Common household items worth a lot of money

You never know the value of an old consumer product. If you ever downsize your home, inherit a bunch of “junk” from a loved one, or just want to get rid of some belongings, you may be surprised at what can now be considered an “antique.” Here are a few formerly common household items that are now worth a lot of money.

Antique dinnerware

If you have acquired or inherited any old dinnerware, you may want to check up on it before you sell it in a garage sale. Collectors are particularly interested in the Depression-era Fiestaware line from Homer Laughlin. Brightly coloured pieces from this line can sell for hundreds of dollars.

Typewriter

Before computers revolutionized paperwork, people did their writing on typewriters: little machines with keyboards that allowed users to “print” letters directly onto a piece of paper. Antique typewriters are now trendy, and a fairly common mid-century typewriter in good condition could net you several hundred dollars if you’re lucky.

Antique glassware

In the mid-1920s, companies began mass-producing cheap glassware for the first time, and during the Depression these colourful pieces became popular for budget-stricken families. Now, original Depression-era glassware can sell for hundreds of dollars, but make sure your glassware isn’t just a faithful reproduction of the real thing.

Beanie Babies

Beanie Babies were a massive craze in the 1990s, with some people sinking their life savings into the toys, believing they would appreciate in value. While most of the toys are now basically worthless, a few rare items, such as Steg, the stegosaurus, or Rainbow, a lizard, can command up to US$50,000.

Antique toys

The toys you had as a child could be worth a small fortune, but probably not if you actually played with them. Unused collectible Pez dispensers and Hot Wheels can sell online for tens of thousands of dollars, but the value diminishes significantly if they’ve been removed from their packaging.

American Girl dolls

American Girl dolls were introduced in 1986, and each “character” was given a backstory from an important time in American history. While they’re still being produced, dolls from the original lineup can go for thousands of dollars on online resale markets like eBay. If you still have one from childhood, you may want to research its potential sales price.

Designer clothes

Do you own any designer clothing that feels a little outdated? Fashion-conscious individuals will be happy to know that consignment shops will take their old designer clothing and pass on a percentage of the sale. It’s a much more profitable way to dispose of your once state-of-the-art fashions than donating them to Goodwill.

Rare comic books

Your average Spider-Man comic probably isn’t worth much these days, but a mint-condition copy of Spider-Man #1 could net you a cool million. Even if you don’t own anything quite that rare, make sure you’re not throwing away any hidden treasures when you clear out your old comic book collection.

Mid-century modern furniture

Good-quality furniture, unlike a lot of commodities, never really loses its value, and mid-century furniture is particularly trendy at the moment. If you find mid-century modern furniture sitting around your grandparents’ house, it may be worth it to get it evaluated. An Eames chair or a Vladimir Kagan coffee table in good condition could net you thousands of dollars.

Vinyl records

When compact discs were introduced to the market, the popularity of records dropped in a big way and some people threw their collections in the trash. Anyone who still has a shelf or two of vinyl should take a look at the prices they may be able to fetch, as a rare record in good condition can net tens of thousands of dollars at auction.

Old paintings

Everyone knows that a painting by a famed artist can sell for a significant amount of money, but how do you know that a portrait in your grandmother’s house isn’t a forgotten masterpiece? Some of the most valuable things featured on Antiques Roadshow are paintings, and many came from owners who had no idea about their heritage.

Old stereo equipment

If you’ve acquired any old stereo equipment over the years, you may want to check if it’s appreciated in value recently. The internet has opened up a market for vintage hi-fi equipment; though not all old stereos are the same, you may be able to make a few bucks for old record players, speakers, amps and the like.

Cameras

Very few companies still produce old-fashioned film cameras, but there is still a market for old cameras from enthusiasts, collectors and budding photographers. If you have a vintage camera lying around your house in good condition, the website CollectiBlend can help you determine a reasonable price.

Sports memorabilia

If you’ve ever acquired a signed jersey or caught a ball at a baseball game, you may want to inquire about the value of your items. Exceptionally rare pieces of sports memorabilia can be sold for millions of dollars, but more common items could sell for a few thousand on eBay if you’re lucky.

Perfume bottles

If your family has managed to keep hold of a bottle of perfume for the past century, you may want to check if it’s worth something today. While old perfume is (predictably) not very desirable, there is a market for the bottles themselves. If you find yourself in possession of a rare bottle in good condition, you may be able to sell it to a collector for hundreds of dollars.

Retro clothing

Before you donate your old clothing to Goodwill, do some research and ensure you’re not throwing away anything that could earn you a fair amount of money. As vintage clothing becomes more trendy, cowboy hats, mid-century dresses and other collectibles can bring you hundreds of dollars for clothes you may never consider wearing on your own.

VHS tapes

Companies stopped producing VHS tapes in 2008, but there are still collectors out there who would pay a few hundred dollars for the vintage equivalent. Disney tapes, which were kept away from the public for years at a time in the “Disney Vault,” and cult oddities that never made it to DVD are some of the most valuable.

Sports cards

The sports card industry was already in a state of resurgence, thanks to digital platforms like eBay and Amazon facilitating sales, but the market for cards exploded with the onset of COVID-19, and cards have sold on eBay for tens of thousands of dollars, while rare rookie cards for LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mike Trout sold for millions.

Vintage Pyrex

Pyrex came to the fore in the 1910s as durable, oven-safe glassware that could facilitate mixing, baking and serving, all in one dish. Modern baking dishes are more convenient, but the colourful Pyrex dishes made in the 1940s and ‘50s hold a certain allure for collectors, and can sell for up to US$3,000.

Sneakers

The sneaker market has exploded in recent years, with rare pairs of footwear selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. It may be tough to predict which sneakers will accumulate in value, but smart investors can rake in millions. Take “Benjamin Kickz,” for example, the so-called “Sneaker Don” who went viral for creating a sneaker resale empire when he was only 16.