If you’re looking for an extra source of income, sometimes you don’t even have to leave the house. Take an hour or two and scour your basement or attic, and you’ll probably find collectibles you completely forgot about. What’s even greater is that perhaps many people desire those things you simply left behind. Here is a list of some collectibles that could earn you money:
Old video games and consoles
Chances are you have your old video games or consoles stored somewhere around the house, waiting for you to open them for a nostalgic return to childhood. However, it rarely or never happens. Lucky for you, serious collectors will pay handsomely for those old-school gems of yours. Assuming they are in working condition, someone will be interested in purchasing them.
Although some consoles from this millennium are growing in value, obviously older ones will be worth more. Video game consoles only get more expensive with time. Consoles like Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System or Sega Genesis are collector’s favorites. Their limited edition games such as Super Mario Bros, Superman or Legend of Zelda can be worth from a couple of hundreds to a couple of thousands of dollars.
Vintage comics
It appears superheroes are everywhere around us. At least if you watch TV and movies. Marvel or DC Comics, doesn’t matter. They seem to always find their way to hundreds of millions of viewers, every time. Following that trend, you could earn decent money if you have old comics that revolve around some of the most popular characters.
Comic book heroes have become mainstream over the last decade, so you won’t limit yourself to selling only to hardcore comic book lovers. Remember – not all old comics are worth something. A lot of factors come into play when determining a comic book’s value. The most important ones are its condition and rarity. It’s best if the comic doesn’t have damages or creases, and its colors haven’t faded. Then again, if it’s a limited edition or features a rare appearance of some character, a potential buyer probably won’t mind some damage.
Coin collections
Finding an old coin collection somewhere in your home doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve stumbled upon a gold mine. Just because those coins are or look old, doesn’t mean they have any value. Nevertheless, some antique coins or misprinted ones can make you a huge chunk of money.
The first step after finding a coin collection is to deep dive into research. Primarily, observe your coins. Try to determine what country they’re from, what language is inscribed, what material they’re made of. After that, try to find listings of the same coins on eBay, and see what prices the other sellers have set. That way you’ll have a better understanding of what to expect. That being said, if you’re unfamiliar with numismatics, old coins valuation is best left to the professionals to avoid losing much money when trying to sell.
VHS tapes
It is hard for younger generations who grew up on Netflix or other streaming services to comprehend how significant VHS tapes were not that long ago. If you’re over 30, you probably have access to some old tapes lying around in your attic. Go through your old boxes and see if anything is worth selling.
Although there’s good money to be made, keep in mind that most of VHS tapes are worth close to nothing. Yet, if you have any rare tapes in your possession, your chances are much higher. There are tapes that can go for a couple of thousands of dollars. Disney’s “Black Diamond” collection is one of the most sought after in the world of VHS collecting. Buyers are also willing to pay top money for some obscure movies or movie series like “The Godfather” or “Star Wars”.
Vinyl records
Over the last decade, vinyl records have become probably the favorite collector’s item. It’s not just a nostalgia thing. Vinyl collectors swear by the quality of sound, which in their own words is far superior to digital releases. They show a lot of passion and dedication when searching for records, which makes them the perfect customers. When estimating the price of your records, it’s crucial to know a couple of things. The main factors which determine a record’s worth are its age, release version, rarity, and condition. But, as with any other collectibles, age is only important if the record is a limited release in a good-to-mint condition. That way, the same album of a band can be worth anything from $10 to thousands of dollars.
However outdated or obsolete some of those collectibles might look, you never know how badly other people want them. Something that seems worthless to you could be someone else’s treasure. That’s why it is important to take a minute and asses what you’ve got. Otherwise, you might end up with an expensive dust gatherer in your attic.