15 Items in Your Junk Drawer That Could Be Worth Real Money

Your kitchen drawer filled with miscellaneous items could be worth a surprising amount of money. Many collectibles that have been sought after by museums and collectors alike have become more common in households over the years. You may be surprised at how much some of these forgotten collectibles could be worth, so take a closer look before tossing these items into the garbage.

1. Vintage McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys

Toy collectors are often interested in the plastic toys that come in children’s meals, especially the ones from the early 1990s. If you can find a 1987 “Changeables” transforming food toy, you could make up to $400. value.

2. Old Calculators

Old calculators can also be surprising finds. Early models from the HP and Texas Instruments brands in the 70s are worth a lot, particularly the HP-01 calculator watch which has sold for over $14,000. Even basic scientific calculators from the early 80s could sell for a surprising amount of money.

3. Nintendo Game & Watch Handhelds

Old electronic games also have surprising value. The rare “Panorama” series can sell for over $2,000 each. Even common and more recent models in good condition can bring $200-$500.

4. Vintage Pens

Some more common models from the 1950s may even be worth hundreds. An old Parker “Snake” pen from the early 1900s is worth over $65,000. Along with Waterman and Mont Blanc, vintage pens from the 1950s are extremely valuable.

5. Old Camera Lenses

Vintage camera lenses have become popular in recent years. German-made Leica and Zeiss lenses are worth thousands, and seemingly ordinary lenses from the 1970s can still be worth hundreds if in good condition.

6. Vintage Polaroid Cameras

With the revival of instant photography, some models of Polaroid cameras have become valuable. The 1970s SX-70 Polaroid cameras can sell for between $300-400, and rarer models like the Polaroid Pathfinder 110A can sell for over $1,000.

7. Vintage Postcards

Surprisingly old postcards can sell for a lot, especially if they show old famous landmarks, old historical events, or Halloween from the early 1900s. Even the vintage travel postcards from the early 1900s can sell for $20-50.

8. Vintage Keychains

Advertiser keychains made during the 50s and 60s can sell for very high prices. Gas station keychains and automotive keychains can be worth hundreds, and old McDonald’s character keychains made in the 70s can sell for $50-100.

9. Old Matchbooks

Vintage matchbook covers advertising old now-defunct businesses can become highly-valued collectibles and so can vintage matchbooks with unique ads. Vintage campaign matchbooks have high demand as do matchbooks from famous no-longer-operating nightclubs or hotels.

10. Vintage Buttons

Antique buttons can contain precious materials, and unique old designs made from ivory can be highly valuable. Civil War-era buttons from military uniforms can sell for high prices, as can vintage buttons from uniforms.

11. Old Ticket Stubs

Tickets from concerts and sporting events can be worth a lot of money. A ticket stub from The Beatles’ last concert sold for more than $30,000. Tickets from 1950s and 60s regular season games can sell for hundreds of dollars.

12. Vintage Keys

An ornate collectible antique key could be worth a lot of money, especially if they come from notable buildings. Railroad keys have been known to sell for thousands, and even decorative skeleton keys from the 1900’s could sell between $50-100.

13. Vintage Stamps

Not all old stamps are worth money but for some, they could be worth a fortune. The 1960’s even had some old looking postage stamps that were originally considered ordinary but ended up having printing mistakes, thus making them worth a lot of money. Collecting a full sheet would be even more valuable.

14. Old Coins

Before 1964, silver coins were worth at least what you could sell them for based on their silver content, but due to certain dates and mint markings, some could be worth much more. Even wheat pennies from 1909-1958 could get you thousands of dollars if you ended up with a rare one.

15. Vintage Paper Clips

Even some antique paper clips can actually be worth a lot of money. Those made in the 1800’s and 1900’s that have unique designs can sell for hundreds. Even some “Gem” styled clips from that era are worth collecting.