Those old items collecting dust in your home can actually be worth more than you think. A lot more. So, before you go throwing away or donating everything from your parent’s attic to Goodwill, check to see if you might be able to make a couple hundred, or even thousand, dollars off of what you find.
Everything from vintage cookware to old-school gaming consoles can be worth more than you might imagine.
10 old things in your home worth a fortune
Check out these 10 old items in your home that could potentially be worth a lot of money.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
1. Kitchenware
One place to look for hidden household treasures is your kitchen. One common brand that can be worth quite a bit of money, and has a following of dedicated collectors, is Pyrex. Since it’s so common, not every piece of Pyrex will be worth money, but certain vintage styles can sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars online. For example, a 4-piece set of rare, vintage Pyrex bowls recently sold on eBay for $900.
2. Vintage toys
Have your kids grown up and moved away? If you’ve managed to keep any of their old toys for some reason or another, you could be in luck. Remember Furbys? If you have one of the talking toys, it can be sold for anywhere from $95 to over $200 (although some have sold for much more), depending on which one you have. (I still have my rare Royal Furby from when I was a kid, but I’ll be holding on to it for sentimental value).
If you own any Polly Pocket toys and accessories, specifically those made in the 90s (from the pre-Mattel days), you could make several hundred dollars. A Vintage Polly Pocket Children’s Hospital from 1995 sold on eBay for approximately $132.87, and a Polly Pocket 1992 Party Time Birthday Stamper complete set sold for a shocking $1,049.16. And don’t forget about Pokemon cards. Recently, a 1999 Pokemon Base Set Charizard Holo Rare Vintage Card sold for around $626.86.
3. VHS tapes
MoneyWeek found that collectors are driving up demand for VHS tapes, with some willing to pay as much as $25k for unopened, packaged videotapes. Some of the most coveted VHS tapes that sell for a high price include Star Wars, The Goonies, Superman and Rambo.
Kiplinger has some advice to help you determine whether your old VHS tapes could be worth thousands, according to an article from October 2023. Here's what's valuable:
- Blockbuster films from the late 1970s - 1980s, released on VHS prior to the 1990s
- 1980s horror films — A 1981 Halloween original first print VHS sold for $127.20 on Etsy, and a sealed 1990 first release Friday The 13th Part VIII VHS sold for $316.94.
- Sealed tapes with a studio watermark
- Some early Disney copies that were released in the early to mid-1980s like Tron, The Black Hole and collections of early Disney cartoon shorts.
4. Old-school video games
You’d be surprised just how much certain video games go for online. Certain collectors will pay hundreds, even thousands, for rare retro games. So dust off your old gaming console and take a look at which games you may have — they could be worth a good chunk of change.
One of the rarest games, Little Samson for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) has sold for over $2,000 on eBay. Other titles that earn a lot include Mario Kart 64 for Nintendo 64 (sold for $450), Super Mario 64 for Nintendo 64 (sold for $2,513.69), Futurama for Microsoft Xbox, 2003 (sold for $199.99) and Chrono Trigger for Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 1995 (sold for $175). However, many games for a variety of different consoles can be worth more than you might think, so do a little research before bringing your old games in to your local GameStop.
5. Vinyl records
Music fans — those old LPs you have lying around could be worth a lot of money, depending on the artist, album and release date. In fact, in the UK, our sister brand MoneyWeek released a report on 10 vinyl records worth up to £10,000, which included The Beatles - Please Please Me, which sells for around £6,000, and Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin, which sold for £7,100 in 2013.
6. Boy Scout memorabilia
Were you a Boy Scout back in the day? You likely kept several of those old badges and pins around for sentimental reasons without knowing they could be worth several hundred dollars. For example, one collection of vintage Boy Scout medals, patches and rings sold for $240, and a 1990s Boy Scouts Eagle rank medal sold for $199.99.
Older, rarer memorabilia can sell for much, much more. We saw a 1920s Boy Scout Eagle Scout medal that sold on eBay for $2,826.00, and a collection of 1930's Boy Scouts Eagle Scout medals, merit patches and pins sold for $4,275.
7. Vintage newspapers and magazines
If you have any old magazines or newspapers lying around, before you recycle them, check to see what they're worth. Limited edition publications, or ones centered on major popular culture or historic events are sought after collectors items. According to Woman's World, vintage magazines that once sold for around $1 are now selling for $20, $30, or even $50 on sites like eBay.
LuckyBuckEyeCollectibles, one of eBay's most reputable sellers, specializes in vintage ephemera, selling a variety of titles including the New Yorker, LIFE, TIME, Saturday Evening Post, Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently, he's selling a 1961 January TV Radio Mirror Magazine with Dick Clark Front Cover for $74.99 and a 1952 January 21 LIFE Magazine with Dwight Eisenhower Cover for $39.99.
8. Old clothing
If you've held on to clothing from back in the day, you might want to consider selling it online, rather than dropping it off at a thrift store. Those old T-shirts hanging in your closet could be worth a lot more than you think, especially if they're vintage band tees. Recently, a Beach Boys Chicago tour shirt sold on eBay for around $108.79, a vintage 80s Grateful Dead Band T-shirt for $300 and a Nine Inch Nails tour shirt sold for $199.99. Unsure if your tee is vintage or not? Use this guide for helpful tips.
And that's just T-shirts. Other types of vintage clothing, like dresses, shoes and jackets (especially if it's from a designer brand) can sell for hundreds of dollars as well. For example, a rare vintage Gunne Sax dress, circa 1978, recently sold on eBay for $725. One vintage OshKosh B'Gosh denim chore coat sold for $150 and a Betsey Johnson cardigan top sold for $90.
9. Rare coins
If you take the time to sort through your spare change, it could pay off. If you have one of the following rare coins lying around, it could score you several hundred to several million dollars.
Here are 14 of the most valuable coins and how much they've sold for, per MoneyWise.
| Coin | Price |
|---|---|
| 972 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Memorial Cent | $325 |
| 2004 D Wisconsin quarter, Extra Leaf Low Variety | $152 |
| Sacagawea Cheerios Dollar | $5,000 to $25,000 |
| 2008-W Silver Eagle Reverse of 2007 | $1,000+ |
| 1879 $4 Gold Stella | $5,000 |
| 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Penny | $1,850 |
| 1927-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle | $1 million to $3 million |
| 1894-S Barber Dime | $1 million to $2 million |
| 1913 Liberty Head Nickel | $4.56 million |
| Flowing Hair Dollar | $2,500 |
| 1943-S Lincoln Wheat Penny | $1 million |
| Morgan Silver Dollar | $375 to $1,805 |
| 2005-D 5C Speared Bison | $495 |
| 2005 Kansas “In God We Rust” State Quarter | $45 |
10. Typewriters
Have an old typewriter collecting dust in your attic but not sure what to do with it? Sell it online — it could earn you a few hundred to thousand dollars, depending on its condition, brand, rarity and when it was made. Some of the best typewriter brands are Underwood, Remington and Oliver.
One antique 1895 Remington Model No. 6 Up-strike vintage typewriter with case sold on eBay for $1,200, while a vintage 1932 Underwood typewriter sold for $550. We also saw that a 1930s Remington Monarch Pioneer typewriter with a cover recently sold for $249.99 and another sold for $195.
Related Content
-
Why Does One Claim Jack Up My Insurance After Years of No Claims?Even loyal customers can be hit with an insurance premium hike after a claim, despite going many years without any claims. There's a reason for that.
-
5 FAQs About 529 College Savings PlansThanks to recent policy changes, families have more options for what to do with money sitting in tax-advantaged 529 accounts.
-
7 Best Places in the US for Wellness TourismCalifornia doesn't have a monopoly on wellness tourism. These U.S. retreats offer exercise, relaxation and good food in stunning scenery that might be closer to home.
-
Here's Why We All Win When Charitable Dollars Go to WomenGiving to charities for women and girls not only has a lasting impact on their lives — it also benefits society as a whole. Here’s how to start investing.
-
How Lower Interest Rates Affect Your FinancesThe Fed's rate cuts will provide relief for some borrowers, but savers will have to work harder to get decent returns.
-
Five Steps to a Mindfully Fearless CareerIf, like many women, you're struggling with imposter syndrome, try developing an athlete's winning mindset. It's as simple as facing one small fear every day.
-
Six Ways to Optimize Your Charitable Giving Before Year-EndAs 2024 winds down, right now is the time to look at how you plan to handle your charitable giving. The sooner you start, the more tax-efficient you can be.
-
Structured Settlement Annuity vs Lump-Sum Payout: Which Is Better?As the use of structured settlement annuities grows, it can be tough to decide whether to take the lump sum to invest or opt instead for guaranteed payments.
