When’s the last time you thought about your ‘stuff’ sitting in storage? Despite saving these items for a rainy day, that day has never come. And though you held on for sentimental reasons, you can’t quite remember what they were.
Accumulating stuff is easy, figuring out what to do with it is the hard part. Whether you save for feelings or frugality, letting go can be overwhelming.
But what if you could make serious money off of the mountain of stuff in your attic? Money.co.uk set out to find just how much money that could mean–turns out, it’s a fortune.
How To Start Selling What You’ve Been Saving
It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to selling old collectibles. Does your old Razr count as an antique yet? Would anyone buy it even if it did?
Online comparison service Money.co.uk set out to find these answers and more. The company scoured eBay collectible pages to find the most profitable items across all categories.
Salman Haqqi, a finance expert at Money.co.uk, also created three golden rules for selling what you’ve saved.
First, determine your desired return. Research what similar items are selling for on resale sites. Then, use these prices to decide on the desired amount.
Next, take good care of your items. An item’s value will diminish if it’s in bad shape. If you need to refurbish any old items, research proper techniques and storage first.
Lastly, monitor the market for the best time to sell. Check the supply of your item on resale sites, like eBay’s sold and completed list. Try to sell your items during periods of high demand and low supply.
Now that you have reselling tips in hand, it’s time to start sorting. How many of these profitable items are in your basement right now?
Top Seller: Antiques
Remember all those dusty relics you inherited from a distant relative you never met? They could be worth more than you think.
Money.co.uk found the most valuable resell items are antiques. This category includes old clocks, historical amulets, and jewelry. It could also include clothing and furniture.
The median listed price for eBay’s antique category is $14,000. Sell the stuff, then use the money to remodel all your newfound space. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Cash Cow: Coins
The second most profitable resell items on eBay are coins. While the median price of resold coins is $6,248, some can sell for as high as $1.75 million.
Of course, you might have to dig a little deeper than your coin bank from college. One of the most expensive coins ever sold was a 1794 flowing hair silver and copper dollar. Over two centuries after its mint, the coin sold for $10 million.
The Enoch Pratt Library offers an online resource for pricing old coins. So, you can start turning old change into some serious cash.
Even More Fun Now: Card Games And Accessories
You’ve likely heard rumors about Beanie Babies, American Girl dolls, and other similar items having high resale value. As it turns out, the real money is in collectible card games.
According to Money.co.uk’s research, card games’ median price is $5,778. Some of the most valuable card games include Alpha Magic the Gathering cards, Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, and Pokemon.
And while a median price of over $5,500 is nothing to sneeze at, some sell for millions more. For example, a complete First Edition Pokemon Booster Box is currently listed at $6 million.
Build Your Savings: Sculptures
Money.co.uk found sculptures’ median price to be around $2,999. Some are elaborate chandeliers; others are french fries that look like the Nike swoosh. Such is the way of life on the internet.
Although not always the case, the older the sculpture, the more valuable it is. This 339-old tree slab of Lake Superior is currently listed at $1.25 million.
Assuming you don’t have any scrap wood from 1683 lying around, you can use SAAM’s online guide for appraising new and old sculptures.
Green Grand Slam: Baseball Cards
Last in Money.co.uk’s Most Valuable Top 5 are baseball cards. The company’s research found these cards’ median price to be $2,199, depending on the player and year.
An extremely rare Babe Ruth Boston Braves baseball card is currently listed at $1,975,000. The next highest available listing is a 1952 Mickey Mantle, which costs a cool $729,000.
Bet you wish you had listened to your parents and used those card sleeves now, huh?
Close Contenders: Militaria, Breweriana, And Comic Books
In addition to its Top 5, Money.co.uk found 14 other profitable categories ranging from $39 to $1,603 in median price. This includes militaria, like uniforms, decor, firearms, and other weaponry.
Breweriana is another high-value category. These items contain a brewery or brand name and can include bottles, labels, tin signs, beer mats, and more.
Finally, comic books have the potential to earn you some extra cash, too. While the median price of resale comic books is around $39, these items are still widely available. While you might have to sell several to make a profit, the potential is still there.
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