26 Things Grandma Never Threw Away (That Are Worth a Fortune Now)

Our grandmothers experienced the Great Depression, and that taught them not to throw things away. We may have teased them about their pack rat habits, but it turns out some of those things they saved are worth a ton of money. Let’s explore some of the common items Grandma might have stored away in the attic that could now pay for your retirement.

1. Vintage Pyrex Dishes

Grandma never replaced those vintage Pyrex bowls and casseroles from the 50s and 60s? Well, those patterns are now worth hundreds – sometimes thousands – of dollars! The “Lucky in Love” pattern with green hearts and shamrocks sold for more than $4000! Even the more common “Butterprint” pattern sells for $100 a piece if in good condition.

2. Original Barbie Dolls

The original Barbie dolls still in their packaging can sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Even Barbie dolls from the 1960’s and early 1970’s are considered valuable if they have their original clothing and accessories. A mint condition Barbie doll just sold for $27,450 at auction.

3. Comic Books

Grandma’s saving of Dad’s childhood comic books could be very beneficial. Good condition early Superman, Batman and Spider-Man comic books can sell for crazy amounts of money. For example, Action Comics #1 which was published in 1938 sold for over $3.2 million. That being said, even some of the more common comics from the 60s can still be worth thousands.

4. Cookie Jars

Antique cookie jars can fetch large sums if made by McCoy and other companies. Jars made from the characters of the 1940s and 50s are even more valuable. For instance, a Little Audrey cookie jar sold for $3000 and some designs from McCoy are even rarer.

5. Mason Jars

Grandma’s blue and green glass Mason jars used for canning might be worth more than what she used to preserve in them. Buffalo jars in their original condition (with the original closure) have sold for more than $13,000! In fact, profit margins can be hundreds of dollars for rare colors such as olive green and amber.

6. Costume Jewelry

Your box of “cheap” jewelry could actually have valuable designer costume jewelry like Eisenberg, Trifari, or even Miriam Haskell. Vintage costume jewelry from the 1940s and 50s can range in value from hundreds to even thousands of dollars. Some rare pieces from Eisenberg have sold for over $5,000.

7. Aluminum Christmas Trees

Grandma’s vintage shiny Christmas trees from the 1960s are now considered highly collectible. When accompanied by the original color wheel, these trees can sell for $1,000+, and even more for pink versions, with some selling for $3,500+.

8. Depression Glass

Now worth quite a lot, the glass dishes given out as promotional items during the Depression are sold in collectibles markets. The pink cookie jar with the Cherry Blossom pattern was sold for over $1,000 and that is considered a very rare example. Even a more typical pattern, if it is in an uncommon color, can be worth hundreds of dollars.

9. Vintage Perfume Bottles

Grandma’s pretty perfume bottles that she displayed on her dresser may actually be worth a fortune. Lacoste and Baccarat vintage bottles especially with the original stopper and labels can go for thousands. Even perfume bottles from the 1950’s can be worth a couple of hundred.

10. Old Photographs

Those boxes of old photographs could have some hidden gems! Pictures of celebrities, monumental events or unique subjects could fall into the thousands! Even everyday snaps from the early 1900s are of real interest to collectors and historians.

11. Vintage Linens

Even though they are over a hundred years old, some early 1900s tablecloths, quilts, and lace doilies, are still very valuable. Especially sought after are the crazy quilts from the Victorian era and early American coverlets. Certain antique quilts can even sell for more than $10,000.

12. Vintage Cookbooks

Early editions of Betty Crocker, Joy of Cooking, or even church cookbooks may also be very valuable. Good condition early editions of popular cookbooks can sell for hundreds of dollars. Some rare first editions have even been sold for over $1,500.

13. Vintage Luggage

14. S&H Green Stamps Books

Grandma spent years licking and sticking the little green stamps into booklets and fantasizing about the prize from the catalog. Today, full booklets and original catalogs from the 1950s and 1960s are trendy nostalgia items on eBay and Etsy. Some lots are selling for over $100!

15. Milk Glass Dishes and Hobnail Vases

Grandma’s white showcased glass collection isn’t pretty; it’s expensive! The Fenton hobnail vases and Westmoreland covered dishes are collectibles from the 1950s and 1960s that sell for $50 to $150 and full sets can sell for over $400.

16. Signed Costume Jewelry (Trifari, Miriam Haskell)

Grandma’s jewelry box had some big surprises. She had signed pieces from Trifari and Miriam Haskell. Those big rhinestone brooches and baroque-pearl necklaces from the 1940s and 1950s typically sell for $200 – $800 at auction, while rare Crown Trifari pieces have been auctioned for over $4,000.

17. Vintage Advertising Tins

Grandma kept those tins long before she would have known how much collectors would appreciate them. Now, collectors are thankful for Grandma’s habit. Rare advertising tins from the 1940s and 50s can sell for $100 to $500 depending on the brand and the graphics used, and tins in this condition are hard to find.

18. Chenille Bedspreads

Grandma’s guest bed had a lovely tufted chenille bedspread that was a common sight in 1940s and 1950s homes. They came in pastel colors, and often had peacocks or roses printed on them. Now, collectors and decorators will buy them for $75 to $300, depending on the condition of the bedspread. The bedspread will sell for more money if the floral designs are big and in pink or white.

19. Vintage Fiestaware (Homer Laughlin)

From the 1930s until now, Grandma probably had some cheerful Fiestaware made by Homer Laughlin on the dining room table. First edition production pieces in uncommon colors (medium green, gray, or chartreuse) range from $50 to $300 each, and complete sets are worth even more.

20. Depression Glass (Pink and Cobalt Patterns)

Grandma kept all of the Depression glass given away at gas stations and movie theaters in the 1930s and ’40s. Now, the rare pink Mayfair pattern sets from Anchor Hocking and hues of cobalt blue can sell anywhere from $200-$500. One covered cookie jar can go for $300 alone.

21. Handmade Patchwork Quilts

The Double Wedding Ring and Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilts were made by Grandma’s hand during the long winter nights, and like nearly everything else in the house, they have survived. And the hand-stitched quilts from the 1940s and 50s in good condition sell for $500 to $2,000 and rarer signed examples sell for even more.

22. McCoy Pottery Cookie Jars

McCoy’s cuddly ceramic cookie jars from the 1940s to 1960s are still highly collectible today. Hillbilly Frogs, Mammy jars, and jars with smiles have common shapes that go for $30 to $100, but rare ones, such as Jack-O-Lanterns, have auctioned for over $4,500.

23. View-Master Viewers and Reels

That red plastic viewer you got with your Grandma and the shoebox of reels entertained thousands of kids. She must have been quite the grandma! A working 1950s Model D viewer goes for $150 to $500. Vintage scenic reels from national parks or Disneyland can be worth over $200.

24. Wooden Butter Molds and Stamps

Before store-bought sticks took over, Grandma pressed homemade butter into carved wooden molds stamped with cows, wheat sheaves, or eagles. Primitive kitchen tools from the 1940s and earlier are loved by farmhouse decor collectors. Hand-carved animals can be quite rare but most sell for $40 to $300.

25. Hummel Figurines (Full Bee and Crown Mark)

West German porcelain children and Hummels were brought home by soldiers after WWII. Grandma’s cabinet in the 50s and 60s were filled with pieces. Adventure Bound Hummels auctioned for $9,000, whilst Early Crown Mark (TMK-1) and Full Bee (TMK-2) go for $200 to $1,500.

26. Vintage Metal Kitchen Canister Sets

The 1950s kitchen counter canisters that matched in colors like red or turquoise with black stenciled letters on the front and contained flour, sugar, coffee, and tea, are now sought after by collectors. Complete four-piece sets from this era, including spun-aluminum Kromex and lithographed colorful tins, can range from $100 to $400.

Old Louis Vuitton or Goyard trunks that have been sitting in the attic will not remain valuable for long. Good-condition vintage luxury luggage of any brand can sell for a lot of money, and even the vintage luggage from the 1950s and 1960s, even the more basic, branded like Samsonite, is becoming highly collectible.