For decades people saved toys, figurines, and old keepsakes hoping they’d one day be worth real money. Most often that didn’t pan out. Many of these items are still common, plentiful, and in low demand. It can be fun to collect them, but most of the time they don’t lead to the payday.
These examples come directly from collectors who’ve watched demand fade over the years. These are but a few examples of how collecting often falls short of the dream.
Lladró figurines
Lladró porcelain figurines were once known for being elegant and well made. Though some rare figurines are still sought after, most never really had much value on resale. Figurines today will sell for much less than they originally did and are often just decorative keepsakes.
Cookie jars
In years gone by, it was common to see cookie jars on kitchen shelves. They might have a popular character or some basic shape. While a rare or unusual cookie jar might attract a collector, most were mass-produced. Today, most sell for a few dollars and are mainly nostalgic decorations.
Beanie Babies
Beanie Babies seemed like a sure thing in the 1990s. Folks lined up for them and hoarded them, certain they’d be worth millions someday. Most of the Beanie Babies produced during that time were not scarce items. Manufacturers churned out billions of them. Most Beanie Babies hold no value except for a limited number featuring distinct mistakes which can fetch a price.
Hummel figurines
Hummel figurines were heirloom treasures. Parents and grandparents put them in cabinets and handed them down with the idea that they would always be worth something. However, tastes changed and as interest waned so did the market. Today, many pieces that once were special can be found in thrift stores or estate sales for a few dollars.
Depression glass pieces
Depression glass was common throughout the 1930s. It was mass produced, inexpensive, and was used daily. Although a few rare colors or patterns are still sought after, most patterns are very common, and sell for a fraction of what collectors would like to pay. It is often surprising to find that complete sets sell for less than you might expect.
Most vintage DVD and VHS collections
There was a time when it was believed that a library of VHS tapes or DVDs would become a collector’s item. The problem was that so many copies were produced, and new formats replaced them so quickly. Unless it is a special sealed release or a difficult-to-find title, today most vintage tapes and discs sell for next to nothing, often just a few dollars.
Common baseball cards
For many years, baseball cards were one of the biggest crazes of all time. But, unless they are from extremely rare sets or key rookie players in pristine condition, most 1980s and later cards go for only pennies or a few dollars these days, far from the millions that many thought.
Hot Wheels cars (common models)
Lots of kids saved Hot Wheels cars because they thought they would be worth a lot of money one day. The truth is the thousands of regular models produced over the years are not worth much. With so many produced and played with, only rare editions or early releases are valuable.
Pez dispensers (standard versions)
Pez dispensers are a popular collectible, but the vast majority are extremely common. Even the older dispensers typically only sell for a couple dollars, as there are literally millions in circulation. The rare or misprinted editions garner collector interest, while the regular editions remain cheap and widely available.
Morgan silver dollars
Morgan silver dollars are historic and beautiful, but since millions were minted, most are fairly common. Unless the coin is in pristine condition or has a rare mint mark, it will often be worth no more than the silver value.
Indian‑head pennies
Indian‑head pennies are cute and evoke nostalgia, but most are common and were minted in millions. It’s only the key dates or rare coins in uncirculated condition that are much desired. But the common penny is worth very little, just a few cents or dollars, much less than casual collectors expect.
Polly pocket sets
Polly Pocket playsets were popular in the 1990s and many children collected them. Polly Pocket regular sets in particular are worth very little if you own any that have been opened and played with. The miniscule pieces tend to wear and break and if you don’t happen to have a rare mint-in-box set, a few dollars is all you are likely to get if you want to sell them.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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