Old fashioned mobile phones, Millennium Dome memorabilia and Starbucks coffee cards have topped the list of modern day collectables that could make you a mint in years to come.
eBay.co.uk has today published ‘A Guide to Hidden Treasure’ which highlights the hidden gems many of us have stashed away in our lofts, old toy boxes or at the back of our wardrobes. Written by Jamie Breese, TV’s collectables expert, the Guide also predicts the top ten collectables of the future:
- Early mobile phones - the first Motorola and Nokia phones in unopened boxes could one day be considered in the same light as the first computers, cameras, TVs and radios.
- Millennium Dome merchandise - it had mixed reviews at the time, yet the merchandise was plentiful. If you have any, hold onto it! The exhibition at the Millennium Dome might be considered a landmark attraction, just like the Crystal Palace Great Exhibition of 1851.
- Starbucks coffee cards - these are already selling well on eBay.co.uk.
- NatWest gold Annabel piggy bank - these were distributed to a handful of people as a competition prize in early 2007 and will probably be worth a lot in the future.
- Robert Harrop wares - collectables, in particular toys relating to either cult TV shows or popular children’s programmes which develop a following, usually attract collectors’ attention in the long run. A great example are the wares from the small design studio of Robert Harrop. They made the colourful Musical Box for £34.95. The Box was a limited edition of 2000 and it has recently sold for nearly £1,000 online!
- ‘The Golden Compass’ – this forthcoming movie is based on a trilogy of novels (His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman) which are considered modern classics. If the movie is as big a hit as the trilogy, it’s worth looking out for related items.
- iPods - new, boxed and sealed iPod models from a few years back could be a valuable museum piece in ten years or so.
- iPhone - the long awaited Apple iPhone could be worth keeping unopened as there will probably be many revisions to its design if it is successful.
- 1990s memorabilia - we are already referring to certain items from the 80s as ‘retro’ and items like Alessi kettles are now collectable. Is memorabilia from the 90s, such as items connected to New Labour, Brit Pop or ‘it’ girls, going to be the next big thing?
- eBay merchandise - look out for cheap items such as eBay postcards, eBay Live! mugs, eBay mouse mats and anything to do with the company as they may be valuable collectable items in the future.
Unknown to most of us, our forgotten toys, dusty books, hidden away china or even early computers could be worth lots of money. The Guide offers advice on what to look out for when rummaging through your house for hidden treasures.
Current collectables to look out for include:
- Figurines made by Beswick. Founded in 1894, the pottery created many popular series often based on TV, film and book characters from Alice in Wonderland to Rupert Bear. A ‘Rupert Snowballing’ figurine from 1982 recently attracted a winning bid of £112 on eBay.co.uk.
- Annuals are increasingly collectable. A Rupert Bear annual from 1942 in very good condition sold on eBay.co.uk in April 2007 for £264.09.
- Corgi are amongst the most collectable toys, but their condition is crucial. For example, last month, a gold James Bond Aston Martin DB5 sold for £360 on eBay.co.uk.
- Action Man first stormed the shops in Britain in 1968 and that first Talking Commander doll sells for around £300 to £400 online at the moment. A 1970s model attracted a winning bid of £105.99 in April 2007 on eBay.co.uk.
- Celebrity autographs are another area that’s seen a recent surge in popularity. A good set of Laurel and Hardy signatures sold on eBay.co.uk in April 2007 for £255.01.
- Computer technology may be changing every day, but some of the first machines are now worth a mint. For example, a broken Sinclair ZX80 recently sold for £122 on eBay.co.uk, although working versions may sell for a lot more. The same week someone parted with £62.01 for an unopened ZX81 kit. Even Vectrex and Atari consoles from the early 80s are selling well these days.