Your garage could house a gold mine of monetary value! While going through the old stuff you’ve decided to keep, you may find some hidden gems of monetary value, especially to class of buyers known as collectors. Before you throw open the doors to your garage to let people place their items and scavenge through your old stuff, check out your hidden treasures that vaguely resemble junk and holiday decorations.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Vintage Pyrex Dishes
- 2 2. Old Fishing Lures
- 3 3. Mid-Century Light Fixtures
- 4 4. Vintage Power Tools
- 5 5. Old Comic Books
- 6 6. Vintage Cameras
- 7 7. Antique License Plates
- 8 8. Old Garden Tools
- 9 9. Vintage Sports Equipment
- 10 10. Vintage Board Games
- 11 11. Old Radios
- 12 12. Vintage Holiday Decorations
- 13 13. Old Auto Parts
- 14 14. Vintage Signs
- 15 15. Vintage Records
1. Vintage Pyrex Dishes
Your mother’s vintage Pyrex bowls that she keeps in the garage probably first came out of the factory when Eisenhower was still president. To real collectors of vintage Pyrex half a century or more of age vintage Pyrex bowls have both a sentimental value and monetary value, with prices reaching as high as $3,000 for some complete sets of rare pieces.
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2. Old Fishing Lures
As for old tool boxes, they may contain pieces of treasure that are even more valuable than gold. That’s because the old Heddon lures are over a century old and are considered to be some of the first lures built by man. And some of the less famous lures by Heddon sell for several hundreds of dollars.
3. Mid-Century Light Fixtures
A pendant lamp or chandelier designed by either George Nelson or Gino Sarfatti, who were designer contemporaries during the middle of the last century, now sell for high amounts. In fact, even when a lamp of chandelier needs repairing, its value can remain very high and even command a price equal to its value as a brand new modern lamp or chandelier.
4. Vintage Power Tools
Old woodworking tools from the 1940s and 50s from brands like Craftsman, Delta and Stanley are increasingly valuable. Certain planes, drills and saws can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Craftsman 103 series table saws are very collectible and are selling for between $500 and $2,000.
5. Old Comic Books
Comics can be worth a lot of money. Even if you do not happen to have Action Comics #1, a lot of comics from the 1960s and 1970s can be worth quite a lot of money. Old Marvel comics featuring Spider-Man and the X-Men can sell for thousands of dollars, and even common comics from this era can be worth hundreds of dollars.
6. Vintage Cameras
Old cameras can also be worth a lot of money. Because they are highly sought after by collectors, even non-working models can be valuable. A Leica M3 camera in good condition can be sold for 1,500 to 2,500 dollars and rarer models can be sold for even more than that.
7. Antique License Plates
License plates from before the 1940s can also be surprisingly valuable and especially if they are in good condition. Early plates from California or those from states with a smaller population can be sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The first-issue plates from any state can be sold for over $5,000 and are very valuable.
8. Old Garden Tools
Some garden tools made by companies like Stanley and Disston can also be worth a lot of money. Especially valuable are hand forged tools from the early 1900s, and some rare examples can be sold for hundreds of dollars each.
9. Vintage Sports Equipment
Baseball gloves, golf clubs, and tennis rackets from certain recognized brands can become valuable collector’s items. Louisville Slugger bats, for example, and pre-1950s Spalding gear, are worth big bucks, sometimes thousands if they are in good shape. Old leather football helmets can also be worth a lot.
10. Vintage Board Games
Monopoly and Clue games can be thousands of dollars. A complete 1950s or earlier Monopoly game can be extremely valuable if all pieces are included. Rare Monopoly editions sold for over 100k.
11. Old Radios
Vintage radios from 20s to 50s are of great value particularly from brands like RCA, Philco, and Zenith. Radios become even more valuable with Art Deco designs from 30s, and if early transistor radios are working, they can be worth thousands.
12. Vintage Holiday Decorations
Old glass Christmas decorations, especially those from 40s and 50s, maybe more valuable than you think. Some Shiny Brite ornaments are worth hundreds. Rare German ornaments from 1900s can be thousands. Even aluminum Christmas trees from the 60s can be worth hundreds.
13. Old Auto Parts
Restoration enthusiasts look for original parts from 50s and 60s classic cars. Bumpers, headlights, and even hubcaps are worth thousands. Original factory parts are worth even more.
14. Vintage Signs
Advertising signs are extremely valuable. Old porcelain signs for gas advertising, soda, or tobacco are worth thousands. Neon signs from 40s to 50s are worth more than 10k if they are rare even if they are rusty or damaged.
15. Vintage Records
Over time, original pressings of albums – particularly those from the 1950s and 1960s – have become very valuable. First pressings of Jazz records and albums by The Beatles can sell in the thousands, while even less rare records, if they are in excellent condition, can sell for hundreds.
