8 Old Things in Your Home That Are Actually Worth Money Now (2024)

FAQs

What are the most valuable things in a house? ›

Search for your item on eBay or Google to find the price of similar things, or upload a picture of it to a valuation website, where experts will estimate your item's worth. Then, if you want a professional opinion, talk to a certified appraiser or take your piece to a local antiques store.

Look for pink, blue and green glassware

Pink, green and blue are the most valuable colors of depression glass. Pink tends to be the most valuable because it is more rare. Yellow and amber colored depression glass is more common and therefore less valuable.

Is there a free app to identify antiques? ›

Hallmarks - Identify Antique on the App Store.

It is no secret that the antiques and collectibles trade is on fire, and this trend is set to continue well into 2022. Let's start by taking a look at some of the hottest collecting markets, and, as always, I will provide my top tips for anyone looking to get into these markets.

By far the most expensive antique ever sold is the Pinner Qing Dynasty vase for an eye-watering $85.9 million. The Pinner Qing Dynasty vase is a beautiful, intricate piece of pottery with bright colours, fish decoration and the Chinese imperial seal.

Modern treasures to invest in

Classic cars and old coins can be worth a fortune, but the likes of Pokémon cards and digital art are among the modern-day items fast rising in value. Click or scroll through to discover some items you might want to be buying now and storing away for the future.

The more you contribute towards saving and investing, the faster you should build wealth. Also, don't be discouraged if you're just starting out, as long as you stick with it, compound interest will eventually work its magic.

An asset millionaire is someone who, if they had to sell everything and pay off any liabilities, would have $1,000,000 left over. A net-worth millionaire is someone who has a net worth of at least $1,000,000.

What is the most profitable thing to sell? ›

Local online marketplaces. If you have furniture, electronics, gently used toys, kitchen gadgets or other household items, selling them on a local online marketplace such as Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor or Craigslist can be an easy way to get rid of items fast.

Age and condition. Typically, homes that are newer appraise at a higher value. The fact that critical parts of the house, like plumbing, electrical, the roof, and appliances are newer and therefore less likely to break down, can generate savings for a buyer.

Athleisure

From sports bras to leggings, comfortable clothing that you can wear lounging at home or working out at the gym is on most people's radar in 2022. Data shows strong search growth for “athleisure,” as more brands add this kind of apparel to their stores.

In keeping with the trend of bringing the outdoors inside, in 2022, we'll see a focus on natural materials like burl, rattan, cane, leather, jute, wicker, ceramics, and woven lighting, furniture, and decor.

Bold primary colors are big in home design trends for 2022. An accent wall in the living room in a deep green (have we mentioned green is good?) adds depth and accentuates highlights in your throw pillows or a plush area rug. Even ceilings are getting the color treatment.

What is hot in collectibles? ›

FAQS About Valuable Collectibles

Coins and stamps are the most collected items. That said, there are several other items hot right now, like sports memorabilia, marbles, dolls, etc.

Another reason antiques in general are not selling as well, is because baby-boomers are downsizing their homes, and flooding the market with antiques and other furniture. Add to that, the fact that many more people are buying open concept homes which don't require as much furniture.

The Most Popular Antiques to Invest in

Art deco pieces and vintage furniture, like Bauhaus modern furniture originating in the early 1900s, are also popular collectible investments. However, they aren't yet 100 years old.

Royal Lace (1934–1941)

The most sought after pattern of Depression glass is arguably Royal Lace, which was made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company. This pattern was manufactured in green, pink, crystal, and most notably, cobalt blue.

Antique milk glass is a popular collectible dating from the late 1800s through the 1980s. Beginner collectors gravitate to milk glass because it's beautiful, is relatively easy to find, and is very affordable. Milk glass value ranges from next to nothing to a few hundred dollars for a quality piece or set.

A Crystal ware is 10-30 times more expensive than glass.

Tap that box to open Google Lens, a handy feature for many reasons but especially for estimating the value of a collectible. Aim your smartphone camera at the object and tap the shutter button. In a matter of seconds, Google will show you many places online where that item is listed.

Search with an image saved on your phone

At the bottom, tap Discover. Take or upload a photo to use for your search: To take a photo: Point to an object with your camera and tap Search.

Users take a photo of a physical object, and Google searches and retrieves information about the image. The Google Goggles mobile app can: Recognize and offer information for historical landmarks.

Are antiques making a comeback 2022? ›

Introducing a historical, heirloom, antique, or vintage piece can quickly change the mood of a room, imbuing it with depth and a focal point—which may be why this trend has lasting appeal in 2022.

The word vintage means “of age.” According to top antique dealers, for an item to be considered vintage, it must be at least 40 years old but not older than 100 years. For example, to consider an item as vintage in 2022, it must have been made between 1982 and 1922.

Classic cars, fine art, coins, and stamps are popular collectible asset classes with a high potential ROI. But collectors can also profit from sports cards, celebrity memorabilia, watches, vintage whiskey bottles, old photographs, and even dinosaur bones.