We’ve all heard stories of the youngster who finds a precious comic in a thrift store, or the family who moves into a new home and discovers a wine cellar beneath the floorboards worth a lot. Some of history’s highest sales came from the most unexpected items. Sports cards, Coca-Cola cans, stuffed toys, and even ticket stubs could be the big ticket items worth millions. You never know what long-forgotten artifacts could hold the key to a far brighter (and greener) future. Read on to learn about some of the most valuable collectibles of all time. You never know, maybe it’s time to get out the stepladder and go into the attic. You might have been sitting on a goldmine for decades, completely oblivious.
Most Valuable Collectors’ Items In The World
Original 1959 Barbie
Maker: Mattel
Original Price: $3*
Worth Today: $27,450*
Before Barbie dolls, dolls were either newborns or stuffed toys. Barbie transformed the doll market and, by extension, the whole toy industry. Every decade, the little, inaccurately proportioned Barbie transformed, with new shoes, jobs, and, most recently, new forms and colors. Mattel was the first toy business to advertise to children, which contributed significantly to Barbie’s initial sales, while receiving criticism for a lack of diversity and skewed gender stereotypes. Barbie dolls are incredibly collectible today, and if you can find an original 1959 Barbie, you’ll have made a small fortune wearing heels. Given the low initial purchase price of $3, this represents an excellent return on investment. However, as with any collectible, unboxed, untouched Barbies command the highest price at auction. Barbies with missing limbs are absolutely not marketable.
Original 1959 Barbie
