The phrase “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” accurately describes the clutter in your house. Items that have been gathering dust for decades may be worth a hefty sum to the right collector, but people often fail to realize the potential they’re sitting on. Don’t assume your old VHS tapes and magazines are just taking up space — that “cheap junk” could be worth a ton of money. Here are 10 objects in your house that might be worth more than you think.
Vinyl Records
Most vinyl records belong in the dollar bin, but some deep cuts and rarities are worth life-changing money. Records by Prince, Pink Floyd, and Bruce Springsteen have sold for thousands of dollars, and a rare variant of the Beatles’ White Album once sold for a whopping $790,000. While these aren’t everyday occurrences, you might have a vinyl record worth hundreds of dollars.
Vintage Toys
It’s time to dust off the toybox in your attic. The last few years have seen a massive boom in collectors willing to pay a premium for childhood nostalgia. People of all generations are eager to shell out tons of cash for long-lost playthings, from dolls from the ‘50s to Pokémon cards from the ‘90s. Values skyrocket even higher if you have the original packaging or instructions — for example, a Gobbles the Turkey Beanie Baby with tags sold for $24,000 in 2021.
First-Edition Books
When J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was first published in 1937, few people imagined how popular it would become. Today, people will pay thousands for first-edition copies of this fantasy classic and other vintage classics. To see if you have any literary gems on your hands, flip to the copyright page and see if the words “first edition” or “first printing” are on it.
VHS Tapes
Almost no one watches VHS tapes anymore, but that doesn’t stop people from buying them for their collection. Sealed VHS tapes in their original packaging are especially valuable, with mint edition movies like Star Wars, Back to the Future, and Jaws worth thousands of dollars. If you have an original copy of any VHS tape, especially one in its original shrink wrap, consider sending it in for an appraisal at an auction house.
Cookie Jars
Many people care way more about what’s inside the cookie jar than the jars themselves. But vintage jars, especially those featuring Disney characters or designed to look like vintage cars, are worth a pretty penny on auction sites like eBay, often selling for $200 or more — specific designs like the American Bisque Mickey Mouse Cookie Jar, produced in the ‘30s, are worth several thousand at auction. There’s a major market for cookie jars, but remember that it depends entirely on the quality. Cracks and chips will drastically lower value, bringing the price down from several hundred dollars to pennies.
Retro Video Games
Retro video games are valuable to both nostalgics looking to relive their childhood and collectors willing to pay for copies in mint condition. A sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. once sold for $660,000, with many other games from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s selling for thousands at auction. While many old games were mass-produced and are likely worth only a few dollars, you may be sitting on a goldmine if lucky.
Old Magazines
If you’ve got piles of old magazines stacked in the corner of your home, we have good news: Those old copies of Life magazine you originally purchased for a dollar may be worth $20 to $30 today. While that may seem like a small amount, it can add up in a major way if you own hundreds of old magazines. Old copies of magazines like The New Yorker and Vogue are also in high demand and might just net you a substantial payday – special editions regularly sell for $300 or more on eBay.
Signed Yearbooks
Did you go to school with someone famous who signed your yearbook? These early childhood signatures are worth a goldmine on the secondary market for those who collect celebrity signatures. A high school yearbook signed by Kobe Bryant even sold for $30,000 at auction in 2020.
Vintage T-Shirts
Old t-shirts are in high demand among vintage clothing collectors. While you might already be rummaging through your closet to see if there are any vintage threads from your old concert days, it’s not just band tees that are valuable. T-shirts featuring old advertisements, comic book characters, and even sports logos sell on eBay for thousands of dollars.
Original Tupperware
Original Tupperware has only increased in value over time. Wonderlier Bowls from the ‘40s and Astro Bowls from the ‘70s sell for around $30 each. While that amount may seem small, most people purchased their Tupperware in bulk and paid a fraction of what it sells for. You may be sitting on several hundred dollars worth of Tupperware that you can easily resell.
Bennerr Kleinman, Better Report