Some of the collectibles you might own could be worth a small fortune—you just don’t know it yet!
One of my favorite activities, besides writing and chatting with you about finances, shops, and money-saving tips, is buying abandoned storage units. I’m one of those people you’d see on the Discovery or History Channel who purchase different old units without knowing too much about what’s inside, hoping there’s more treasure than trash in there. The adrenaline rush you get when the lock is cut and the metal door rolls up is indescribable. You’re staring into a time capsule, a complete mystery box that could hold anything from priceless antiques to, well, someone’s collection of mismatched shoes.
Of course, it’s not always glamorous. I’ve waded through my fair share of damp boxes, dusty furniture, and things you wouldn’t want to touch without a hazmat suit. But the thrill of the hunt, the possibility of uncovering a forgotten piece of history or a high-value item, keeps me coming back for more. It’s a high-stakes treasure hunt, and I’ve learned to develop a keen eye for what might be valuable.
And while some storage units are packed with nothing but broken furniture, old socks, and lamps, others have paid off bigger than I ever imagined. One of my favorite times as a collector was when I found a box of 1980s action figures buried under some beautiful Halloween decorations—one of them sold for $1,100, and I was more than happy about it! It was a rare variant of a G.I. Joe figure, still sealed in its original packaging. I almost dismissed the whole box as kids’ stuff, but a little voice in my head told me to check it out properly. After some online research and consulting a collector’s guide, I realized I had something special. Listing it online was a nail-biting experience, but watching the bids climb was an absolute thrill.
Not to mention, my son was over the moon when I discovered a brilliant unit with stacks of retro video games. These things weren’t behind museum glass—they were hidden, collecting dust, and waiting for someone to give them a new life. We found a Nintendo 64 console with its original box and a treasure trove of classic cartridges: “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” “Super Mario 64,” and even a copy of “Chrono Trigger” for the Super Nintendo. He and his friends spent an entire weekend reliving the glory days of 90s gaming, and I had to explain that the “Chrono Trigger” cartridge alone was worth a few hundred dollars. He looked at me like I had three heads!
And here’s the thing: I’ve seen the same kinds of items in people’s homes, attics, or basements. That dusty box in the corner of your garage? The trunk your grandmother left you? These are the exact places where fortunes can be found. People tuck things away and forget about them for decades, not realizing that what was once a common toy or a simple household item has become a rare and sought-after collectible.
So, before you toss out that huge box of “junk” or walk past a colorful old toy shelf, take a closer look. You might be sitting on a fortune and not even know it. I want to make things easy for you, so today’s article is all about the collectibles you might own. We’re going to dive into some of the most common categories of items that have skyrocketed in value. They could be your golden ticket to being rich, so keep reading!

1. Barbies
Let’s start off this list of collectibles you might own with Barbies. They’ve always been gorgeous and remain a collector’s dream. If you have the original 1959 doll, consider yourself lucky, because many people would love to put their hands on it! That first-ever Barbie, with her iconic black-and-white striped swimsuit, arched eyebrows, and pursed red lips, was a cultural phenomenon. She represented a new kind of independence and style for dolls, and collectors cherish her as the one that started it all.
A 1959 Barbie that’s well taken care of, with the box and the stand, is worth over $10k on eBay. Why not make the most of it, am I right? I wasn’t lucky enough to find any old-fashioned Barbies in the storage units I purchased, but let’s hope I’ll get lucky one day… But it’s not just the ’59 original. Keep an eye out for other valuable editions, like the 1960s “American Girl” Barbie with her chic bob haircut, or special designer collaborations like the Oscar de la Renta or Bob Mackie editions from the 80s and 90s. Even Barbie’s friends and family, like Ken or Midge, can be valuable if they’re from the early years and in good shape.
The key to high value is almost always condition. Check for intact hair (no “homemade” haircuts!), original face paint without smudges, and limbs that are not chewed or stained. And the ultimate prize? Having the original box. A doll “NFRB” (Never Removed From Box) is the holy grail for collectors and can increase the value exponentially. So if you have a vintage Barbie still in her packaging, handle it with extreme care!
2. Baseball cards
If you’re a sports enthusiast, baseball cards are probably among the collectibles you might own. The best part? They could be worth a fortune! Believe it or not, there are thousands of cards people would pay more than $10,000 for today. That’s a ton of money for such a tiny piece of cardboard. Isn’t that amazing? Many of us collected these as kids, trading them in the schoolyard, completely unaware of their future potential.
Now, you might not be the proud owner of a Mickey Mantle card—though that would be incredible—but you might have a 1993 Derek Jeter rookie card. And you know what’s so special about that card? It could fetch upwards of $600,000 with the right buyer. So, better take those cards out and see what treasures you’ve been sitting on! Don’t just look for the big names, either. Sometimes rookie cards of players who became Hall of Famers, or even cards with printing errors, can be incredibly valuable. The famous Honus Wagner T206 card, for example, is the most expensive card in the world largely because Wagner allegedly demanded its production be stopped, leading to extreme scarcity.
Before you get too excited, remember that condition is everything in the card world. A perfectly centered card with sharp corners, a clean surface, and no creases is what collectors call “gem mint.” To get top dollar, you’ll likely need to have your card professionally graded by a service like PSA or Beckett. They encapsulate the card in a protective case and assign it a grade from 1 to 10. A high grade can mean the difference between a card being worth $50 and $50,000. So handle those old collections with care!
3. Posters
My wife used to heckle me for buying all sorts of posters at my favorite music festivals, but she doesn’t know how valuable they can be (in the right hands, of course!). What once felt like a quirky hobby might just end up funding our retirement. I have a whole collection of them rolled up in tubes, from obscure indie bands to major headliners. She calls it my “expensive wallpaper,” but I know better!
Posters of movies, events, and concerts can seriously grow your nest egg. For example, an original “The Wizard of Oz” movie poster sold for over $100,000. That’s right—six figures for paper and ink! These weren’t meant to be saved; they were advertising, plastered on walls and then thrown away. That’s precisely why original, surviving copies are so rare and valuable today. Look for posters from iconic films, especially from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Think that’s wild? Just wait. A 1931 “Dracula” poster fetched over $500,000 at auction in 2017. Imagine stumbling across that in your attic. Collectibles you might own—like these posters—could be hiding in plain sight, just waiting to blow your mind (and your wallet) wide open. Take a look! And don’t limit yourself to movies. Original concert posters, especially from the psychedelic 60s (think Jimi Hendrix or The Grateful Dead at the Fillmore), can be worth thousands. Even vintage travel and advertising posters, with their beautiful artwork promoting everything from airlines to soap, have a booming market.

4. Comic books
Let me tell you something: the comics market is exploding, and it can bring you a serious fortune! I was floored when I found out that a Golden Age “Batman” comic book sold through Heritage Auctions for a jaw-dropping $2.2 million in 2021. This isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about owning a piece of pop culture history. These early comics introduced characters that are now global icons.
If I ever sold something for that kind of cash, I wouldn’t tell a soul—but there’d be clues. Think: sudden retirement to the Bahamas or a penthouse in New York City. You’d know something was up. My wife would probably find a charge for a private island on the credit card statement and start asking some serious questions! The biggest sales are for “key” issues—the first appearance of a major hero. The ultimate holy grail is Action Comics #1 from 1938, featuring the debut of Superman, which has sold for over $3 million.
Back to reality—if you have comics at home, it’s time to take a closer look. Collectibles you might own, especially comic books from before 1980, could be worth a lot, so don’t miss your chance of getting rich! The key eras to look for are the Golden Age (late 1930s to early 1950s) and the Silver Age (mid-1950s to 1970). Comics from this period, like the first appearances of Spider-Man (Amazing Fantasy #15) or the Fantastic Four, are highly coveted.
Those early issues, especially with original artwork, aren’t just nostalgic—they’re beautiful, rare, and wildly desirable. Don’t sleep on your stack of old superheroes. If you do have some old comics, the best thing you can do is protect them immediately. Get some acid-free bags and boards to stop them from deteriorating. Even a small crease or tear can drastically reduce the value, so handle them as if they’re made of gold—because they just might be.
5. Pokémon cards
If your children were Pokémon fans and used to collect cards, consider yourself lucky, because you could have a fortune in your home and not even know it. These cards have been around since 1996, and many of them have already achieved vintage collector status. What was once a playground obsession has matured into a serious, high-stakes collecting hobby for adults.
Some of the collectibles you might own, like these Pokémon cards, could help you retire rich. Believe it or not, a rare but beautiful Pikachu holographic “Illustrator” card can sell for $300,000 to over $4 million. That’s right—people who are passionate about this are willing to pay the big bucks just to get their hands on these precious cards. But you don’t need the world’s rarest card to make money. The card many 90s kids dream of, the First Edition holographic Charizard, regularly sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars in perfect condition.
But here’s the thing: condition and scarcity are the main factors that drive value, so make sure you meet the criteria before putting them up for sale. Look for a small “1st Edition” stamp below the character image, as these are the most valuable. Another term to know is “Shadowless,” which refers to early prints that lack the drop shadow behind the art box. These are rarer and more valuable than the unlimited print run that followed. Like sports cards, getting them professionally graded by PSA or CGC is the best way to certify their condition and maximize their selling price.
Unfortunately, no one in my family was a Pokémon fan, so now I’m just hoping I will come across some cards in one of my storage unit purchases. Fingers crossed! I’m always on the lookout for those distinctive yellow-bordered cards tucked away in a binder or a shoebox. It’s a long shot, but in my line of work, you always have to be ready for a surprise.

6. Action figures
I was probably in elementary school when the first “Star Wars” movie was launched. It was magnificent—like nothing I’d ever seen before—and I was hooked. I’ll always be a major fan. Even my children love the series with all their hearts, although they could never experience the frenzy that swept the world back in 1977. Every kid wanted a Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader figure, and we played with them until their plastic limbs fell off.
Speaking of movies we love, my father bought me a Boba Fett rocket-firing figure when I was a kid. I was amazed when Hake’s Auctions sold a 1979 figure like this for no less than $236,000 in 2022. I still have mine. It’s sitting on a bookshelf alongside my “Harry Potter” books, but I’m not ready to sell it. The story behind that specific Boba Fett is that it was a prototype that was never released to the public due to safety concerns about the spring-loaded rocket being a choking hazard. Only a handful of them exist, making it a legendary piece among collectors. Mine is a standard version, not the prototype, but the memory of my dad giving it to me is priceless.
If action figures are among the collectibles you might own, you could be sitting on some serious money. That is—if they don’t hold too much sentimental value, like my Boba Fett does for me. The golden rule for action figures is “MOC,” which stands for “Mint On Card,” or “MIB,” for “Mint In Box.” A figure still sealed in its original, undamaged packaging can be worth 10, 50, or even 100 times more than the same figure that’s been opened and played with. Look for other valuable lines too, like original 1980s Transformers (especially Gen 1), He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, or the 12-inch G.I. Joes from the 1960s.
7. Barware
Are old barware items among the collectibles you might own? Period TV shows like “Mad Men”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, and “Downton Abbey” were all the rage back in the day—and the best part? They sparked a renewed interest in collecting beautiful, vintage drinkware. So why not turn that trend into a profit? People want to recreate that sophisticated, classic cocktail culture in their own homes, and original vintage pieces are the perfect way to do it.
If you have branded items like colored glasses, sterling silver shakers, or classic decanters, check out auction sites or platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace to get a better sense of their value. You might be surprised by how much they’re worth! I once found a complete set of Culver “Valencia” highball glasses in a storage unit, with the 22k gold filigree still perfectly intact. I sold the set for a few hundred dollars to a very enthusiastic buyer who was thrilled to find them.
Keep an eye out for specific designers and patterns. Mid-century modern sets from makers like Dorothy Thorpe (famous for her silver-banded “Roly Poly” glasses) or Georges Briard are highly sought after. Look for unique items beyond just glasses, such as elaborate ice buckets, novelty cocktail shakers (like penguins or zeppelins), and complete, matching sets with a caddy. Even small items like unique swizzle sticks or branded cocktail trays can fetch a good price. So next time you’re helping clean out an old cabinet, pay close attention to that dusty bar set.
Takeaway
You never know what hidden gems might be sitting in your basement, bookshelf, or attic. From gorgeous, vintage Barbie dolls to action figures and vintage barware, some of the collectibles you might own could be worth far more than you think. The key is to look at old items with new eyes, understanding that what was once everyday could now be exceptionally rare.
Just think: a comic book that cost a dime could now pay for a house. A toy you got for your birthday might now be worth more than your car. It sounds like a lottery ticket, but these stories happen all the time to regular people who simply took a moment to check what they had. It’s a powerful reminder that value is all about scarcity, condition, and nostalgia.
Whether you want to make a quick profit or are simply curious to know more about your belongings, it’s worth taking a second look. Trust me on this one: yesterday’s favorites can easily become today’s fortune. The process of discovery is half the fun, connecting you with your own past or the history of an item you’ve found.
With that being said, if you’d like to make more money fast, here’s a book that could help you. It saved me countless times when I purchased disappointing storage units, and I still ended up making a pretty big profit. It’s filled with practical tips on identifying value, finding the right marketplaces, and negotiating the best price. I couldn’t recommend it enough!
And if you want to learn more about the hidden value of the collectibles you might own, leave a comment below, and I’ll take care of Part II faster than you think! Let me know what treasures you’ve found, or what kind of items you’d like me to cover next. Is it vintage lunchboxes, old coins, or maybe vinyl records? Your curiosity fuels these articles, so don’t be shy!
Until next time, here’s another great post from The Price Makers you won’t want to miss: Pay-Yourself-First. The Only Budgeting Method You Will Ever Need!