Money Matters

How to Make Some Serious Money Off Your Collections

Written by: Regina Thomas

Do you have toys from Food Fighters, Galaxy Warriors, and Rock Lords? Do you have vintage items from Barnyard Commandos, Princess Power, Shogun Warriors, and so much more? Well, if you’re looking to get some serious cash from them, you’re in the right place!

Why Should You Invest in Vintage Items?

Old toys from the attic can evoke not only precious sentimental feelings, but they’re also quite valuable. A Star Wars toy from the 80s and 90s is worth 100 times than they did as the vintage toy market has set off over the past years. Unboxed leggo toys, teddy bears, and figurines have accumulated serious value over the decades. Their price can rise exponentially in auctions, too. And that’s just toys! Think about other vintage collectibles like vinyl, retro video games, comics, and so many more! There are at least 15 old items in your house that are worth more money than you think.

The fact that vintage items constantly increase in value over time is the main reason why you should invest in them. But more than that, it’s taking care of the sentimental value and the feelings they evoke that push collectors to search for these items and take care of them. It’s an expensive and high-value hobby that earns a lot in the process. But if vintage items are precious, how do you gauge the price for a vintage item you want to sell?

How Do You Identify and Research Your Vintage Item?

It pays to know specifically what item you have. Is it something or value? If so, how much? Or perhaps it’s only a reproduction? For sure, your item will be worth almost nothing if it’s simply a common toy with little to no demand. But a common item can still fetch a good price if the demand for it is high.

Meanwhile, you’re guaranteed a nice profit if the item you’re selling is rare—even if there’s little demand for it. And it’s good as good if it’s not only rare but also in high demand. These principles apply to all vintage items, even your old toys. And it’s important to keep them in mind if you want to make serious cash to sell vintage toy collections. Here are some things to consider:

Marks and Signatures

Toys with maks and signatures from their manufacturers or previous famous collectors take their value to new heights. In other words, you need to look after toys that still have their brand symbols intact—although items with damaged brand symbols and marks still fetch a good price. And, of course, autographed toys are always on the rage. So if you have to have some lying around, you might have stumbled upon a real gem. It helps to have a professional examine the toy. You have to make sure that its marks and signatures are authentic.

Condition

I hope you took care of your toys as a kid because their condition as a vintage item has a huge impact on the profit you could be making off of them. There are millions of old toys across the world, but only a few of them are still intact to this day. And they are more valuable than the rest—especially the ones that remain in their original packing, as well as those preserved in mint condition. You can find these in your attics and especially in yard sales. But the best places that have the best quality of vintage toys will probably go in auctions where they could go well between a couple of hundreds to thousands.

Since the price of a vintage toy greatly hinges on its condition, you need to scrutinize the item. At times, you need to hold them up into the light to see chips and cracks. You also want to look for any repairs done to the toy because many unscrupulous sellers will have glued some parts without informing you to make it seem like the toy is in mint condition. Don’t be fooled!

How Do You Take Care of Old Toys?

Just in case you have old vintage toys that you are looking to sell or keep, there are various things you need to consider to preserve their condition and their value. For one, clean them regularly. Dust and grime can stain their surfaces and result in a decrease in their mark value. Keep them away from heat or water sources. These can cause serious damage to their construct, especially if they are operated with batteries, internal circuits, and other technical features. Otherwise, you could be exposing your vintage collectibles to corrosion, and they could become weak or lose their functioning power. If they do use batteries, make sure they are in proper polarity alignment, so you avoid any acid leakage. Ensure that they are removed after use. These are only a few of the tips and hacks you can do to preserve your toy’s value.

Nostalgia is what fuels collectors to find rare items—no matter what it is—be it toys, porcelain, cars, and many more. The sentimental value associated with these vintage collectibles is as rare as some items may be. That’s why you should try to keep your eyes open for any valuable items you might find in the attic. And take care of the ones you have now because you’ll never know when their time to shine comes, and they’re worth 100 times than what you initially paid for them!

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

To Top