For most of us, our basement is a place we donโt particularly enjoy visiting. Itโs accumulated so much junk that you canโt be sure whatโs even in there anymore.
If youโve been putting off a basement cleanout for some time, donโt be so quick to throw everything away without a second glance. You might have held onto some household items that are worth their weight in gold nowadays.
Check out these basement finds that could make you much richer than you knew you wereโฆ
1. Nintendo Gameboy
Remember when we all had a Gameboy? It was first introduced in 1989 and every kid seemed to want one. But it soon lost its popularity when technology advanced. However, nowadays, if you still have a Gameboy lying around, it could be worth between $450 and $2,000.
Source:
Gehirnfussel/ Flickr
2. Vintage jewelry
Just because you donโt have any real diamonds, emeralds or gold in your old jewelry, it might still be worth some money. Old costume jewelry is particularly popular. Get it checked out by a professional if youโre not sure.
Source:
Annie Pilon/ Flickr
3. Antique cookie jar
Many of us had grandparents who had an antique cookie jar in their kitchens. If you happen to have kept hold of a cookie jar that has been passed down the generations, it might actually be worth some cash. Youโre especially in with a chance if your cookie jar is in the style of a cartoon character โ it could go for more than ยฃ3,o00.
Source:
Lori L. Stalteri/ Flickr
4. Tiffany lamps
Tiffany lamps might not be popular assets in modern homes, but they could still be worth a fortune. These lamps have beautiful colored glass designs and are now considered fine art. The lamps with the most vibrant colors and flower motifs sell for the highest price.
Source:
Catherine/ Flickr
5. Perfume bottles
Got your hands on an old perfume bottle? At the beginning of the 19th century, before mass production, glass blowers were producing some truly beautiful bottles for storing perfume. Antique perfume bottles can sell for more than $4,000.
Source:
Jennie Sweat/ Flickr
6. Fancy china
Most of us have some random sets of china sitting in a china cupboard in the dining room. Your old china might actually be worth a lot of money, especially if it was produced in the 18th century. Blue and white hand-painted china from the 1900s also sells for a lot.
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Denisbin/ Flickr
7. VHS Tapes
Thanks to streaming and DVDs, VHS tapes have become unnecessary โ but because theyโre no longer released, theyโre now worth some money. Old Disney home video tapes can be particularly sellable, especially if theyโve never been transferred to DVD. Itโs worth checking out your old VHS tapes, for sure.
Source:
Marian Ladiona/ Flickr
8. Cuckoo clocks
Whenโs the last time you ever saw a cuckoo clock in real life? These clocks became popular in Germany in the 1830s. Every hour, on the hour, a bird would pop out of the door to โcuckooโ. If you happen to come across an antique cuckoo clock, you might be in luck.
Source:
Lee Dyer/ Flickr
9. Vintage t-Shirts
Some vintage t-shirts are more valuable than others. Look out especially for vintage tour tees for legendary bands or artists that no longer perform. Shirts can sell up to $20,000 โ but they have to be from the original printing to be valuable.
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Nikoretro/ Flickr
10. Artwork
Unfortunately, itโs highly unlikely that youโll find a piece of rare art when youโre cleaning out the basement. But you might just find something thatโs more valuable than you assumed. Donโt be so quick to sell it in a yard sale!
Source:
Laura Blanchard/ Flickr
11. Antique sled ornaments
Most of us hang ornaments on our Christmas trees every year, but if youโve got some antiques in your batch, you might want to hold onto them. Antique sled ornaments are particularly valuable, as are ornaments made from blown glass. Some ornaments can sell up to $18,000 โ each.
Source:
LadyDragonflyCC
12. Postcards
Remember the good old days when people would take a trip to the beach and send their loved ones a postcard? Vintage postcards that are old, rare and in good condition sell for a lot of money nowadays. But if youโre holding onto a special memory, it might not be worth the cash.
Source:
Jilly999/ Flickr
13. Vintage lunch boxes
Remember the lunch box you used to take with you to school when you were a kid? If only youโd kept hold of it, it might actually be worth something nowadays. Tin vintage lunch boxes with certain characters or rock bands can sell for thousands. If youโve still got a 1956 Superman lunchbox lying around, thatโs considered the most popular of them all.
Source:
Vintage19_something/ Flickr
14. Early-generation cell phones
If you hadnโt guessed by this point, pretty much anything early-generation is guaranteed to bring in some good money. Early-generation cell phones are especially valuable. Finally, a reason to bring out your old brick phone again!
Source:
Michael Ocampo/ Flickr
15. Pokemon cards
Pokemon cards are relatively new, especially compared to most of the items on this list. But the super-rare cards can still sell for a lot of money. While you can buy a full pack of cards for just a few bucks, if you have a first-edition rare card from the 90s, it could sell for thousands.
Source:
Daniel Lee/ Flickr
16. Cowboy hats
If any of your old cowboy hats are from โUrban Cowboyโ era or earlier, you could get more than $100 for it in an auction. It just needs to be in good condition and from an original brand. Yee-haw!
Source:
Wicker Paradise/ Flickr
17. Vintage signs
People collect some pretty random things, and youโd better hope that your grandparents were vintage sign collectors, as theyโre worth some money nowadays. Branded signs like Coca-Cola do particularly well. Just make sure, if youโre on the hunt for vintage signs at yard sales and the like, that the signs you buy are legitimate and not mock-vintage.
Source:
Shannon Clattenburg/ Flickr
18. Vintage cereal boxes
Itโs hardly surprising that people are paying so much for vintage cereal boxes โ they must be rare as anything. Who would think to keep hold of a cereal box, after all? But if you have a family member who did, you could sell it on for thousands.
Source:
Jefferson Willian/ Flickr
19. Original iPods
The earliest versions of the iPods that were built by Steve Jobs can bring in a pretty penny. As an example, a first-generation iPod sold in 2019 for $2,200. In mint condition, an iPod could sell for upwards of $10,000.
Source:
raneko/ Flickr
20. Old computers
Watch a sci-fi movie from a few decades ago and youโll see just how ridiculous the computers from back then look nowadays. But despite their comical appearance, theyโre worth a whole lot of cash. Apple 1 or Apple II computers are worth thousands of dollars.
Source:
TehBoris/ Flickr
21. CDs
Just like VHS, streaming and downloading has meant that CDs are no longer needed. And because of this, theyโre now a lot more valuable than they once were. Find yourself an original release CD, or even better, one thatโs been signed by a legend, and youโre in for a winner.
Source:
anika/ Flickr
22. First-edition books
Weโve all heard about that friend who claims to have given their first-edition Star Wars or Harry Potter books to a thrift store before they became valuable. In short, any bestselling first-edition book will probably be worth some money, so it pays to be a book nerd. Get yourself a signed first-edition copy and youโre sitting on thousands of dollars.
Source:
Aussie~mobs/ Flickr
23. Vintage Boy Scout badges
Know a family member who was in the Boy Scouts? Nowadays, some vintage Boy Scout patches are worth a lot of money. Generally, the older the patch, the more money itโs worth. If youโve got a sash full of badges, even better!
Source:
Douglas Muth/ Flickr
24. Flip clocks
Flip clocks โ AKA those with numbers that โflipโ with every passing minute, are a particularly hot collectible item. They are pretty cool, and you donโt see them in stores anymore, which probably explains their popularity. French Bodet flip clocks are particularly valuable.
Source:
Orion/ Flickr
25. Old coins
Not all old coins are worth a lot of money, but again, the older, the better. A stash of 200-year-old coins could be worth thousands, nowadays. But if you donโt have coins that old, you can still make some money from misprinted coins or limited-edition collectibles.
Source:
Toshiyuki IMAI/ Flickr
26. Pyrex dishes
One look at a vintage Pyrex dish and youโre probably transported back in time to home-cooked dinners with your family. If you can bear to part with a dish thatโs been passed down to you, it could be worth some money. Some vintage Pyrex dishes have sold for more than $1,000.
Source:
atravellingmom/ Flickr
27. Weather vanes
Nobody really needs weather vanes anymore. Once upon a time, farmers relied on them to know which way the wind was blowing. Now we can just look at a weather app. But donโt throw out your old weather vane, as weather vanes from the 19th century can be worth up to $7,000.
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Oatsy40/ Flickr
28. Vacuum cleaners
Who would have thought that your grandmaโs old, unused vacuum could be worth some money? If sheโs kept hold of an original Hoover, she might get upwards of $500 for it. The better the condition, the higher the price.
Source:
Karen Mardahl/ Flickr
29. Polly Pocket toys
As once one of the most popular childrenโs toys on the market, Polly Pockets are now worth some money. If you still have your old Polly Pocket toys, you could be sitting on a gold mine! It may help to hold on to this one for even longer, though, as itโll probably go up in price over the coming years.
Source:
ninachildish/ Flickr
30. Vintage games
And finally, if you have any vintage board games lying around, donโt toss them out. If you happen to have an original copy of Monopoly Atlantic City, you could earn upwards of $100,000. It pays to collect โjunkโ, people!
Source:
Joe Haupt/ Flickr
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