Comic Books

Comic book collectors swoon at the thought of owning the 1962 Amazing Fantasy #15, where Spider-Man made his first appearance, or the June 1938 Action Comics #1, where Superman first took flight. Both sell for millions. More recent comic books, however, also fetch a decent price if they’re in good shape; you can even buy … Read more

Coca-Cola

The market for Coca-Cola advertising pieces is one of the largest collectible markets in the world, says collectibles expert Harry Rinker. A Coca-Cola Barbie Summer Daydreams sold in April for $39.99 on eBay, and a set of five vintage Coca-Cola trays fetched $300. Aside from the recipe for Coke, a closely guarded secret, a prototype … Read more

Baseball Cards

Did your mother throw out your baseball cards? Don’t be your mother. Even some cards in the 1985–1995 “junk wax” period, when the card industry pumped out millions more cards than anyone wanted, are valuable. A 1989 rookie card for Ken Griffey Jr. — in perfect condition — sold for $1,400 this year, nearly double … Read more

Barbie Dolls

Barbie made her appearance in March 1959, and has long been sought after by collectors. Although interest in Mattel’s popular plastic dolls has waned in recent years, some models still get big bucks. A 1976 Superstar Barbie doll in its original box sold on eBay in April for $130, according to WorthPoint, which tracks collectible … Read more

Action Figures

As long as there have been movies, little kids have played with action figures. Now that they’ve grown up, they collect them. A Lone Ranger and Tonto set from 1973 fetched $80 in April, while a Star Wars Darth Vader figure sold for nearly $45,000 in 2018. And for X-Men fans, a Worldbox X OneToys … Read more

Eyes for True Value

What makes a collectible valuable? Condition is one thing. If you’re hoping your Donkey Kong 3 cartridge is valuable, it might be: A rare version of the video game sold for $28,800 a year ago. The catch: The truly valuable games have never left their original packaging. “If you played with it, forget it,” says … Read more