The collectible industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2025 to 2030. Collectors still value particular items and are willing to pay top dollar for them. While the collectible market is enormous, facilitating the selling of most items, the following 12 collectibles have soared in value and can earn you the most cash.
Vintage Comic Books
A dusty box filled with old comic books may appear like trash, but it can become the key to your financial freedom. They temporarily lost value in the collectible market, but it has witnessed a resurgence in recent years.
If you own vintage comics from the 1938 and 1979 eras, you may earn hefty amounts from them. The Whiz Comics #2 (Fawcett Publications, 1940) sold for $288,000 in 2024 in heritage auctions, while the Justice League of America #1 (DC, 1960) sold for $348,000. These are just a few comics that earned their owners six figures recently, so check if you own any in-demand comics.
Trump Memorabilia
Trump’s recent presidential win has significantly raised the value of his memorabilia, profiting many collectors. In February 2024, a collector paid $9,000 to acquire Trump’s autographed golden high-top sneakers. He’s now receiving offers worth $45,000 for the same, highlighting the massive value increase. Some people sell autographed Donald Trump mugshots for $100,000, citing that they are ultra-rare pieces.
Retiring Lego Sets
It can be surprising how tiny plastic bricks are driving an entire economy within the collectible market. The craze and demand for retiring Lego sets is unreal, but people should note that not all sets are worth money.
Only a few sets are commanding top dollars, especially the ones associated with the Star Wars franchise. For example, you may sell your Anakin Skywalker – LEGO Star Wars Toy Fair 2005 for $4,913. Full sets like the 375-2 Castle have a potential value of $8,575, while the 400001-2 Piper Airplane is valued at approximately $11,500 among collectors.
Vintage Jewelry
Vintage jewelry is experiencing a resurgence in demand among collectors, investors, and fashion enthusiasts alike. If you have antique gold bracelets, heirloom engagement rings, or other authentic vintage jewelry pieces featuring bold geometric designs, sparkling diamonds, platinum settings, etc., you may receive a significant amount of money for each such accessory.
The price is determined based on the jewelry type, rarity, design, materials, etc., so explore various platforms before setting the correct value.
Funko Pops
Funko pops remind people of nostalgia and modern pop culture, leading to increased demands among loyal fans. While they appeal to many global fans, collectors have also started seeing value in these items.
They’re investing in Funko pops as their resale figure easily fetches them up to 20 times the original retail cost, earning them huge profits. The Stan Lee signed gold Funko has seen sale value rise to $50,000 online, while the standard Chase variants sold at $350/piece.
Space Memorabilia
If you own space memorabilia from the 1950s-1970s, collectors are willing to pay a high price for these items. There is a rising demand for items that can be traced back to their space history. Rarer items, such as equipment, photographs, autographs, etc., have soared in value.
For instance, the original information sheet used by Apollo 11 pilot in 1969 for landing the lunar module on the moon sold for a whopping $44,800 in 2023. A star chart used in the same mission was sold for $38,400.
K-Pop Collectibles
The growing global fanbase of K-pop idols is fueling the overall demand and value for K-pop collectibles. Since fans go to extreme lengths to support their K-pop idols, collectors find it easier to sell their merchandise. While numerous K-pop collectible items exist, photo cards are their most popular merchandise.
A fan reportedly paid $448 on their photo cards alone, highlighting their economic potential in the collectible market.
Antique Furniture
With markets flooded with cheap, mass-produced furniture, it’s easy to assume that there are no high-paying antique furniture buyers. However, people are willing to pay top dollar for unique and truly antique furniture in excellent condition. For example, a mid-century modern Italian sofa from the 1930s is listed online for approximately $4,907, while stools from the 1950s are listed for nearly $2,174.
Rare Coins
Although collecting rare coins can be seen as ‘nothing more than a hobby,’ it can help you earn good money. There were talks about this hobby becoming a dying trend, but reports reveal that interest in coin collection has exploded in the last two years, translating to a rising rare coin market. While not all rare coins are valuable, a few selected coins can be sold for a fortune.
For instance, the original 1943 Lincoln head copper penny has a potential value ranging from $240,000 and $336,000, while the 1794 flowing hair dollar is worth almost $10 million.
Vintage Video Games
Vintage video games became one of the most popular categories of high-end collectibles during the pandemic, leading to a 20-fold increase within a year. They’re still popular, and people are ready to pay an attractive amount for particular games.
The nostalgic ‘Super Mario Bros.’ was sold for a record $2 million for its original 1985 console. Games like ‘The Legend of Zelda’ also shook the collectibles market by commanding $870,000 at auctions. Consider exploring auction sites to determine their worth if you own any vintage video games.
Baseball Cards
Sports card collection is a massive market expected to reach $49 billion by 2032. While cards of most sports hold a particular financial value, baseball cards tend to provide substantial returns. Cards featuring players who achieved massive career milestones command higher prices. The Mickey Mantle baseball card has an estimated value of $12.6 million, while others like the Honus Wagner have an estimated value of $7.25 million.
Vintage Sneakers
People’s fascination with vintage sneakers has brought them back to the fashion spotlight and attracted collectors’ interest. What makes these sneakers truly valuable is their originality and rarity. Vintage sneakers in excellent condition and original packaging can fetch you a lucrative deal at auctions or direct-selling platforms. The most expensive vintage sneaker ever sold was the worn Air Jordan 13 at $2.2 million. If you own vintage sneakers from series like Adidas Superstars, Air Max Series, Adidas ZX series, Air Force 1 models, etc., consider yourself lucky as they hold massive value.
