40+ Valuable Household Items That Could Be Worth a Fortune

First released in October 2001, the iPod is a very popular millennial gadget. But, thanks to the rapid technological advancement, it’s already considered vintage! Many first-generation iPods have already been sold for as much as $20,000. So, if you’ve kept your first iPod by any chance, you’re in luck!

If iPods can be worth thousands today, why would their predecessors be any less? SONY Walkman is a device that first introduced music on the go to the masses. Released in 1979, the original model of TPS-L2 is worth nearly $450 now.

Other valuable models are the WM EX808HG and the DD Quartz, both of which could fetch at least a couple of hundred dollars if sold in mint condition. With packages and accessories, it may add a few more bucks to the price.

You’ve already gotten the idea that old-school music players’ prices are skyrocketing in the current antique market. Another addition to this growing list of old musical gadgets is the Zune.

If you still have a Zune lying around from high school days, you might just be in luck. The die-hard audiophiles are out there, ready to pay you pretty handsomely for old Zune devices or other dedicated music players.

Superheroes are trendy, anywhere, in any form! Thanks to the DC and Marvel mania, the early comic book adventures of these characters can fetch a hefty profit. Recently, the Black Panther series from the ’70s had a glorious moment on eBay — with prices ranging from $50 to $1,000!

Prices usually skyrocket when a character has a movie made about them. If you’ve got a good condition comic of a certain character and their story is about to be made into a film, just get your eBay account ready!

It’s not uncommon that first editions of books sell for a pretty penny in the market. The older the book, the more valuable it is. The same goes for the modern classics also — including the Harry Potter series.

Currently, the 1997 first edition books of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone are getting listed for thousands of dollars. According to Reuters, one copy was sold in the Heritage Auctions for a smashing $471,000. We guess it’s time to dig deep into your old bookshelf!

Another type of book that has become a coveted collectible over the years — vintage cookbooks! If you own old cookbooks passed down through generations, it could be worth some serious cash today.

According to antique dealers, out-of-print cookbooks are highly valuable right now. And celebrity chefs like Julia Child never go out of demand! A 1961 first edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking was recently sold for a smashing $2,500!

We all know that the Disney vault is full of classic treasures. But, what some may not be aware of is the fact that some of those old Disney movies can be worth as much as a car today!

If you have the Beauty and the Beast Black Diamond Edition VHS tape in your house, you can get about $10,000 for it from the right buyer. Apart from the Disney ones, other VHS tapes of films like the Godfather trilogy — or The Beatles documentary Let it Be — would also do well, securing at least hundreds.

While PlayStation consoles ended the journey of video game cassettes long ago, several rare copies have found their way back to market as vintage pieces! In 2017, a copy of Super Mario Bros. — which was sold separately from the parent brand Nintendo Entertainment System in a different package — got a bid of an unimaginable $30,000 on eBay!

Well, this one was a striking exception for sure. But, there are several other rare games people are looking to get their hands on such as Gamma Attack, Wrecking Crew, Stadium Events, Kid Icarus, and Birthday Mania.

In addition to video games, Nintendo Entertainment System also designed a range of awesome games for their handheld gaming device, Nintendo Game Boy.

Remember Shantae, Trip World, or Spud’s Adventure? All those cult classic Game Boy games are now worth hundreds, if not thousands of dollars! If you still own some of these old gems, don’t save them for your kids — as you might get a pretty payment in exchange, ranging from $200 to $2,000!

The old arcade game you just dragged out of your parent’s attic may be worth some serious dollars today, even if it isn’t in working condition. According to antique dealers, a non-working arcade game can still fetch between $100 and $400.

And if it’s working well, the price will escalate to over $600. Some titles with high replayability, like Asteroids, are hotter than others — with a reselling price of $1,000. The market value of Pong has quadrupled over the last four years, currently nearing $2,500.

Resurfacing online with plenty of interested buyers, your school-day Boy Scout badges, medals, and belts are now worth a lot. Just one look on eBay will yield plenty of pricey listings.

One auction of old Boy Scout paraphernalia went as high as $250. There are several other batches of patches, badges, and medals bringing in bids of over $100. Now, things from your old scouting days can bring newfound luck.

That’s another valuable piece from your school days! Throughout the years, musicians, superheroes, and cartoon characters have all been pasted on the side of tin boxes for kids to put their PB&Js and BLTs in. And now these lunch boxes have become valuable collection items!

With a basic price of over $100, those lunch boxes and thermos are now one of the most cherished collectibles. The Bonanza, Superman, Lost in Space — they’re all going from $100 to $200. The surprise contender is The Wild, Wild West with a $230 bid, and The Beatles even in bad condition can command around $400!

It’s time to trade your Pokémon cards away once again! Today on eBay, the complete sets of the standard Pokémon cards can go for hundreds of dollars — and a single piece of ultra-rare cards can even rack in thousands of dollars!

The fire-breathing Charizard was auctioned off for $11,999. Of course, there was a thorough expert examination involved. But, even a stack of good-conditioned run-of-the-mill cards can fetch a few bucks.

First introduced in 1915, Pyrex utensils revolutionized home cooking. With unique borosilicate glass useful for versatile cooking and serving, those bowls and casseroles never seemed to break or wear out over the years.

So, it’s just their mere existence that makes them valuable. But, the perks here are certain rare sought-after designs, which have been sold as collectibles at handsome prices. Still, who would want to get rid of those beautiful and useful pieces anyway?

Here’s another piece of history that has resurfaced as a much more valuable item than before. During the Great Depression, food distributors like Quaker Oats came up with then-inexpensive glassware sets.

Typically manufactured in bright translucent colors, these glasswares were regarded as nothing more than cheap pieces of crockery, affordable for economically-strapped families. But, over the years, the history of that time has driven up the value of depression glasses to a considerable amount.

Just like the Pyrex, the old China from your kitchen cabinet can be worth a lot too! Many of us have a good China set sitting in the cupboard, waiting for the fancy dinner party that never comes. Now is the time to make some dollars with those dainty little teacups!

China has a lot of value on eBay, EBTH, and similar sites. Some even go for hundreds, if not thousands! So, do your research to maximize your worth. If you think it’s a nice enough set, first get a ballpark estimate of its value from an antique dealer.

These ceramic jars are cute little items that brighten up your kitchen, and can be hard to part with! But, if you can manage it, you can get a resale value ranging from $200 to even $2,000! That old cookie jar sitting on your countertop is one of the hottest collectibles right now.

An Uncle Mistletoe Marshall Fields cookie jar from the 1950s recently sold for $1,500. But, you don’t have to have such coveted versions. You can easily reap good cash, ranging from $200 to $700.

The brand Coca-Cola is largely considered as the original king of advertising. Many vintage Coca-Cola ads are worth a lot of money today. Collectors especially prize the ads printed on regular items like utensils, jars, trays — which were once common in almost every household.

In 2010, an original vintage metal tray with a painting by Norman Rockwell sold at an auction for $1,610. But, don’t forget to double-check with an expert to make sure the ad in your item is an authentic one rather than a reproduction.

Quarters are money. And when there’s an error, it’s worth more money! Once, the “T” on a coin pressing machine got smudged — and, as a result, a batch of Kansas-state quarters had its motto accidentally altered from “The G-d We Trust” to a deeper “The G-d We Rust”.

The error was quickly corrected, but in the meantime, those irregular coins made it out into the world. They’re now valued at almost $100 each! So, check those piggy banks you’ve been filling. There might be a very valuable printing error hiding in plain sight!

No list of valuable antiques can be completed without stamps! Collecting stamps has been a beloved hobby of people for centuries. Over time, many of these postage stamps have become obscenely valuable.

Some of those most valuable stamps can be floating around your house today — right under your nose! One of the most valuable stamps in the history of the USA was released in 1992. Today, one of these only 56 numbers of ‘inverted’ commemoratives goes for around $75,000.

Nostalgia sells at a high price! Vintage furnishing has always been a coveted home décor choice for many families. The return of ‘mid-century modern’ in interior design is all the proof one needs.

So, if you have any piece of furniture from your childhood — which simply won’t fit anywhere in your renovated modern-chic house — get ready to say goodbye to it. You’ll feel a lot better after receiving a handsome price on request for it, from the right buyer. The current fad is furniture from the 1980s and 1990s.

Childhood isn’t the same without Legos! First introduced in 1949, Legos have made their way from the kids’ rooms to multiplex screens over the years.

Through its journey of evolution, certain Lego bricks, sets, and mini-figures have become prized collectibles. The Lego Star Wars Cloud City set goes for $660 on average. Also, several rare character mini-figures go for $130 to $175, if in the original packaging.

Since the 1980s, small plastic versions of big wrestling superstars have continuously been one of the best-selling toys in the world. Over the decades, a large collector community has developed around these toys.

Rarer figures from older companies and newer ones from iconic brands like Mattel can be sold at a vast price range of $100 and $10,000! Now, start rummaging through your toy figures box and get your eBay account ready.

The Polly Pocket craze of the ’90s gave birth to a magnificent line of miniature toys. With bright colors and impressive detailing, those inch-high toys were all about fun and cuteness overloaded! It’s eBay again that has given the line a second life as high-valued collectibles.

Among plenty of other pricey items, a Peter Pan-style Polly Pocket set was recently sold for $300. A collection of colorful houses was sold for $250. So, if you’ve got similar original Polly Pocket stuff in your home, get selling!

American Girl Dolls are one of the cutest little pieces of childhood memory. A popular collectors’ item, the original ones from 1986 are making it rain now! With outfits and accessories, the popular Samantha was sold as high as $4,200 on eBay.

There are several others on the pricey list with more than $2,800 bids. Even dolls out of their original packaging can get a listing for hundreds of dollars, which is a nice profit compared to their original price back then.

If American Girl Dolls can reach the coveted collectibles list, how can Barbie be any far behind? One of the most popular choices of dolls globally, Barbie is still reigning in the market and the hearts of people.

Barbie dolls in any style have been one of the most valuable and collected items over the years. The classic older dolls that appeared in a different style and shape than today’s popular kind are the most sought-after. Even those out of their boxes can fetch a pretty penny if in good shape.

Before pop-up ads told us what to buy, advertising signs used to hang everywhere, from bars to gas stations. A surprising money-maker, some of these signs can bring in a nice chunk of change today!

From Coke to AAA Root Beer, Indian Motorcycles to Old Milwaukee, the once-venerable signboards are now listed on eBay for a range of $225 to $600. Some can even go for four-figure amounts! Maybe there’s one from your great grandpa’s old bar, now collecting dust somewhere in the garage that you can cash in.

Vintage toasters are truly worth something if you can sell them to the proper buyer. The older and less conventional they are, the more valuable the model is. The popular Sweetheart toasters were first sold in the 1930s.

The exposed sides of the electric toaster toasted one side of one bread at a time. There was a button or lever, which was used to flip the bread around, to toast the other side. Now auctioned off for $650, these models are charming antiques.

Thanks to the increasing vintage obsession of people, vinyl has seen a massive resurgence over the last decade. National events like the ‘Annual Record Sale Day’ have all sorts of buyers standing in a long line for special sales on sought-after vintage vinyl and limited release titles.

According to antique experts, coveted first pressings can command even thousands of dollars, others at least a hundred. A 1956 self-titled Elvis Presley album is listed for $105, and Prince’s Purple Rain is listed for $180.

If vinyl is back with such a bang, that means the market is ripe for record players too! If you luckily have an old turntable in working condition, and you’re ready to part with it, you can look up the model on eBay in order to estimate a selling price.

For example, the Technics SL-1200 model is now worth $15,000 if it’s in well-working condition. But, no matter the model, the cost of a vintage turntable is likely to start from $150.

Before the game-changing minimalist designs of Bose and Apple products, high-tech looks were based on adding as many dials, switches, and buttons as possible! This trend reached an all-time high during the 1980s in the form of boomboxes.

These massive-but-portable systems were all the rage, and honestly, we kind of understand why — even if they’re considered retro nowadays. If you still have one in good working condition, you can easily get a good price on eBay.

You have possibly abandoned all your hopes for joining a cool rock band ages ago. But, the Gibson you bought in high school using all your lunch money, well, that’s worth some serious money today.

Those guitars are consistently being sold and bought over a wide price range. A Gibson Les Paul from the 1950s may be worth hundreds of thousands today! What’s a better way to get rid of the frustration from all those failed lessons?

The world of cameras is more complex than other vintage electronics or gadgets. There’s a lot to learn about camera equipment and films, especially in the current digital world. Developing a film is pricey, and building a darkroom to develop the films is even pricier!

Regardless, old cameras are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in today’s date — depending on the model. One of the most sought-after styles is Polaroid and the vintage model is Leica M3. It usually sells for $900 to $1,200.

This may not sound exciting, but retro vacuum cleaners stand at an impressive price point as valuable antiques. For example, a 1945 Kirby upright vacuum model is listed on eBay for a whopping $2,500.

Other older and rarer models could go for even more! So, next time you find an old Hoover in your grandmother’s attic, don’t throw it out. Just dust it off and it’s ready to go clean out someone else’s pocket for you!

You may have spent a fortune on the latest iPhone model, but don’t ignore those old flip phones or Sidekicks that are lying around in the drawers, collecting dust. It turns out, those outdated gizmos can be worth hundreds of dollars!

Rarity and novelty are only two of the many reasons that have made these classic cellphone models a collector’s favorite. A few of the valuable antique models are the Nokia 8850 Hiptop Sidekick, Motorola Lazer, the Ericsson GH 337, and T39M.

Fashion is good at one thing. It can recycle trends, which makes vintage clothing the ‘new luxury!’ Take, for instance, that princess ballgown from your prom or the retro t-shirts that you just can’t part with — this can all go for a nice amount!

While vintage frocks, dresses, top-n-skirts are all the rage again, it’s the shirts printed with a concert, advertising, or a cool scene that are attracting more fashion-forward buyers now. It’s time to declutter your wardrobe and give away those retro clothes to your local thrift shop in exchange for $200 to $800.

Just like clothing, vintage accessories are also in top demand in the fashion world. Among others, wristwatches are the accessory that gets the most action — especially men’s watches. It’s mainly the big names and their older versions that buyers look for in those timeless pieces.

Also, the more complex the system, the more valuable the watch is — even with some outdated styles and functionalities. Although there’s some sentimental value to items that have been passed down, vintage wristwatches are prized possessions, so it might not hurt to exchange that Rolex for a huge chunk of money.

Yes — you saw it coming! Fashion history is fun to look at and to collect, but honestly, most of those accumulated pieces end up piled in a corner of your closet. Now, it’s time to earn a sizable chunk of change with them.

Branded vintage pieces, like early models of Chanel or Prada, can fetch at least $400 to $500 on a secondary retail market or online. The price can even shoot up to $2,000 or $3,000 if the product is in mint condition.

You begged your parents, saved up your allowances, and babysat for endless evenings just to buy those coveted pairs! And then, when your feet outgrew them — or the new cool models hit the shelves — you had no idea what to do with the originals anymore!

Take a pause and think twice before tossing them out. Early Air Jordan sneakers are now worth hundreds, if not thousands of dollars… depending upon the model and the condition, of course. That’s your solution right there!

Autographs are high-rated items. But, before the days of these high-priced signings and autographed conventions, it was very common for the players to sign caps, balls, cards, and other memorabilia brought by kids at sporting events.

Now autographed paraphernalia has a huge market, flocked by collectors ready to bid high. If you have a Mickey Mantle autographed baseball lying around your grandad’s attic, it’s sufficient to say you’re a lucky one!

For many, the Disney Theme Park Memorabilia is now nothing but souvenirs to remember a fun family vacation. But, for hardcore fans and dedicated ‘Disneyana’ enthusiasts, those souvenirs are the ‘holy grails’ of their collections.

Specifically, the older pieces from the early years of Disneyland and World Disney World are the most sought-after nowadays. So, if there’s any bit of early Disney merchandise hiding up in your attic, which you don’t mind parting with, log onto eBay and start selling!

If you have a pedal car in your family handed down from your granddad’s generation, you probably want to keep it for nostalgic reasons. But one day, your kids will outgrow it and the nostalgia might start to fade away. What’ll you do then?

The answer is simple! You’ll sell it. Depending on the model, age, and condition, a pedal car can bring a hefty amount of dollars today. For example, a 1930 Lincoln pedal car — even with a little rust on it — can fetch nearly $1,000.

Just like old iPods, early-generation Apple computers have also become extremely valuable with time. Released in 1976, the Apple I is now worth around $40,000, as there were only 575 models ever sold.

However, the Apple II was sold in six million units, making the model less valuable. But, for a mint condition Apple II, you can still get some good money, ranging between $700 and $2,500.

When there were no computers, we had typewriters. If you have a typewriter from that time or have inherited it from an older relative, chances are you can sell it for a considerable price.

A Remington No. 1 model, dating back to 1874, was listed on eBay for a whopping $27,000. It’s true that everybody can’t come up with a model quite that old and in working order. But, the general typewriters range between $50 and $500 — and that’s still quite a sum when you need it.

This is another nostalgia-inducing item, which is worth a good value if sold to a proper buyer. Almost all of us have a few random old postcards lying around in a drawer. A single postcard can range between $2 and $200 — depending on particular factors like rarity, age, condition, and subject matter.

Postcards in either Art Deco-style or signed by anyone noteworthy, with a message of significance or having a rare postal stamp or marking can be akin to a goldmine sitting right in your home!