Garage sales feel like they are a part of American culture, where people trade off their old valuables to people that might get more use out of them than collecting dust in an attic. As properties and possessions become inherited through generations, there are sometimes some surprising items that can be sitting, undiscovered in plain sight.
Some owners are just oblivious to what they have, while others don’t care enough to sell them properly. Look out for these items at the next garage sale, and you could make some surprisingly large money from rare and interesting finds.
Paintings
The world of art is full of expression and subjectivity. There are so many old paintings that you can find in garage sales across the country, and some may be surprisingly rare. Among mass-produced landscapes, there could be something quite special, as a truck driver found out when he bought a painting for $5 that was eventually appraised as a Jackson Pollock painting.
The painting was initially just thought to be a gag gift, but after forensic analysis, it was found to be a life-changing piece worth a fortune. Even Pollock’s unmarked paintings are considered rare and highly valuable in today’s market.
Vintage Sneakers
People tend to change their wardrobe often enough to have stockpiles of old clothes in a black trash bag or tucked at the back of their wardrobe. As time passes, either the owners or their relatives do some spring cleaning and stumble upon the hoard. These items are usually, and hopefully, cleaned before being sold at something like a garage sale.
Old clothes at a garage sale can easily be dismissed as junk, but owners are usually quick to sell them for almost nothing because they just want to get rid of them. Take advantage of this and research the clothes you find, and you could be like one lucky person who found Air Jordans worth thousands of dollars.
Vinyl Records
Vinyl records are a reminder of a bygone era and are a great example of obsolescence in a rapidly evolving age. While there are still a lot of record enthusiasts, the vast majority of people prefer convenience to hauling out their dad’s old record player and vinyl collection. This means that old vinyl records at garage sales are normally overlooked as junk and sold for very cheap.
While many vinyls aren’t worth that much, original vintage vinyls from popular artists can be exceedingly rare and worth a lot of money. One buyer found a Velvet Underground album and paid just 75 cents for it. He later went on to sell the record for $155,000!
Stereo Equipment
In the same vein as vintage vinyls, old stereo equipment that was built to last and preferred by enthusiasts can be a rare find. Audiophiles often love old items like turntables and amplifiers and look for them at garage sales, where most people would overlook them.
Technics, Pioneer, and Thorens are all brands known for their history of quality sound and reliability. Even if they aren’t in the best condition, they are often bought to be restored with a bit of elbow grease. Even equipment from all the way back to the mid-20th century has a lot of nostalgia, and to audiophiles, it is a unique sound that can’t be replicated even today.
Books
Despite books becoming less popular as technology and the medium to read literature advances, there are still those out there who look for vintage books. Garage sales often have boxes of old books passed down from relatives, and some of these books can be worth a lot of money.
Gargantuan brands like The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter can be worth a lot if you can find first editions. These books have been known to sell for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past, and a signature can add an incredible sum on top of that.
Movie Posters
Movie posters aren’t usually designed to last forever unless they are framed and properly taken care of. One movie poster that was rolled up in a briefcase sold for over $600,000 due to the fact that it was from the 1931 Frankenstein movie. Other original posters from franchises can sell for a lot of money.
As movies get older and these posters get older, they go up in value. Remember this next time you stumble on an old movie poster in someone’s Garage sale. Rare posters from classic films are prized by collectors if they are in good condition and will fetch a hefty sum.
Kitchenware
While many kitchenware sets today are built with purpose in mind, vintage kitchenware felt like it had more soul put into it. For this reason, antique kitchenware can be worth a lot, especially in certain patterns or color like Lucky in Love or Gooseberry designs. The sets are incredibly collectible, and people will pay whatever they have to to get their hands on them.
Well-built kitchenware that can stand the test of time increases in value, especially if it’s a famous brand. If you find a complete set of kitchenware in a garage sale and recognize the brand, it could be worth a lot more than you think.
Old Toys
When people say “they don’t make them like they used to” many hold onto that statement for toys especially. Vintage toys play on people’s nostalgia and in many places, were once hand-built locally. Even mass-produced toys can be worth a huge amount, depending on the brand and rarity.
Original Barbie Dolls or Star Wars action figures kept in their packaging can be sold for thousands of dollars at auctions, proving that people want these items. Be on the lookout for vintage Star Wars or other large-franchise memorabilia; they could be worth a lot. The condition and packaging of the toy also matter a lot in these cases.
Comic Books
As you browse the garage sale, you might see a stack of old magazines that you later realize is actually a stack of old comics. Don’t overlook these relics, as old, popular, and rare comic books are worth a lot to collectors to complete their collections. Early Avengers comics can sell for thousands, and signed first prints are the holy grail for collectors and worth an incredible sum.
Check the condition of the comic book, as torn pages or worn edges can significantly reduce their value. Certain pivotal comics are also worth a lot, like the introduction of a new character that is now an iconic part of the greater franchise of DC Comics or Marvel.