9 Items At Garage Sales That Are Worth More Than You Think

garage sale
garage sale
Image By Olivier Le Queinec From Shutterstock

Toys

You would be surprised by just how many vintage toy collectors there are out there, and how big the market is. From toys that are no longer in production but are considered staples (like Lite-Brites, which when sealed can go for as much as $300), to the classics like first edition Barbie dolls, these toys have a huge resale value!

The first edition of the Barbie doll came out in 1959 and was valued at about $8,000! There’s always a catch though, as they definitely need to be in prime condition and in the original box as well.

But if you want to keep an eye out for the rarest and most sought-after Barbie at the next garage sale, make sure you look for one that has a zebra-striped bathing suit and holes in the bottom part of its feet. That’s the money maker!

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10 thoughts on “9 Items At Garage Sales That Are Worth More Than You Think”

    1. Great Information. I recently went to a lawn and house and I for two original pieces of and one signed print. The two originals I sold for a total of $5300 and the signed print I sold for $1275. I paid a total of $15 for the three works. 😊😊😊

  1. Random records at garage sales tend to be iffy for resale in my experience unless you know what to look for.
    Key for getting return on investment is condition. Of both the vinyl and the jacket – even light scratches on an album can drop the value – and frayed or torn jackets usually mean dollars off resale – same with missing inner sleeves.

    And looking for discs that are high dollar takes some knowledge of genre, artist and labels. Reissue labels have minimal value but original labels can hike the price 10 to 100 fold. Think Elvis 50’s or Beatles early 60’s lps versus the reissues in the 80’s.

    And then there are labels – find a 1950’s Blue Note jazz disc in great shape and you are probably going to do well. Same thing with some RCA and Mercury Classical Discs from the 50’s (Living Stereo and Living Presence) – Reader’s Digest compilations with the same tracks are great to listen to but don’t command the same dollar value.

      1. I suggest you do some ebay searching to see if others are being sold and the asking price. Or, invest in record price guide. But, as Geno mentioned, MANY things can change the value: is it rare? what is the condition? is it by an artist or on a label that is sought after? Elvis/Beatles/rockabilly/doowop/etc originals are generally worth more than reissues…however, some reissues might be valuable because of their scarcity. A misprint on some labels might add to a record’s value…or it might detract. Many things to consider…and a rare record has little value if you don’t find someone who wants it. Good luck!!!

  2. I bought a 1979 45 record Blondie, Heart of Gold, for $1.00. One of the last 45’s made.
    Priceless to me

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