Old, vintage stuff has always been in. Some people like them because of their unique and antique look while others appreciate them as valuable collectibles. Either way, if you checked your attic or basement, there is a vast chance you would find something from the old days that has some value on it. So, grab your flashlight and start your adventure through time! You might make someone’s day by providing an opportunity to gain something they have been looking for their entire lives and you didn’t even know you had it. The plus side for you is that you could earn some real money.
1. Vintage spare time mementos
If you decide to embark on the mission of digging through your old things, be sure to check whether you have some of the early editions of comics. You can get big bucks for them if they are in mint condition, but also if they have been taken out of their original box. Another example of possible hidden treasures are figures, especially Star Wars figures from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Nevertheless, if you or your predecessors were into music – you can make a profit out of it, too. Namely, vinyl records have made a major comeback and a large number of collectors seek out for these. So, make sure to check your collection because some of the records may be worth serious money. Among the things people are ready to pay a lot of money, particularly if they are in good condition, are vintage record players.
2. Toys from the olden days
Dive into the toy chest from your childhood and check whether you have some valuables there as well. Remember those Polly Pocket toys and sets from the ‘90s? Well, if you still have some of those, you have the opportunity to exchange them for cash. Even bigger fortune lies in American Girls dolls with their clothes and accessories, an example being Samantha, which sold for an amazing sum of $4,200 on e-Bay! Boys’ toys aren’t to be overlooked either. Vintage He-Man, Transformer and G.I. Joe toys in the original box and even out of the box can earn some real money. Collectible Pokémon cards and many other regular toys from the 1950s onward can bring you a few bucks.
3. Antique currencies, coins and banknotes
If you bump into an old coin bank (which can also be worth some money, by the way), check thoroughly what is hidden and probably forgotten inside. You don’t even know it, but you can be lucky enough to be the owner of some rare, old coins which can bring you a fortune with a proper old coins valuation. These include some coins with errors, which were retracted immediately after being put into circulation but they can still serve as a valuable printing error to you. Yet another type is extremely rare coins such as 1943 Lincoln Head copper penny which you can sell for an astonishing $10,000 or even more! Moreover, if you possess some of the paper money from the previous decades, be ready to appraise them and to be amazed!
4. Fine dining
Everybody has that one cabinet where their grandmothers or even great-grandmothers keep a fancy china set that you never get to use, but is saved for some important guests, right? Well, if you are one of these people and want to offload some of these things, do your research because some of these sets can you bring you money. People also go crazy for the vintage Pyrex dishes! Another valuable thing: sterling silverware. Full sets of sterling silverware sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Watch out for those dusty, old lunchboxes. Wipe off the dust and check if you have a lunchbox featuring cartoon characters, rock groups, superheroes or movie stars – and if you do, then you’re in for a real ’green’ treat. You could be in for a real payday if you possess any antique kitchen utensils such as upside-down ball mason jars, milk glass banana stands, ball jugs and many others.
5. Valuable literature
You may have some cash sitting in your old, covered-in-dust bookshelf. Classic books and first edition books go for a high price online. Related to the topic of literature, the machine used for writing them can also be sold for much money. Typewriters that are both functional and fashionable can hold real value. The value goes even higher if you are an owner of a bubblegum pink color typewriter since these models are very rare.
As you can see, vintage things from every aspect of our lives can be worth some money. I don’t know what exactly is it about them that makes them so special, is it the mystery of past lives they were part of? Is it a prestige stemming from being a proud owner of something that not many people in the world possess or yet the idea that every patina or chipping that is a part of them acts as a unique color or shape? No matter the reason, it seems that vintage never goes out of style.
Lucas is a business consultant with a passion for writing. Doing his research, exploring and writing are his favorite things to do. Besides that, he loves playing his guitar, hiking and traveling.
