14 Collectibles That Gained Value After Being Discarded

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The things we throw away sometimes become treasures. You might not believe this but a seemingly worthless object that was gathering dust in the attic could end up fetching thousands of dollars at auction. There are plenty of stories in history of yesterday’s trash becoming today’s treasure, and sometimes it’s the unpredictability of the find itself that’s so interesting.

Let’s walk down memory lane, and see some of the surprising items that went up in value after being treated like the black sheep.

Baseball Cards

Baseball cards were once regarded as disposable novelties, once handed out with chewing gum packs. In spring cleaning sprees, many parents cleared them out. But, today, some cards, such as the 1909 Honus Wagner card, are worth millions. The moral of the story? A little cardboard and nostalgia go a long way.

Comic Books

During the 1930s and 1940s, comic books were considered throwaway entertainment. They were read by kids, traded by kids, and finally tossed out by kids. Skip forward to today and a first edition “Action Comics #1,” which contained Superman’s first appearance, are highly sought after items. In 2021, one of those comics went for $3.25 million. Who’s laughing now?

Vinyl Records

Do you remember when everyone thought CDs were the future? Many vinyl records were dumped or sold for pennies, that was bad news. Vinyl is now having a massive resurgence and rare records such as The Beatles’ “White Album” limited editions are very collectible. Old school really can be cool sometimes.

Vintage Video Games

Videos games, once forgotten, stashed and left in the basement, are suddenly in demand. Super Mario Bros. for the NES in mint condition have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. A Medium analysis shows that the retro gaming market is growing by 10% annually, thanks to millennials on the hunt for childhood nostalgia.

Action Figures

Anyone remember Star Wars action figures? These toys back in the day were unboxed and played with until they were battered and bruised. Today, those toys, if kept pristine, could sell for thousands. Most recently, a mint-condition Boba Fett figure sold for $150,000.

Pyrex Dishes

What do you think is hiding in grandma’s kitchen? The Pyrex dishes of the mid 20th century could just be a gold mine. Now, though, so called ‘patterns’ such as “Gooseberry” or “Butterfly Gold” are collector favorites, selling for hundreds or even thousands of dollars on resale platforms. Who knew your casserole dish could also be your retirement plan?

Old Sneakers

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In recent years, sneaker culture has gone wild as collectors are ready to spend big bucks on rare or vintage kicks. Air Jordans that were Michael Jordan’s first, discarded by many after they were worn out, are now selling for jaw dropping prices. A pair of Jordan 1s were auctioned off for $560,000 in 2020. Expensive shoe story indeed!

First-Generation iPhones

In 2007, the iPhone 1 was groundbreaking, but soon old models were being tossed out as more advanced ones rolled in. Jump to now, and the first gen iPhones that have never been opened now sell for over $40,000. That’s some dialing up the value.

Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls

In the 1980s, these dolls were a craze — but as their popularity waned, many of them wound up in donation bins. Rare editions are now worth thousands, surprisingly. Imagine getting rid of your doll, only to find that it’s worth couple of thousands later. The nostalgia tax is real.

Classic Cars

Classic American Cars That Are Skyrocketing in Value — Image Credit: Bill Cook/Flickr

The 1967 Shelby GT500, for example, might seem a lost cause in a rusty, neglected car in a barn, but they’ve become classic cars that have skyrocketed in value. Vehicles in original condition can sell for six figures or more. A little grease and TLC goes a long way sometimes.

Vintage LEGO Sets

Not all LEGO sets were treated with care, but LEGO sets remain timeless. Unopened boxes from the 1980s and 1990s are worth serious cash. One of these sets is the Millennium Falcon Ultimate Collector’s Edition, where prices have soared past $10,000.

Concert T-Shirts

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Anyone remember those old band tees you threw out or cut up for rags? Now they are the major collectibles. Recently a vintage Grateful Dead shirt from the 1960s sold for over $17,000. It’s one expensive piece of rock ‘n’ roll history.

Postage Stamps

While stamps may not be the most exciting of items on this list, rare stamps like the “Inverted Jenny” are worth millions. The Holy Grail of philatelists is this 1918 stamp that was printed with an upside down airplane. Mistakes can even pay off, it turns out.

Coins

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There may be hidden value in Grandpa’s coin collection. The rare coins, such as the 1943 copper penny, have sold for more than $1 million. Why? During WWII pennies were supposed to be made of steel to save copper for the war effort. This is the difference between making mistakes like these and not.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.