Every day household items collecting dust in your loft that could be worth £1,000s

YOU could be sitting on a small fortune without even knowing it, with items tucked away in drawers that could be worth £1000s.

Online market places have opened up a world of opportunity, but it helps to know exactly what to look for when looking to sell.

Things like old cameras, DVDs, vinyl records, and posters might seem like clutter, but there’s a market out there willing to pay good money for them.

To help you make some extra cash, we’ve put together a list of items that could be worth more than you think.

Of course, the true value of something is only what someone is willing to pay, so it’s worth checking how much similar items are selling for on eBay.

However, for a more accurate valuation, consider consulting an auctioneer to make sure you’re not underpricing anything valuable.

Keep in mind, the condition of your items also plays a big role in determining their worth, so it’s always a good idea to seek professional advice.

To get a sense of what’s worth flagging as a potential sale, keep reading.

OLD DVDs – £750

If you’re clearing out your home or browsing charity shops, you might be sitting on a goldmine of DVDs.

Some rare and limited-edition discs are fetching eye-watering prices—up to hundreds, even thousands, of pounds.

Collectors and cinephiles alike are hunting for rare DVDs that offer more than just a movie experience.

Special releases, director’s cuts, or DVDs with unique packaging can significantly increase a disc’s value.

Experts say items like limited-edition box sets, signed copies, and DVDs with unreleased content are the most coveted.

Ryan Toomey, film expert and Editor at Upbeat Geek formerly told The Sun: “Collectors and cinephiles prize DVDs for their nostalgic value, the desire to own a piece of cinema history, and the joy of collecting.

“Rare DVDs become popular auction items because they offer collectors the chance to own something unique and often irreplaceable.”

For example, the Pulp Fiction collector’s edition is valued at around £150 thanks to its limited availability and behind-the-scenes content.

Meanwhile, The Evil Dead Book of the Dead Edition can fetch £130 due to its distinctive packaging.

And the Alien Quadrilogy 25th Anniversary box set can go for a staggering £250, while The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection in mint condition could even go for £750.

If you think you have a DVD worth some dosh, you could head to eBay, Amazon, or even a specialist website.

But before you sell, it’s worth doing some homework to see what they’re actually worth.

Check out “sold listings” on eBay to see what similar DVDs have gone for.

Just be aware, some buyers back out after an auction ends, so the price you see might not be what it actually sold for.

Compare your DVD to other high-value listings and how much they went for compared to their quality.

If your DVD is in mint condition, consider selling it through an auction house or a specialist collectables site for a bigger payday.

If it’s not in perfect condition, eBay is probably your best bet for a moderate price.

But remember to factor in any fees – auction houses and platforms take a cut of your sale, so make sure you know what you’re up against.

VHS TAPES – £3,000

Collectors are sometimes willing to pay top dollar for VHS tapes from the 80s and 90s.

Certain films, especially ones never released on DVD or Blu-ray, special editions, and limited releases, are highly sought after.

For example, Disney tapes pulled from circulation or with unique cover art can be worth big money.

Tracy Martin, a Collectables Expert, formerly told The Sun: “There is a market for old horror movies, especially those dating to the 1970s.

“Disney has a collector’s following, as do rock and pop concerts and 1990s music videos as well as classic movies such as Top Gun, Back to the Future and ET.”

Mistakes on the case, such as spelling errors, can make a tape even more valuable.

For example, the 1978 Halloween with the typo “Meda” can fetch £300 or more.

Pre-cert titles, like video nasties, also attract collectors due to their uncut content.

Meanwhile, other examples of VHS tapes which could go for big bucks include 101 Dalmatians (1992) which has sold in the past for £3,000

The Evil Dead (1983) might land you £350-£400.

But don’t get carried away—some inflated prices you see online are unrealistic, and many Disney VHS tapes only fetch £30 to £100.

Tracy recommended auction sites like eBay for the best chance of selling, but be wary of scams on Facebook Marketplace.

Ensure you’re honest about the condition of the tapes and always use tracked delivery for peace of mind.

DINNERWARE SETS – £2,500

When it comes to old dinnerware, classic brands like Royal Doulton, Wedgwood, and Royal Albert are in high demand, especially if they’re in mint condition.

Royal Doulton’s Pacific dinner plates have been known to fetch top prices – with one Winston Churchill character jug selling for an eye-watering £2,303.

Wedgwood’s rare sets are also sought after, with a 75-piece Cornucopia dinner set recently going for £1,912.

If you’ve got a vintage Royal Albert Old Country Roses set, you could make hundreds, with a recent 81-piece collection selling for £650.

Denby, known for its sturdy designs, is another in-demand brand – just last year, a vintage Denby plate went for £449.

To figure out if your china is valuable, check for specific markings and dates – these are key in determining its worth.

Pottery experts suggest looking for artist marks, base stamps, and pattern codes, especially on older pieces.

For the best chance of cashing in, head to eBay or local auctions.

But again, beware: scams are rife online, so always meet buyers in safe, public spots, and keep your receipts.

OTHER ITEMS WHICH COULD SELL FOR £1000s

Vintage trainers have also been known to sell for record-breaking prices.

A pair of rare Nike trainers sold for a staggering £68,937 on a luxury resale site.

In February, a set of six Air Jordan sneakers worn by Michael Jordan himself raked in a whopping £6.3million at auction.

While your own pair might not bring in that kind of cash, you could still pocket thousands.

Barbie dolls can also fetch up to £1,000.

David Joyson, from the insurance agency Homeprotect, previously revealed to The Sun: “The most expensive of all Barbie’s sold on eBay in the UK recently is the Barbie Meadow mares horse.

“It sold for £928. The pre-owned item was sold in its original, unopened box in pristine condition.”

And rare Jelly Cat toys can also make a killing – having soared in popularity in recent years.

Bashful Bunnies sell for around £100 on eBay, and super rare teddies like the Snowy Bear have previously gone for around £1,200 due to their scarcity.

Make sure you search up your exact make of Jelly Cat on eBay, factoring in any special quirks or labels, to get a good sense of price.

Other toys which could help you strike gold include Beanie Babies, which we once noticed sold for £150 on eBay – almost nine times its original price.

Levi jeans also sell for remarkably high prices online.

Jeans which were made in America between 1949 and 1954 are much sought after.

For example, some pairs sell for more than £2,000 on eBay.

Just because they were originally sold across the pond doesn’t mean that you couldn’t have picked up a pair on the second-hand market here in the UK.

The Sun also revealed last year that football stickers were becoming all the rage – with older stickers selling for thousands of pounds.

This tends to pick up around the football season.

During the Euros last year The Sun spoke to Kevin Hawthorne, owner and founder of Uncle Fora Sports Cards and co-founder of The Brighton Football Card and Memorabilia Show, about how stickers have become big business.

He revealed that the 1978 Crack Campeonato Mundial of Maradona was selling for a crazy £56,604.96.

“This ultra rare near mint condition sticker sold for £56,604.96 two years ago, and hasn’t been seen since”, said Kevin.

This means if you have any collectable stickers lying around at home, you should definitely dig them out.

And finally, comics, cassettes, vinyls and posters could also be worth a lot more than you think.

The Sun previously shared that the Superman story comic, with cover date June 1938, was valued at a staggering £5,280,000.

While this one was super rare, even fairly recent comics like 2011 Ultimate Fallout have been seen selling on eBay for up to £1,000.

We also revealed that rare cassette tapes were being swept up by collectors, with Linkin Park’s self-titled album under the band’s original name, Xero, going for over £3,700.

Meanwhile, posters are also a collectors-favourite, with original prints from festivals like The Isle of Wight festival in 1970 and The Bath Festivals of 1960 and 1970 selling for thousands.

This is because huge artists like Fleetwood Mac and Jimi Hendrix performed and the events themselves have gone down in musical history.

Martin Hughes, a music specialist at Wessex Auction Rooms, said: “I visited a collector in Wales who had a poster from The Bath Festival that I had never seen before.

“It was blank at the bottom where a promoter would write something like the ticket price, for example. This sold for £3,500.”

And vinyls have become all the rage again amongst music fans.

The rarer the band or genre, the more likely your records are to be worth big bucks, according to Martin.

He previously explained, “Smaller, lesser-known bands usually sold fewer copies, making their records highly sought after by collectors.”

So, if you’re digging through your collection – or your parents’ vinyl – keep an eye out for anything that seems unusual.

Look out for band names or genres you don’t instantly recognise.

Northern Soul, folk, and prog rock albums are particularly valuable, Martin said.

He once sold a Northern Soul single, Please Keep Away From Me by Elbie Parker, for £820.

And while that’s a big payout for one record, some rarities can go for thousands at auction.

He said condition isn’t necessarily everything — but if you’ve got a first edition, you could be sitting on a goldmine.

Once again, remember that items like these are only worth as much as people are willing to pay.

If you’re unsure when looking on eBay, always go to an auction house to seek final approval.

Also try to avoid scams by keeping receipts, and meeting people and doing transactions in person.

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