20 Items Collecting Dust In Your Attic That Could Be Worth Big Bucks
If you've ever wondered what the value of your old lunch pail is, or maybe that antique coin bank that is collecting dust in your attic, we're here to help! Some items that are stored away are most likely worth no more than a few dollars, but some are hidden treasures worth a decent amount of money.
Take that old lunch pail, for instance. It can be worth up to almost $12,000, while the coin bank can be valued at $10,000. If you're stuck at home on a rainy day, you might want to see if you have any of the following "antique" items lying around the house!
Julia Child's Mastering The Art Of French Cooking Cookbook
Julia Child was one of America's premiere cooking teachers, and her popularity escalated with the publishing of her first cookbook in 1961, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The child is known for bringing the art of French cuisine to American households, and the book helped push her toward hosting a cooking show called The French Chef in 1963.
If you or someone you know was lucky enough to hold onto one of these original cookbooks, then you're in for a nice payday. Because of its rarity, if you own first editions of both volumes with their original jackets, you're looking at a pay day of $12,500. A signed copy of the book is currently valued at $28,000.
Hand-Carved Duck Decoys
You wouldn't believe it, but remember those hand-carved ducks your grandparents might have had lying around the house? Well, they are worth a pretty penny at auctions. These decoys were collector's items in the 20th century and have now come back into style.
The thing is, collectors are now willing to pay top dollar at auctions to get their hands on a mint-condition carving. How much is top dollar, you might ask? Collectors are willing to buy hand-carved duck decoys for hundreds of thousands of dollars, with the record being $856,000 in 2007. In 2021, it was recorded that more that $14.5 million had been spent on antique duck decoys at auctions around the country.
Read More: Time For A Garage Sale: Collector's Items That Aren’t Worth Keeping
Beanie Babies
The collectible stuffed animal toys known as Beanie Babies were vastly popular in the 1990s. Coming in various animals such as dogs, bears, and even goldish, the plush toys were attractive to many young kids. The question now is if your parents decided to keep all of those animals stored away in the basement or attic.
If so, you're in luck. These toys have massive resale value on auction sites like eBay. A toy in excellent condition that has the tag still attached can run up to tens of thousands of dollars. Pincher, the lobster, can sell for $27,000, and some limited-edition beanies, like the Princess Diana bear, sell for $500,000 or more.
Baseball Cards
Baseball cards are tricky because they are all valued differently. A general rule to go by is the older it is, the more money you will potentially earn by selling. If you were one of those kids that enjoyed picking up a pack of cards at the convenience store after school, hopefully, you kept them stored in a binder or box.
But those lucky souls who inherited old cards from a grandparent are in for a treat! Depending on various aspects of the card, including player, condition, and year, a single card can be sold for up to $7.25 million, such as a 1902 T206 Honus Wagner.
Super Bowl Memorabilia
Although it is relatively difficult to get your hands on Super Bowl tickets, if you were lucky enough to attend a game and held on to the ticket, you might be in for a nice surprise. A majority of these tickets have either a yellow or white stripe running across the top.
According to Sports Collectors Daily, depending on which color the ticket has, it could sell up to $200-$1,000 for yellow and up to $4,000 for white. Of course, other factors come into play, such as the popularity of the game. Super Bowl II and XII are particularly rare and will earn the seller a nice payout. In 2019, one Super Bowl ticket sold for $66,000 at auction.
Comic Books
Comic book enthusiasts are going to be happy to know that their collection is no laughing matter. In fact, depending on the edition of the comics, collectors could be sitting on a gold mine. Not to say that newer editions aren't valuable; they still sell for a few hundred dollars, depending on the comic and condition.
That being said, a rare first edition comic can be sold for up to a few million. Take Action Comics #1, the first comic to debut Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman. To collectors, this comic is known as "the holy grail" and is worth up to $3.2 million.
Coin Banks
Coin banks come in various shapes and sizes, and there are some in particular that you might have stored up in your attic that could potentially be worth a lot of money. These contraptions have since grown in popularity with collectors over the years.
Since the '50s, The Mechanical Bank Collectors of America have been in search of coin banks that include a mechanical feature to deposit the change instead of it plopping straight to the bottom. According to the Barnebys auction site, a rare cast-iron column tab gum vending machine coin bank is estimated to sell for $10,000.
First Edition Books
As most first edition items are worth a pretty penny, it shouldn't come as too big a surprise to learn that first edition books are no different. Of course, the value of the book depends on the year it was published, the title, and, of course, who wrote the work.
If you're lucky enough to be the proud owner of the first edition of the First Folio by William Shakespeare, then you can earn up to $10 million. But don't fret; even though a majority of first editions aren't worth quite that much, you can still sell some of them for a few thousand dollars.
Costume Jewelry
Costume jewelry was in abundance in many of our homes growing up. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean our parents kept the items through the years. If you're lucky enough to have some lying around, though, especially vintage pieces from specific designers, you're in for a great surprise.
According to 1stdibs, a vintage Elsa Schiaparelli glass strand necklace and clasp earring set can run up to $2,500. That's not a bad payout for something you thought would only be worth hours of dress-up fun during childhood!
Outdated Electronics
Even though many people are concerned with having the most up-to-date electronics, there's something to be said about the outdated technology. And what we mean by that is, it's worth a lot of money if you know who to sell to! If you have gadgets such as radios, computers, gaming consoles, or even old cell phones, the right buyer will purchase them for a hefty price.
Popular Mechanics reported that in 2010, someone bought a Xerox Alto on eBay for $30,000. This piece of technology was the first mouse-driven desktop computer, and it happened to inspire the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows designs.
Guitars And Other Instruments
It's time to dust off any old instruments you have lying around in storage because antique musical instruments, especially guitars, can be worth a fortune. Keep in mind, the piece has to be in good condition, and the older the instrument is, the more money it is worth to potential buyers.
If you happen to have a vintage 1960s Gibson or Martin guitar in your possession, you're going to want to get it appraised. You might be the proud owner of a treasure worth a few thousand dollars!
Lamps
You'll be happy to know that those funky lamps that you inherited are worth something! They don't have to sit collecting dust in your basement because they didn't fit your style. Brands such as Fulper, Handel, and Pairpoint are very attractive names to collectors, and they're willing to cough up a lot of cash to take the antique lamps off your hands.
Even if you misplaced the lampshade, collectors are so eager to get their hands on some specific brands that they're willing to purchase the base alone! It's time to start digging through your basement because a Pairpoint lamp can be sold for up to $10,000.
Sterling Silverware And Place Settings
If you have your own set, then it's time to bust out that older set of sterling silverware that was handed down to you and never use. Sterling silver sets are fairly valuable, depending on the brand and how many utensils are in the set.
Brands such as Tiffany & Co. run for a lot of money. According to 1stdibs, a used set of Tiffany & Co. King Silver Flatware Service, 155 pieces, can be sold for around $64,500. Not too bad for a set of silverware that's been collecting dust in the hall closet.
VHS Tapes
Even though VCRs are pretty much considered ancient technology, some of the VHS tapes that went inside them are still worth some money. If you have old VHS tapes lying around the attic, it's time to take a look at the titles. In particular, look out for films that were unpopular and might not have made the transfer over to DVD later.
Also, any film that was deemed controversial will be a high earner, such as Disney's Song of the South, which is considered to be the most contentious in the studio's history. Some of the highly sought after "Black Diamond" editions can even sell for a few thousand.
Vintage Dollhouses
Growing up, we bet you never thought that the antique dollhouse you used to play with would be worth a lot of money. It's time to grab the old toy out of the attic and see the make, model, and brand.
Depending on all of those factors, you could sell the dollhouse for a few thousand dollars on eBay. For example, a 1920s prairie schoolhouse model is being watched by 29 potential buyers online, and it is priced at a whopping $5,5000.
Teddy Ruxpin Now Sells For $400
In 1985 you could pick up a Teddy Ruxpin doll for $69.99. The stuffed animal with a built-in cassette recorder was an immediate smash hit among children. The doll remembers who you are, tells stories and even moves his eyes to give a more lifelike appearance.
While prices vary based on the condition of your Teddy Ruxpin, we have seen them selling for $400 on eBay. If you didn't exactly care for your doll the way you should have, it could still be worth upwards of $150. Try getting that type of money for your standard cassette player.
The $20,000 Barbie In A Swim Suit
A lot of Barbies were created when the doll was first announced thanks to an incredibly quick rise in popularity. On average, some of the original Barbie dolls can fetch upward of $1,200 a piece.
If you have the holy grail of Barbies, you could afford to buy a new car with the sale of the unique doll. A first edition Barbie with the classic black-and-white striped swimsuit is now worth up to $27,450 at auction. Not bad for a doll that cost just $3 when it debuted in 1959.
The 1978 Telescopic Light Saber Darth Vader Is Worth $6,000
When Star Wars debuted, the world watched in amazement as George Lucas delivered a new high-tech approach to filmmaking. Millions of people flocked to their local theaters to watch Star Wars and just as quickly a toy behemoth was created.
In 1978 you could purchase Star Wars toys for $2.49 each. One of those toys is considered a must-have for any serious collector. The telescopic lightsaber Darth Vader toy is worth $6,000 on today's toy collector market. Only a few hundred of the toys were created by Kenner because the extended lightsaber was considered undesirable amongst buyers.
The $25,000 Luke Skywalker Toy You Need To Own Right Now
We couldn't possibly talk about Darth Vader without mentioning Luke Skywalker. A mint-condition, still-in-the-box Luke Skywalker toy sold for $25,000 at a Sotheby's auction in 2015.
Japanese designer Nigo decided to sell the toy — a 1978 Luke Skywalker action figure — and he fetched a small fortune. He also offloaded several other rare Canadian and Hungarian versions of bounty hunter Boba Fett which brought in $6,250 and $15,000 respectively.
Your Move, Yu-Gi!
Yu-Gi-Oh was a cartoon based on trading cards coming to life and battling for life points. A smart way to get the kids into buying packs and starter decks so that they could build a deck as powerful as the main character's, Yu-Gi.
The show and card game have watered down a bit, but that doesn't mean you still can't get a pretty penny for some of the original packs. The classic booster boxes have sold for at least $1000.
Read More: These Things Are Disappearing Because Millennials Refuse To Pay For Them
