Terri Ramsey Beavers If you’re in need of some extra cash right now, maybe for an emergency expense or you’d like to start saving for Christmas early, then it’s worth it to have a dig around your house. You could find some very valuable items perfect for resale; there’s a buyer out there, you just have to pop the item online for them to find. But if you’re not convinced that anything in your home is particularly valuable, check out the list below- it might get you to think again!
Stuffed Toys
There are some incredibly rare and valuable stuffed toys in the world. For people who love a sense of nostalgia and already have an extensive collection, a rare piece found in your home could be just what they’re looking for.
Beanie Babies tend to be the foremost sought after stuffed toys, but items from companies like Bing or Steiff also have the chance to fetch incredibly high prices. And it’s not just bears that people want; any kind of stuffed toy will be on a collector’s list; if you’ve got a plushie duck, rodent, or even an alligator, think about selling it.
Old CDs and Records
The longer ago the CD or record was released, and the more limited the run, the higher the price you can put on it. And yes, both media types are worth money in this day and age.
They’re both considered to be of a ‘defunct’ technology category – even though millions of people still use them – and some collectors will give anything to own hard copies of rare music they love. So, if you’ve still got your teenage CD collection in the attic somewhere, dig it out and see if anyone is looking to buy one of the cases you haven’t thought about in years!
Cutlery and Crockery
You might not think of your kitchen drawers containing anything particularly valuable, but if you have an old silver or gold ware dinner set somewhere, it’s worth advertising the fact. If it’s got real gold or silver in it, it’s going to be worth some money!
Even if the design only uses minimal amounts of these metals, you can fetch a pretty good price for a full set. And if the set is in pristine condition, you might even get over a thousand for selling it. But be sure to speak to an expert before selling it; it can be hard to determine the value if you have no skill in spotting valuable kitchen antiques.
Jewelry You Don’t Wear
We all have a few old necklaces or a bangle we don’t wear anymore. Indeed, you might have even forgotten that you have these items, seeing as they’re tucked away in the bottom of your jewelry box.
But now’s the time to bring them out and inspect them; if they’re hallmarked, and you remember they had a sizable price tag when you first bought them, you can try to sell your jewelry locally and take home some cash.
The older the piece and the higher the carat of the metal and gems involved, the better. But don’t write this section off – even costume jewelry can be worth something!
Books
Old books, again of a limited run, tend to have a high collector’s value. But if you’ve got some first editions of novels in your house somewhere, that’s where you can earn some real cash.
The first run of a book is the most valuable of any that can be found – they tend to have the longest history, the most widely sentimental value, different cover font and design, and they’re also likely to contain little imperfections that make the book unique.
Seeing a beloved book in its original form, with a misspelling of a word or the incorrect use of punctuation, can be very exciting to the author’s fans!
Nostalgic Video Games
Are you a big gamer? Is someone in your house a fan of retro games? Either way, you could make a lot of money selling on old games that are still hanging around. Video games tend to be the most common type of lost media. Many hundreds of games have been taken off the market in recent years, and the only way to access them is to either buy an old copy or pirate a version from the internet. But if you’ve got a hard copy of a rare disc, a fan will want it!
Bags and Purses
Vintage fashion is worth a lot of money. However, accessories like bags and purses tend to be worth the most, outside of owning an original Chanel dress. If you inherited such items from a grandparent or another relative, do some research into the designer and how old the item is itself.
The more you know about it, the easier it’ll be to find someone who wants to buy it – even companies will put a stake in once they know you’ve got a vintage piece that might have a lot of further resale value.
Art
Got a piece of art hanging up in your home? If you didn’t buy it from a home decor or DIY store, then it could be worth something. Even if it’s just a little piece from a local artist, you should think about putting it up online.
The artist may have gotten a bit more famous in the time between then and now, or may have stopped creating art and thus their pieces have become rather rare. Similarly, if it was owned by someone before you, there’s a good chance the artist already has some notoriety.
Everyone has a valuable item or two in their home – or tucked away in their parents’ attic. All you have to do is find it, do a bit of research, and then put it up for auction. Old books and games, discontinued fabrics and toys, vintage fashion from a much loved yet bygone era; all of these things could net you hundreds for your savings pot!