on our list, but keep an eye on them for increasing value.
Platinum Jewelry
Platinum jewelry is generally priced higher than gold due to its rarity, density, and purity. For reference, while 1,500 tons of gold is mined annually, only 150 tons of platinum is mined. Platinum has high purity and lacks irritating metals such as nickel.
Expect to earn between $800 and $1,200 for every ounce, according to the precious metal dealer AMPEX.
IKEA Furniture
That cheap furniture your family bought at IKEA could actually be worth a pretty penny now.
Love Money shares that pieces from the '60s to the '80s could fetch thousands of dollars, like their ‘clam' chairs, which have sold for as much as $65,459, and their Bergslagen side table cashing in at $2,974.
Old Coins
Very old coins can be worth far more than their face value, depending on their significance and condition. Interestingly, even the slightest fingerprint on an old rare coin can reduce its value!
For reference, a very valuable US coin is the 1969-S (San Francisco Minted) Lincoln doubled die cent coin, which can fetch a value of more than $25,000, according to Gainsville Coins.
Baseball Cards
If you collected baseball cards back in the day, you might be fortunate enough to own a rare card that is highly sought after among collectors. Take the 1909-1911 Honus Wagner T-206 card, for instance, which sold for a whopping $7.25 million in a private sale back in 2022.
You might also have some other baseball memorabilia, such as bats, gloves, and figurines, that could be worth a sale.
Lego Sets
You may have already thrown out your toys once you were “too cool” for them, but old, popular toys can actually be worth a ton of money! This time, it’s Lego sets, which could earn a few hundred or even thousands of dollars depending on the collection and condition.
For example, Skull's Eye Schooner is an old 1993 pirate ship set that typically goes for anywhere from $500 to $1,500 USD, according to The Gamer.
Vinyl Records
Despite the rise of Spotify and other music streaming sites, vinyls remain an important part of music history and are much loved by collectors around the world.
Spin up your vinyl records for some cash. Some of the most expensive vinyl records ever sold are from iconic artists and bands such as The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, John Coltrane, and Prince. You may be able to get tens of thousands of dollars for vinyls with these recognizable names.
Athletic Shoes
Who knew that my partner’s shoe addiction might come in handy down the road? And they don’t even need to be ancient, either — the Nike Lunar Flyknit HTM Milano sneakers, for example, were released in 2012 but are worth about $5,850, according to 2019 estimates by Business Insider.
Special edition old shoes can be worth a lot, as they offer unique designs and partnerships you can’t find anywhere else.
