The surprisingly valuable items you might have at home

Is there buried treasure in your home?

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Rare artwork, antiques and jewellery often sell for a fortune, but what about those unassuming bits of plastic or old trainers you’ve got kicking around your home?

Read on to see some of the 'junk' items that have sold for unexpected sums of money that you might have knocking around at home.

Pez dispensers

Courtesy Pez

Here’s another bit of plastic you probably threw away and now wish you hadn’t. It’s clear that for almost any niche item there’s a group of collectors willing to pay good money for it, even when that means paying out $7,000 (£5.4k) for a 1979 Mickey Mouse Pez dispenser. In fairness, there’s thought to be only one of this particular design in existence as it was only ever made as a prototype. Other designs aren't quite as eye-watering, but frequently go for around $50 (£37) on eBay.

Disney memorabilia

ATC/Western Electric/Amazon

Collectors always seem willing to pay out for well-preserved Disney merchandise so if you have any stored away you could be sitting on a fair amount of money. This ATC Mickey Mouse push-button telephone from 1976 is worth $150 (£115) and similar items are likely to be equally in-demand. But almost anything with authentic Disney branding can sell for big bucks. If you know somebody who happened to visit a Disney park in the 1970s, for example, have a hunt around to see if you still have one of the maps. It might be a long shot, but collectors are willing to pay up to $100 (£75) for one.

Old cereal boxes

ImaPaqRat

Keeping a box of cereal for 30 years isn't something a lot of people do, but if you do have one lying around it could make you a packet. A rare, unopened Nintendo cereal box dating from 1988 sold for $208.49 (£161) on eBay in 2014, while an unopened box of Jerry Rice Wheaties from 1994 sold for $155 (£120) the following year. It was a collectors' edition signed by Jerry Rice himself though, so that forgotten box of Cornflakes at the back of your cupboard probably won't fetch the same sum.

Old radios and stereos

Courtesy Brian Bennett/mrbsdomain.com

You might think that old radios, stereos, and boomboxes wouldn't sell for much, but certain models can be seriously lucrative. A Sanyo M-X920K Stereo Boombox recently sold for $2,000 (£1.6k), while other examples frequently go for around $1,000-$1,500 (£775-£1.16k). And if you’ve seen Back to the Future or Groundhog Day, you may recognise the iconic flip-style clock radios (pictured) that feature in them. Turns out collectors are willing to pay a surprising amount for the timepieces, with Panasonic flip clock radios often selling for as much as $300 (£232) on eBay. See if you’ve got one lying around – time is ticking…

 

Boy Scout memorabilia

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Doting parents probably won’t want to part with their sons’ Boy Scout memorabilia, but if they do these items could be worth a tidy sum. An assortment from the 50s and 60s, including medals, patches and two sterling silver rings, sold for $240 (£185) on eBay in 2016. If you have an older collection, it could sell for even more.

Collectors' board games

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Anyone for a game of Monopoly? If you have an older set in good condition you might not want to play with it as it might be worth a fair sum of money. A 1991 Franklin Mint Limited Edition Monopoly sold for $1,600 (£1.24k) on eBay, although it did come complete with a 4-drawer stand and chairs. Similar versions without the extra furniture have sold for around $400 (£310). Other board games have proved similarly popular, with a rare 40th anniversary edition of the cult game Risk selling on Amazon for up to $300 (£230). Getting your set valued might just be a risk worth taking.

Tamagotchis

Courtesy Bandai

Nineties kids will remember looking after these interactive, pocket-sized “pets”. While most of the once-popular toys are worth very little nowadays, rare versions such as the Tamagotchi Ocean have been known to fetch as much as $300 (£230) from collectors. People can also go mad for the incredibly rare P’s Pink Tamagotchis, one of which recently sold for $400 (£310) on eBay. That said, it was a mint condition example in a sealed box, so used versions are likely to sell for considerably less.

Handmade quilts

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What might look like a simple homespun quilt to some is a hidden gem to others. Yo-yo quilts, made from sewn-together fabric circles, frequently fetch around $300 (£230) online. The most valuable versions are in near-mint condition and date back to the 1920s or 1930s. Meanwhile, vintage crochet and quilted blankets can also bag you a comfortable profit, with some examples selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay.

Depression-era glass tableware

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Most of us have glassware in the cupboard that's lucky to make an outing at Christmas and otherwise just sits there gathering dust. It's worth looking to see if your collection features any glass from the Depression era, particularly in pink, cobalt blue or green, as it could sell for a decent amount of money. A collection of six pink Depression glasses recently went for $306 (£235) on eBay, so it needn't be a fancy piece to be worth a pretty penny.

In-N-Out Burger coins

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At promotional events, In-N-Out has been known to give out tokens that can be traded in for a free burger at the fast-food chain. But instead of rushing to claim your hamburger combo meal, it could be worth selling off the coin instead. Collectors will pay up to $100 (£75) for the rarer coins, while other promotional tokens from the company could make you $25-$50 (£20-£40) richer if you sell them on eBay. That would certainly get you a lot more than a burger.

Rare Pyrex

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It’s common knowledge that there’s money to be made from glass, china and silverware – but Pyrex? That’s right, this practical and fairly unremarkable crockery is highly sought-after by collectors if it boasts a rare pattern or colour. A Sandalwood-patterned butter dish from the early 60s recently sold for $369 (£285) on eBay, while a set of six Pyrex items including two casserole dishes, three regrigerator dishes, and a pie plate in a rare turquoise shade fetched $700 (£560). It's definitely worth rummaging around in those kitchen cabinets!

Old perfume bottles

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Have a sniff around your attic and see if you can find one of these. The price an old perfume bottle can command depends on the type of glass, the glass-maker, its rarity and the age of the bottle. Vintage perfume bottles frequently fetch around $400 (£310) online, which is more than a few (s)cents. But newer bottles can prove lucrative too. You might not have appreciated getting that cheap bottle of perfume in the early 2000s, but if it was a bottle of Gap OM Eau de Toilette, it was a much better gift than you first thought. Discontinued in 2001 after it had been selling for $20 (£15) a go, there are scent aficionados who are now willing to pay $225 (£175) for a bottle of the stuff to add to their collection.

McDonald's Happy Meal toys

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Happy Meal toys tend to be used once or twice before making their way to landfill. But if you happen to have kept some of the rarer ones and they're still in the packaging, you'll be happy that wasn't the fate of yours. A collection of sealed, vintage Happy Meal toys recently went for $130 (£100) on eBay, while other more recent collections regularly fetch around $26-$39 (£20-£30). Not bad for a freebie that comes with your fries.

Star Wars Lego

Walmart

One thousand Yoda keyrings donning 'NY I Heart' T-shirts were given to customers buying X-Wing LEGO sets in a Times Square toy store in May 2013. The shop has since closed and the miniature Jedi master's value has soared. The current average value of one of the keyrings is $400 (£310), but it has fluctuated as supply and demand has shifted. Considering these tiny figures can fetch hundreds of dollars, it's unsurprising that complete sets sell for thousands. The Ultimate Collector Millennium Falcon was launched in 2007 with a price tage of $499.99/£499.99 – but used sets are listed online for up to $2,000 (£1.5k) today.

Vintage home appliances

Courtesy Kirby

Even if you’re a cleaning fanatic, $425 (£330) is a serious price to pay for an old vacuum cleaner. Yet that’s exactly what collectors are willing to part with to get hold of a rare, restored 50s vacuum like this one. So if you’ve got one in the attic, it could be worth digging it out. Other home appliances such as vintage refrigerators, food mixers, and even fans can also fetch hundreds of dollars online if they're in good working condition.

Vintage Polly Pocket sets

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When Mattel took over Polly Pocket in 1988, it overhauled the brand's look and the dolls were redesigned. Fans of the earlier versions are now willing to pay hundreds for the sets, particularly those in mint condition. The Fairy Light Wonderland collection, for example, reached $455 (£353) on eBay, with similar bundles also reaching the hundreds on the online auction site.

My Little Pony figures

Hasbro/Amazon

My Little Pony was launched in the 1980s and has since gained fans across a huge demographic, from young girls to middle-aged men. Lovers of the ponies are willing to pay big money for the tiny horses – rare individual vintage ponies have sold for $496 (£384) and that's even without the packaging.

Playing cards

Rareplayingcards.com

Playing cards can be cheap to buy and worth a small fortune later on if they're kept in their packaging. Packs of cards from Jerry's Nugget Casino were sold off for $0.50 back in the 1970s, which is equivalent to $2.40 (£1.85) in today's money, but have recently sold for $531 (£411) on eBay. Meanwhile, commemorative playings cards or collectors' sets frequently sell for over $50 (£37.55) online.

Advertising clocks

Morphy Auctions

Advertising clocks may not have the grandeur of the grandfather clock or the quaintness of a cuckoo, but don't underestimate their value. This clock was made to promote the brewing company Leinenkugel's and it recently sold for $567 (£439) at auction house Morphy Auctions.

Old glass bottles

Morphy Auctions

It’s probably worth keeping a glass-half-full attitude on this one, as the majority of glass bottles aren’t worth a lot. However, if you have old bottles in rare colours such as yellow-green or purple, and they’re in good condition, they can sell for a staggering $654 (£506). Branded bottles can also fetch impressive prices. While it's safe to say not every Coca-Cola bottle would sell for big money, one-of-a-kind, mint condition bottles such as this Coca-Cola Root Glass Co. modified prototype bottle could be one of the best things you ever find at the back of your cupboard. Typically vintage pop bottles are more likely to sell for anything from $5-$100 (£3.90-£77), but that's still a better profit than if you'd just thrown the bottle into your recycling bin.

Early Apple products

Courtesy Apple

Apple stopped selling its Classic iPod model in 2014, which means that collectors, perhaps out of nostalgia or because of the tech’s increasing scarcity, have taken an interest. A first edition model, ideally in its original packaging, can make you an astonishing $785 (£600). First generation iPhones can also also sell for surprising sums. While some examples are listed for around $20 (£15) on eBay, serious Apple collectors have splashed out around $500 (£375) for these early smartphones, especially if they come with their original boxes.

Furby toys

Tiger/Amazon

Who remembers Furby? The late-1990s toy was a must-have just two decades ago and now it’s come full circle, with rare, original white versions selling for a staggering $800 (£620). It’s worth bearing in mind that only the earlier versions are likely to fetch much money though.

Vintage denim

Courtesy Rokit

One person's old is another person's vintage, and when it comes to Levi's some people are willing to pay big money for original denim. This vintage 1950s 507XX Levi's denim jacket recently sold for $1,039 (£800) on retro clothing site Rokit, and eBay is brimming with old pieces that are priced well into the hundreds. Other brands such as Wrangler can also reach three-figure sums.

Early computers and consoles

Evan Amos/Wikimedia Commons

If you've got a garage that's full of outdated technology, it could be a bit of a treasure trove. The Commodore 64 was a hugely successful computer model in the 1980s and 17 million units were sold when it debuted. The old computer originally had an RRP of $595, the equivalent of $1,800 (£1,390) in today's money, and can now be found on eBay going for up to $1,200 (£930).

Is gaming more your thing? Consoles such as the Nintendo Game Boy Color, which was released in 1998, are also being snapped up online. The Australian Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie! version is particularly valuable, with one recently having sold on eBay for $708 (£550).

Vintage lunchboxes

Courtesy Lunchbox.com

Who’d have thought lunchboxes could be so lucrative? They’ve become far more than just a box for your sandwiches and are a prized collector's item in their own right, with a rare Star Trek lunchbox and matching flask (not pictured) recently selling for $1,496 (£1.16k). A Mickey Mouse example from the 1950s, along with a matching flask, also recently sold for $1,000 (£775).

Sneakers

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It’s time to dust off your old sneakers. Brands such as Adidas (pictured) and Nike can sell for a fortune online, with one seller recently pocketing $1,500 (£1.16k) on eBay. Limited edition shoes can net even more. Released in 2002, only 444 pairs of Nike SB Dunk Low Reese Forbes Denim were ever made. One pair recently sold for an astonishing $4,436 (£3.4k), according to StockX, so it’s well worth having a closet clear-out to see if you have them. Even more expensive are the Nike 'Moon Shoes' which were designed for runners at the 1972 Olympics trials. Only 12 pairs exist and one of them, thought to be the only pair that's never been worn, sold for a whopping $437,500 (£338.8k) at auction in June 2019.

Little People Cabbage Patch Kids

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In the 1980s there were very few Christmas lists that didn't feature a Cabbage Patch Kid (or Little People as they used to be called). Nowadays plush versions of the dolls are still highly coveted, but with a much bigger price tag: they can sell for up to $1,600 (£1.24k).

Lamp bases

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One lucky person brought a Tiffany’s lamp base, similar in style to the one pictured, onto the American version of the television show Antiques Roadshow. They’d bought the base at a thrift store for $5 (£3.85), only to discover it was worth a massive $25,000 (£19.4k). Even without their shades, antique lamp bases will often sell online for around $2,000 (£1.6k).

Collectors' cards

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They say you gotta catch 'em all, but there are some Pokémon that you'd be better off selling if you're looking to make some cash. A mint, first edition Neo Genesis Holo Typhlosion card sold on eBay for $2,390 (£1.85k) at the end of 2019, so if you've got a big card collection stuffed away in a shoe box somewhere, you could just make your fortune. And it's not just Pokémon cards that are catching a hefty profit – Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are in similarly high demand. Billions of the cards have been sold worldwide so the chances of finding a particularly rare one are slim, but if you have one such as the first edition White Dragon card, you might be able to sell it for upwards of $6,000 (£4.6k).

IKEA furniture

Bukowskis

IKEA furniture is known for being cheap. But can it sell for thousands? Yes it can. The flat-pack furniture could make you a tidy profit, as rarer pieces from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s can sell for high prices. An IKEA Bergslagen side table has been valued at $2,974 (£2.3k), while the company's 'clam' chairs (pictured) have been known to fetch as much as $65,459 (£52.4k) per pair at auction. This is because they were produced the year after the store was founded in 1943 and are very rare, according to auction house search engine Barnebys. If you happen to have one of these IKEA chairs at home, it looks like you’re sitting on a goldmine!

Vintage tin signs

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Tin signs hanging around the house are a nice touch, but they could also be a nice boost to your bank balance. A Cadbury's advertising sign reached $4,595 (£3.6k) on eBay recently and similar signs for other products have had bidders fighting for them into the thousands.

Band T-shirts

Wyco Vintage

If you’re a music fan who went to your fair share of concerts back in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, it might be worth digging out your old band T-shirts and seeing what they’re worth. One Nirvana T-shirt had the huge price tag of $6,987 (£5.4k) because it allegedly belonged to Kurt Cobain’s bodyguard and was worn during the 1993 In Utero tour. But even without the celebrity connection, similar items can fetch astonishing sums. A Run-DMC shirt from a show in the 1980s, for example, sold for $13,022 (£10k). The hip-hop trio had a partnership with Adidas, which helped to bump up the price.

Old video games

Sega

Even though advanced tech means that we have virtual reality and CGI at our fingertips, some gaming fans are willing to spend thousands for classic games from the 80s and 90s. Tetris is one of the best-known computer games, and if you happen to have a copy of the 1989 version that was released on the Sega Genesis platform, you're in for a pleasant surprise. It's thought that only 10 of the games were produced, which has given them a huge estimated value of $25,000 (£19.4k) per copy. Meanwhile, the Nintendo game Family Fun Fitness: Stadium Events was released in 1987 and one copy sold for an unbelievable $35,100 (£27k) on eBay in 2015.

Old postcards

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Back in 2002, the world's oldest postcard sold for £31,750, the equivalent of £52,000 ($67.15k) in today's money, after it was discovered among a stamp collection in the UK. While this was a record-breaking one-off, plenty of old postcards have recently been listed on eBay and they have sold for hundreds, which might be worth bearing in mind when you next root through old family things in the attic.

Vintage Fisher-Price toys

liveauctioneers.com

It's definitely worth trawling through the attic to see if you have any old children's toys that could be worth something. Vintage Fisher Price pieces tend to do particularly well. This 1936 Push-Cart Pete toy sold for an impressive $12,500 at Morphy's Auctions back in 2007, which is equivalent to $15,550 (£12k) in today's money.

Now see the most expensive toys ever sold at auction