It’s funny how the cheapest little things sometimes turn into treasures later on. They may not have been fancy or expensive when you first bought them, but they develop their own value later. It could be because they connect to an important moment in your life, or because not many similar objects survived. Either way, here are eighteen cheap things that become priceless with age.
Limited Edition Holiday Mugs
You might just grab a $9 snowman on a whim in December, and it’s probably chipped by February. Perhaps you lose it in a move. But the handful that survive in one piece, especially the quirky one-year designs, could end up being a lot more valuable than you realize. Mugs with a short print run become a lot harder to find, and they’ll fetch big money later.
First Print Children’s Books
Parents buy storybooks by the dozen, and their kids destroy them with crayons and sticky fingers. It’s natural. However, a first printing that stays clean could be worth a lot years later. It’s the copy that nostalgic adults hunt down because it matches the exact edition they fell asleep with as kids. As such, you might want to keep your kid’s hands off these books.
Mass-Market Action Figures
But that’s not all. Many parents grab action figures off toy shelves without thinking about it, and their kids rip open the packaging before the car ride home ends. A few of them may stay sealed in boxes. Decades later, those are the ones collectors line up for because cheap toys become rare when nostalgia kicks in. Who knew toys could become so expensive?
Board Games From Discount Shelves
Clearance board games are easy to ignore, as they’re usually around twelve bucks and have some odd themes. They usually come with weird rules. But once they vanish from shelves, gamers who missed out start chasing after unopened copies, meaning that the strange game you bought on a whim could be rather valuable.
Limited Edition Soda Cans
Special soda cans for movies or holidays aren’t usually marked up, and if they are, it’s usually only by a little. Most copies end up being crushed and recycled. As such, a sealed can with a discontinued design is more like a treasure in the future. It becomes the kind of merch that you can’t simply get anymore.
Promotional Movie Posters From Chains
You’ve probably seen movie posters taped up at the gas station counter or tucked near the register at a convenience store. They’re not meant to survive more than a few weeks. Any rare ones that do last are the ones that collectors go after, as they’re tied to specific releases. It doesn’t matter how successful the movie was. These posters will be worth some money later down the line.
Local Band CDs And Tapes
Many bands burn their own CDs or cassettes, and then they’ll sell them for the cost of lunch money. They’re usually not pressed in big batches. These are usually demo recordings of songs that may not get a widespread release, so when these bands hit the big time, fans hunt for those exact recordings. As a result, they become rather valuable.
Cast Iron Cookware From Discount Stores
Whenever you walk into a big-box store and grab a $20 skillet, you’re probably not thinking about it being worth anything. But cast iron just doesn’t wear out all that easily. It lasts and gets seasoned with use, while also getting better the longer you care for it. That everyday pan you bought cheaply could actually be quite a desirable piece.
Wooden Furniture From Thrift Stores
Sure, that scuffed-up chair in the corner of a thrift shop might only cost a few dollars. However, it’s worth a lot more than you realize if it’s made of solid oak or maple instead of particleboard. These pieces can outlive generations of flat-pack furniture. Most people toss these pieces because they look worn, but under the scratches is solid wood that collectors and restorers will eventually pay more for.
Handwoven Rugs Bought Secondhand
You’ll see small rugs rolled up under tables at flea markets for bargain prices, and many of them are handmade with wool or cotton. They’re dyed using methods you don’t see much anymore. Over time, those patterns and natural fibers are what people start looking for. They’re much more interesting than the mass-produced rugs that seem to dominate the shelves. It might look like an ordinary throw rug now, but it could be a collectible piece later.
Fountain Pens From Clearance Racks
Office supply stores sometimes tend to put fancy-looking fountain pens on clearance for less than twenty bucks. They don’t look like much. Yet the moment a certain nib style or resin finish gets discontinued, collectors want them, especially since you can’t put a price on a pen that writes smoothly and still carries its original parts years later. It’s worth much more than its clearance tag.
Hand Tools at Yard Sales
Try digging through a box of old tools at a yard sale, and you’ll probably see a rusty plane or screwdriver priced at just a few dollars. Most people pass them by. But the truth is that older tools were made with tougher steel and stronger handles than many of today’s budget versions. They just need some cleaning up and restoration to be useful again.
Stoneware Crocks Bought Cheap
Back in the day, people used these heavy crocks for storing pickles or sauerkraut. They usually turn up at flea markets because sellers just want them gone. The funny thing is that the plain-looking ones don’t matter much, but if you spot a potter’s mark or original glaze stamp, that’s where the money is. The big, uncracked pieces are the ones that collectors look for later on.
Wool Blankets From Thrift Stores
At first glance, that wool blanket looks rough. It seems scratchy and heavy, maybe it even has ugly patterns. But if the tag says 100% wool, you should hold onto it because wool lasts for decades, and some mills stopped weaving particular stripes or plaids years ago. You could walk out with a blanket for a few bucks that lasts another lifetime.
Wool Sweaters
Speaking of wool, many thrift stores throw wool sweaters on racks with no thought. After all, they have dated styles and may have even shrunk a little, so most shoppers skip them. Don’t make the same mistake. Not only does wool last a long time, but resellers will eventually look for certain patterns that were discontinued long ago. It may be a frumpy castoff now. But it could become something people bid on online later.
Steel Thermoses
Those stainless-steel thermoses with the little cup lid used to be everywhere, and people took them to their jobs or schools. Sadly, most of these didn’t survive because they dented or their seals cracked, maybe the owner lost its parts. The ones that stayed clean, with their logos still sharp, are now collectibles, especially those from discontinued lines. Nostalgia makes buyers hunt down the exact model they remember.
Wood-Handled Kitchen Utensils
Garage sales tend to dump wooden kitchen spatulas and ladles into a bin for a buck each. They don’t stand out because they’re old-fashioned and plain. However, those solid wood handles don’t crack the way plastic ones do, and full sets stamped with the original maker’s name end up selling fast. They’re tough and practical. What’s better than that?
Handmade Wooden Toys
The majority of handmade wooden toys cost pocket change because they don’t usually survive a few months of children playing with them. But some of them last. The ones that still have their original paint or all the pieces are the ones collectors snap up, thanks to that early craftsmanship. Even the simple stuff will be in demand.
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