16 Items tucked away in your attic that could be worth a fortune

you could be sitting on a goldmine

Published 7 years ago in Wow

you could be sitting on a goldmine

1
Beanie Babies. While it is true most of them are completely worthless, if you have Peanut the Royal Blue Elephant, Old Face Teddy Bear, or Chef Robuchon, you can expect to receive anywhere between $2,000 to $8,000 for the tiny plush toys..

2
Vintage musical instruments. Rarity and iconography are key here, so ownership of an incredibly rare 1958-59 Gibson Explorer could be worth as much a $300,000 on the open market. However, a 1936-42 Martin D-45 is the true holy grail to guitar afficonados, worth $400,000..

3
Old Apple computers. Computers (other than literal originals) wouldn’t seem to have much collection resale value; after all, innovation and updates are pretty much the lifeblood of the technology industry. However, original Apple computers from the 70’s have quite incredible worth among dedicated collectors. Apple 1, the first every computer Steve Jobs and chums ever produced, sold for a quite astounding $355,000 at auction last year. Even Apple II and III computers can fetch up to $1,000, not bad for tech that has less processing power than a modern calculator.

4
First-edition books. Book collecting is an old and very lucrative profession, with those truly dedicated to it able to make large sums through the acquisition of first-edition versions of true classics. Original “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” or “The Wizard of Oz” could net you a coll $1 million, although the king of first-editions has to be Nostradamus’ 16th century text, Prophecies, which can go for a mind-blowing $21 million.

5
Comic Books. Boosted by the recent surge of interest created by the current comic book film adaptations, some of your favorite childhood reading material could have some serious market value. Comics from the 1930s to the 1950s (the so-called ‘Golden Age’) are the most feted after, with 1939 issue of D.C.’s “Detective Comics” (introducing Batman) worth as much as $1.4 million.

6
Sneakers. Sneaker collection has become an industry almost of itself and extremely rare pairs can be worth as much as a small house. The Nike Mag sneakers, from Back to the Future, have been sold for as much as $60,000 on eBay and Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars from the 60’s can sell for $1,000.

7
Vintage silverware. Silverware sets from the early 20th century from famous designers like Tiffany’s or Georg Jensen can be worth as much as $17,500. Tiffany’s use of British-grade silver in the 1920’s – which would become the sterling standard – means the value of the material used in the sets will always remain high.

8
80’s action figures The 80’s are very in vogue right now (nostalgia for youth is, after all, very profitable) and figurines from classic 80’s cartoons such a He-Man can sell for up to $10,000.

9
Designer Jewelery. Luxury brands like Van Cleef & Arpels’ produce can fetch over $100,000. Obviously, they are composites of precious metals and that’s where the value lies. Items comprised of white gold and diamonds can push the $500,000 mark.

10
Old coins. Obviously, ancient bullions could pay off a nation’s debt but there is plenty of profit to be made from money minted before the 1960’s and thus mainly comprised of silver. A silver dime could be worth anywhere between 1 to 3 dollars.

11
Mid-20th century furniture. Before IKEA took over the world, furniture was made by well-known individual designers and the 1930-1960 period was their heyday for this. Chairs and tables from the era can fetch as much as $9,000.

12
Chinese antiques. More desirable than their bulkier European counterparts, Chinese porcelain over 100 years old is in high demand and can push a valuation of $1,000. Unfortunately, due to the rise of mass production, anything younger than that is practically worthless.

13
‘Classic’ cereal boxes. Promotional cereal boxes featuring 80’s athletes are particularly collectible, as well as cereal dispensers dating back to the 60s’ and even the turn of the last century.

14
Vinyl. Time period, as ever, is key. 60’s albums from Dylan or The Beatles can easily net you in the high seven figures, a great investment in something you’ll probably never listen to.

15
Sports memorabilia. Sports’ fans are crazy about history and classic game-worn jerseys from the legends of the game can be worth literal fortunes. A jersey Jackie Robinson wore during his 1947 rookie season sold for over $2 million in 2017.

16
Baseball Cards. Almost a cliche at this point, finding an old baseball card of Honus Wagner or Babe Ruth has become a lifelong obsession for some and with good reason; a 1952 Mickey Mantle card went for $400,000 at auction last year.