Geeks rule the world! Well, sort of.
Since yesterday’s kids are today’s collectors, geeky collectibles have become a hot commodity in the collectibles market today to the point that some of them have sold well over a million dollars. However, don’t go thinking that just because you have a decent number of collectibles at home you’ve already got a gold mine.
The value of a collectible item is subject to certain factors such as overall condition, age, rarity, and market demand. Based on these factors and a few more, experts can give a good estimate of how much your item will fetch in the market.
7 Geeky Collectibles That Could Make You Rich
1. Comic Books
While the comic book industry has experienced a sort of decline ever since the digital platform took off, comic books are still popular as reading materials today and as collectible items.
Most expensive comic book sold: near-mint condition Action Comics #1 (1938), currently valued at $3.4 million, sold for $3.2 million in 2014
2. Coins
Collectible coins are valued according to their condition and rarity and not the number embossed on it. A commemorative coin or a rare one can fetch a higher value compared to others.
Most expensive coin sold: the first Flowing Hair silver dollar (1794), $10 million
3. Animation Cels
Amid all the 3D animation we have today, collectors with a sense of nostalgia are flocking to acquiring old school animation cels, especially those Disney classics.
Most expensive Mickey Mouse cel sold: hand-painted cel from The Band Concert (1935) sold for $420,000 way back in 1999 at a private auction
4. Dolls
While dolls are a dime a dozen and won’t fetch you anywhere above $10 on average in the resale market, there are quite a few that have a ridiculously high market value. These are dolls you wouldn’t want your kids playing with.
Most expensive doll made: L’Oiseleur (The Bird Trainer) with an asking price of $6.25 million
5. Action Figures
Hasbro coined the term “action figure” as a counterpart to girls’ dolls. The nostalgia associated with action figures got collectors spending way above fair market value just to add certain figures to their personal collections.
Most expensive action figure sold: 1963 G.I. Joe sold for $200,000 in 2003
6. Board Games
Board games, depending on condition, increase in value over time. Despite what people say that board games are a dying breed in a time of iPads, board games — especially vintage ones — hold intrinsic value worth thousands of dollars.
Most expensive board game sold: Monopoly Atlantic City (1933), sold for $146,500
7. Trading Cards
Trading cards are valuable collectibles, especially baseball cards. Again, like any other item on this list, the value is determined by condition, rarity, and demand.
Most expensive trading card sold: T206 Homus Wagner (1909) sold for $3.12 million in 2016
Given all these numbers, you might want to dig through your stuff (or your folks’ stuff!) to look for hidden gems. Who knows, you might be sitting on top of a gold mine all this time.