25 Things You Have Stored Away That Could Be Worth a Small Fortune

Looking for quick way to get extra cash? Toss your junk drawers and sift through those basement boxes to see if you can uncover any of these 25 valuable items hiding in your house.

1. Star Wars action figures

Most vintage Star Wars action figures are worth between $10 to $20, but they can fetch $100 to $200 if they’re still in the package. Rare Star Wars action figures can be worth thousands – up to $2,500 for a Han Solo “Small Head” action figure and up to $30,000 for an original double telescoping Obi-Wan Kenobi from 1978. How to tell if your Star Wars action figures are valuable

2. Vinyl records

The average eBay selling price for vinyl records is around $15, but the range varies from 50 cents to $50 or more. Collectors will pay handsomely for some rare vinyl records: up to $20,000 for a 7-inch 33 of Elvis Presley’s Good Luck Charm and as much as $125,000 for an original copy of the Beatles’ Yesterday and Today (aka “the butcher album”). Check out the world’s most valuable vinyl records

3. Lego

A Time magazine article declared Lego to be a better investment than gold. Case in point: the Millennium Falcon 10179, Taj Mahal 10190 and Eiffel Tower 10184 Lego sets can all sell for more than $3,000. Minifigures like Mr. Gold 17001 and Marvel Amazing Spider-Man can go for more than $2,000. If you just have mixed parts, you can still get anywhere from $5 to $15 per pound. See what your Lego are worth

4. Phones

Have old smartphones tucked away in a drawer? You can declutter your home and net up to $100 or more for older smartphone models like the iPhone 6s and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. In fact, the average American household has around $265 worth of unused gadgets that can be sold for cash. Helping people get more money for their used phones is our specialty. Find the real value of your phone here.

5. VHS & Betamax tapes

Though most VHS tapes are only worth around 50 cents to a few dollars, collectible tapes can go for $50 or more. Betamax tapes can be worth $20 and up. You might even hit the jackpot if you have a sought-after tape hiding on your shelves: a first release of Disney’s Dumbo on VHS can sell for up to $100, while the 1978 MEDA first release of Halloween on VHS can net up to $250. Have The Lost Boys on Betamax? It can go for $75. Some tapes are worth even more

6. Bicycles

Give up your dream of cycling across the country? You might be able to turn that old bike into cold, hard cash. Modern bikes by Cannondale, Trek and Specialized can be worth more than $5,000, while some vintage bicycles can command tens of thousands of dollars. Even some Huffy bicycles can be worth up to $85. See what your contemporary bicycle is worth or check out the astonishing values of some vintage bikes

7. Fishing rods

Most fishing rods are worth less than $50. However, if you have old fishing rods that bear the names Payne, Garrison, Gillum or Thomas and Thomas, they could be worth between $1,000 and $2,000 or more. See what makes fishing rods valuable and how to sell them

8. Gaming consoles and video games

It’s no secret modern gaming consoles are worth money, but did you know an old Commodore 64 GS can fetch up to $3,300? Or that a 1990 Neo-Geo can be worth up to $1,900? Old Nintendo Entertainment Systems and Atari systems can go for $50 or more, especially if you have games and accessories. Some video games, like NCAA Football 14 for PS3, can be worth $50 or more, too. Check these prices for old gaming consoles

9. Comic books

Most comics are only worth around a quarter, but some can command hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, Incredible Hulk #1 can be worth up to $375,000, while the record sale for Action Comics #1 – the first appearance of Superman – is a whopping $3.2 million. Find out how much your comics are worth

10. Graphic novels

Though not nearly as valuable as the most collectible comic books, some graphic novels can still fetch a pretty penny. For example, The Death of Captain Marvel can be worth more than $100, while a copy of Batman: The Killing Joke can fetch over $1,000. See if you have any of the most valuable graphic novels

11. Golf clubs

If the PGA Tour isn’t in your future, you can probably unload your old golf clubs for cash. Drivers manufactured by Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist, Ping, Cleveland and Nike often sell for over $50, while iron sets can go for more than $200. See what your golf clubs are worth

12. Books

Most paperback trade fiction books don’t command high fees, but some rare books can be worth a small fortune. A first edition of A Clockwork Orange can net up to $1,750, for example, while a misprint of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone can command up to $55,000 or more. Star Wars books can be worth hundreds of dollars, and autographed books have sold for anywhere between $15 and $500,000. Even old textbooks can be worth cash; and though most encyclopedias have little value, if you have a copy of the 2010 15^th edition of Encyclopedia Britannica you could be sitting on $2,000 or more. See how to sell any used book for the most money

13. Laptops and tablets

Do you have unused laptops and tablets lying around? Rather than let them go to waste – or turn them into e-waste – you can sell them for cash. A 2013 11-inch MacBook Air, for example, is still worth more than $200, while a 2014 15-inch MacBook Pro can sell for more than $600. Many iPads and tablets are worth $100 to $200 or more. See how much your Mac is worth

14. LaserDiscs

Though many LaserDiscs are worth a dollar or less, some can be worth considerably more. For example, some copies of The Matrix can go for more than $150, while a 1984 copy of The Last Starfighter: Signature Collection can be worth up to $250. The most collectible LaserDiscs tend to sell for anywhere between $20 and $50, while ultra-rare LDs like Tokyo Raiders can fetch up to $1,000 or more. See if you have any valuable LaserDiscs

15. Sheet music

Most sheet music sells for $5 or less, but some can be quite valuable. The auction record is $506,500, paid for a first edition of Francis Scott Key’s The Star Spangled Banner. While you probably don’t have one of those hiding under your piano bench, you might have a copy of the Beatles’ Golden Slumbers, which can go for up to $100, or Death Song of the Titanic, which can be worth up to $69. See what your sheet music is worth

16. Electric guitars

Still waiting on that record deal? That electric guitar could score you some cash after all. Values vary significantly, though most quality-built mid-level electric guitars are worth between $500 and $1,000. If you happen to have a 1963 Fender Custom Telecaster Sunburst, however, you could be looking at a $20,000 payday. A 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop is worth up to $85,000. Find out how much your guitar is worth

17. Designer clothes

If you have a closetful of Chanel, Hermès, Gucci and Prada, you can expect to get between 50% and 70% of their original retail values on the resale market. In most cases, you can easily get $20 or more for a single dress or a pair of jeans, and some designer clothes can go for $200 and up. Check out top designer clothes values

18. iPods

Replace your old iPod with an iPhone? You can sell a 6^th generation iPod Touch for $50 to $100, while a 7^th generation iPod Classic is worth $60 to $75. Even older models have value. Some are only worth $5 to $10, but it’s still enough for a Starbuck’s. See how much your iPod is worth

19. Magazines

Most magazines sell for between $5 and $20, but some can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. A November 1963 edition of Life featuring quarterback Roger Staubach can be worth $1,800 (it was recalled in the wake of the Kennedy assassination). A copy of the first Playboy featuring Marilyn Monroe can be worth more than $2,000 in good condition – and as much as $635,000 in mint condition. Even old National Geographic magazines can be valuable, though it’s often for the Coca-Cola advertisements on their back covers rather than the merits of their content. Find out if you have valuable magazines

20. Blu-Ray discs

Most Blu-Rays are worth anywhere from a quarter to a few dollars, but if you have a special edition by Arrow, Steelbook or Criterion your Blu-Ray could be worth $100 or more. Collectors prize old horror titles and boxed sets; for example, a Dr. Who complete series box set with remote can sell for over $400. See what makes certain Blu-Rays valuable

21. Autographed sports memorabilia

There is no average price for signed sports memorabilia, but if you have an autographed baseball or a signed trading card you might want to see how much it’s worth. Consider this: a 2003-2004 LeBron James autographed rookie card sold for $312,000, while a signed game jersey worn by Wilt Chamberlain went for $97,500. Check out the highest auction prices ever paid for autographed sports memorabilia

22. Classic & digital cameras

If you have an old 35mm, Polaroid, Leica or other classic camera, you might be in luck. A Polaroid SLR 680 can be worth more than $200, while a Kodak Bantam Special can go for over $300. Higher-end cameras can command even more. For example, a Leica M6 can top $9,000. Have a modern digital camera? Many of those can go for over $200. See what classic cameras are worth or view digital camera values

23. Smartwatches

Smartwatches are still fairly new to the scene, but if you have one you no longer use it’s worth checking its value. For example, an Apple Watch Series 2 Steel is worth more than $70, while a first-generation Aluminum Sport can fetch $35. See what your Apple Watch is worth

24. Jewelry

Gold and diamond values are in constant flux, so there’s no average price. The world’s most valuable diamonds are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and the 105.6 carat Koh-I-Noor diamond has an estimated value of more than $1 billion. Though you probably don’t have that kind of rock in your jewelry box, if you have unused jewelry you could convert it to cash. See if your gold jewelry is worth more than scrap or learn how to tell what your diamonds are worth

25. Gift cards

Have gift cards you’ll never use? Rather than let them languish in your wallet or purse, you can sell them for cash. Gift cards are typically worth around 75% of face value, though gift cards for popular stores can earn up to 92%. Less popular gift cards only net around 50%, but that’s still better than nothing. Find out where you can sell gift cards for cash

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