We all want to believe that our collectables will be worth a lot one day – the Barbie dolls and trains you’ve lovingly saved since childhood tucked away in the loft or the vinyl record collection you’ve built up over the years. Sadly though, most are worth more in sentimental value than pounds and pence.
In this blog, we look at some surprising collectables that aren’t worth anything today.
1. Beanie Babies
Top of the list are Beanie Babies. These popular soft toys were sold in their millions in the second half of the 1990s.
The manufacturer released limited numbers of specific designs and retired old designs regularly. This drove up the second-hand market for Beanie Babies, and people began collecting them, hoping they’d be worth something one day.
Only a small number of Beanie Babies are worth anything today. Even reportedly rare ones like the Princess Diana beanie bear (Ty Princess) are being sold on eBay for £9.99.
2. Royal Memorabilia
Royal memorabilia sounds like it could be worth a lot of money, particularly those made to celebrate a wedding or coronation. But simply having the royal portraiture doesn’t make it valuable.
Most Royal memorabilia is produced in mass quantities, and when it comes to selling antiques, rarity is everything. Though there are some exceptions, most are worth very little, so always check before you throw anything away.
3. Vinyl records
Vinyl records may be considered a relic by Gen Z, but vinyl was the zeitgeist for anyone growing up in the 1960s and 70s. Even after vinyl production stopped in the 90s, keen collectors continued to buy second-hand records.
Today, vinyls are worth very little but still hold sentimental value for their owners. Depending on its scarcity and condition, you can expect a vinyl record to sell for around £15 on a site like eBay.
4. Barbie dolls
For many years, people thought that if they kept their dolls and action figures in boxes, they would be worth something one day. Unfortunately, most dolls aren’t worth what their owners hoped they would be.
Condition is still important, but rarity is the key thing when it comes to selling old dolls. The original Barbie doll is said to be worth around $8,000 played with, but experts think it could be worth $27,000 in pristine condition.
In exceptional cases, your pre-loved Barbie doll may be worth thousands, but most aren’t worth life-changing amounts of money.
5. DVDs and VHS
If you’ve spent time in any charity shop on the high street, you’ll know how cheap DVDs and VHS tapes are. They may be old, but they’re certainly not rare – in fact, there are thousands listed on sites like eBay, with some priced as low as 99p.
When selling DVDs and VHS tapes, it’s really about how much someone is willing to pay to complete their collection. You might see VHS tapes listed on eBay for ludicrous prices, but it’s unlikely they’ll make that.
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