1. Old Board Games
Certain vintage board games, especially those with quirky themes, are worth far more than their original price. Games like “Dark Tower” or early “Fireball Island” editions sell for hundreds. Collectors value them because they were produced in limited runs. The nostalgia of playing them adds to the demand.
For years, old board games sat neglected in basements. Many were incomplete or broken, which makes full sets so desirable. With the modern board game boom, retro titles gained new appreciation. What was once just family entertainment is now a slice of gaming history.
2. VHS Tapes of Cult Movies
You’d think VHS tapes would be worthless in the streaming age, but some are worth a fortune. Copies of movies like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” or Disney’s “Black Diamond” editions fetch big bucks. The appeal is tied to their rarity and the fact they were never re-released in the same format. Collectors love them because they represent a piece of home entertainment history.
For years, stacks of VHS tapes gathered dust in garage sales and thrift shops. Only recently did collectors start hunting for the right editions. The difference in value between a common tape and a collectible one can be shocking. It’s another example of nostalgia meeting scarcity in the right way.
3. Pokémon First Edition Cards
When Pokémon cards came out in the late ‘90s, kids played with them until they were bent or torn. Today, pristine first edition holographic cards, like Charizard, are among the most valuable. A mint condition Charizard sold for over $400,000 in 2021. These cards became icons not just of gaming, but of millennial childhoods.
At the time, parents often saw them as just another fad. Most ended up shoved into shoeboxes or lost in playground trades. But the few who held onto them carefully ended up sitting on a goldmine. Now, Pokémon cards are one of the hottest areas of modern collectibles.
4. Vintage Concert T-Shirts
Merchandise from old tours wasn’t always seen as valuable—it was just what you wore to show you went. Today, original shirts from bands like Nirvana, Metallica, or The Grateful Dead can sell for hundreds or even thousands. The value comes from their rarity since most were worn out or thrown away. Fashion trends also helped, with vintage band tees becoming a streetwear staple.
Back in the day, people thought nothing of cutting them into crop tops or wearing them until they frayed. Nobody predicted that 30 years later they’d be sought-after fashion pieces. Now, collectors scour thrift shops and resale sites hoping to stumble onto a gem. Music history and style collided to turn everyday shirts into prized collectibles.
5. LEGO Sets
LEGO has always been popular, but not everyone realized certain discontinued sets could skyrocket in value. The Millennium Falcon Ultimate Collector’s Series set, for example, resold for more than triple its original price. Retired sets often become treasures because LEGO never re-releases them in the same way. Nostalgia and scarcity combined to make them a smart collectible.
For years, unopened sets were just stashed in closets for kids “someday.” But once those sets went out of circulation, prices climbed fast. Adult fans of LEGO, known as AFOLs, drove up demand further. It turned a simple toy into an investment piece.
6. Garbage Pail Kids Cards
In the ‘80s, these parody trading cards were considered gross jokes. They mocked Cabbage Patch Kids with exaggerated and disgusting characters. Because many parents banned them, not all kids got to collect the full sets. That scarcity ended up making them more appealing to collectors later.
Most people thought they were worthless when the fad faded. But today, complete sets and rare cards can fetch hundreds. The nostalgia for that rebellious humor helped push their market upward. They’re a perfect example of counterculture collectibles aging into legitimacy.
7. Vintage Video Games
Cartridges for Nintendo and Sega systems were once yard sale staples. Now, unopened or rare editions, like “Super Mario Bros.” sealed copies, have sold for staggering prices. In 2021, one sold for over $2 million. The gaming industry’s growth made these old relics historically significant.
Parents often tossed out “old junk” when new consoles came out. Few could imagine that original packaging would make such a difference decades later. Hardcore gamers and investors now chase those rare finds. What was once a pastime is now a cornerstone of pop culture history.
8. McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys
Plastic trinkets from fast food meals don’t seem valuable at first glance. But certain collections, like the 2001 Teenie Beanie Babies set, are surprisingly sought after. Limited runs or crossover promotions added to their desirability. Some sets can now sell for hundreds if kept intact.
Most families tossed these toys out with the meal wrappers. They weren’t made to last, which is why finding complete collections today is tough. Collectors see them as a quirky reflection of childhood consumer culture. The fact that they were free makes their current value even more surprising.
9. PEZ Dispensers
PEZ candy dispensers have been around for decades, but some are incredibly rare. Early designs, misprints, or limited editions are the ones worth big money. A dispenser called the “Astronaut B” once sold for over $30,000. For something meant to hand out candy, that’s a wild twist.
Most kids treated them like toys and lost them quickly. But the dedicated collectors who saved them now reap the rewards. The variety of designs also makes them endlessly interesting to hunt for. It’s a classic case of small novelties turning into serious investments.
10. Comic Books from the ‘80s and ‘90s
People often assume only Golden Age comics from the ‘40s and ‘50s are valuable. But certain key issues from the late 20th century have shot up in price. First appearances of characters like Deadpool or Venom are now highly collectible. The demand follows the rise of superhero movies.
At the time, kids folded them in half or swapped them like baseball cards. Few thought of them as investments. Now, mint-condition issues can sell for thousands. The connection between comics and blockbuster films gave them a second life.
11. Hot Wheels Redline Cars
Hot Wheels first released in the late ‘60s, and the earliest cars had a red stripe on the wheels. Collectors now pay huge sums for those “Redline” models. A rare “Pink Rear-Loading Beach Bomb” sold for over $70,000. It’s one of the most famous toy car collectibles.
Back then, kids played with them hard, meaning few survived in mint condition. Parents rarely thought to save unopened toy cars. That scarcity makes pristine examples rare treasures today. It’s a lesson in how even the simplest toys can become highly prized.
12. Beanie Babies with Errors
Most people think Beanie Babies were a bust, but a few oddballs actually gained serious value. Collectors go wild over misprints, like tags with spelling mistakes or wrong birthdays. A bear called “Princess Diana” with certain production quirks has sold for thousands. It’s a reminder that flaws can sometimes be the golden ticket in the collectibles world.
The craze burned out in the late ‘90s, so most of us shoved these plushies into closets. But those rare flawed versions didn’t lose their allure among hardcore fans. With nostalgia and scarcity fueling the fire, specific ones became hot commodities. It proves not all Beanie Babies were destined for thrift store bins.
13. Star Wars Action Figures
Original Star Wars figures from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s are some of the most collectible toys out there. The rare “rocket-firing” Boba Fett prototype is legendary. Even common figures in unopened packaging fetch hundreds or thousands. The franchise’s enduring popularity fuels demand.
Back then, kids ripped them out of packaging to play. Few kept them sealed, which is why mint condition examples are so scarce. Star Wars became more than a movie—it became a cultural phenomenon. That connection makes the collectibles far more than just toys.
14. Vintage Sneakers
Old sneakers, especially limited-edition Jordans, can be worth serious money. Pairs from the ‘80s and ‘90s regularly sell for thousands on the resale market. Condition and rarity make all the difference. Some are seen as both fashion items and cultural artifacts.
Originally, most sneakers were worn until they fell apart. Few people saved them as collector’s items. But sneaker culture exploded, turning old pairs into investments. They’re one of the clearest examples of fashion crossing into collectibles.
15. Vintage Lunchboxes
Metal lunchboxes from the ‘50s through the ‘70s have become collectible icons. Ones with popular TV or movie characters can sell for hundreds. Rarity and condition play big roles, especially if the original thermos is included. They’re a quirky window into pop culture of the time.
Back then, lunchboxes were everyday school supplies. Most got dented, rusted, or thrown out after a few years. That makes well-preserved examples surprisingly rare. What was once just a way to carry sandwiches is now a prized collectible.
This post 15 Collectibles That Skyrocketed While Everyone Ignored Them was first published on Greenhouse Black.
