“Never walk past the box of postcards at an estate sale,” says Good Housekeeping. Christmas postcards are the most valuable currency. Terry Kovel, who co-wrote Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide, says that holidays, especially Christmas items, are the most desired items. Most vintage postcards go for between $10 and $50, but a few have gone for up to four figures.
The most expensive was a Christmas card signed by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, which was auctioned off for $4,400. Obviously, not all of them will be signed by royalty, but stop into thrift stores, and you may find something fabulous.
Beanie Babies
Ah, the loveable Beanie Babies. If you were born in the ‘90s, this toy was a huge deal for a long period of time, starting from the ‘90s up to the late 2000s. Unfortunately, the fad has since died down.
But mind you, there are still hardcore vintage collectors out there who are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a rare edition Beanie Babies toy. Depending on the item, some of these toys will be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If you have a 1997 first edition, you could earn a whopping $12,000. Awesome!
Retro Air Jordans
As one of the best-selling and most popular sneakers the world over after a collaboration between His Airness Michael Jordan and Nike, Air Jordans have had a cult following since the nineties, and nowadays, they are a pop culture phenomenon with lasting power. People wait for hours to buy the newest pairs, but how pricey can they get?
Not everyone was buying them to wear, but they kept them in pristine packaging for reselling. A pair of Air Jordan 1's black and gold colorways sold for $25,000, enough to buy a brand new Mustang, just for a pair of kicks.
Bull's Eye Mirrors
Often capped with an eagle, these gilt-framed bull's eye mirrors are a popular patriotic motif for the US as a then-newly independent country. It's also believed that the 13 balls around the edge symbolize the 13 original colonies.
These mirrors of the actual Federal period date to 1780–1830 and fetch top dollar, while nice 19th- or early-20th-century "in the style of" examples sell for much less.
Vintage Christmas Ornaments
Christmas trees are usually full of all kinds of ornaments and lights, some of which may have come from specialty shops for fifty dollars, others hand-made by kids for the low, low price of a mess. Usually, these will sit on the tree or stay hidden in the attic, but not all the time. Another option is to look up the price online.
Vintage sleds can be worth several hundred, and if you manage to have an 1880s blown glass ornament, such as a cluster of grapes, that item could be worth as much as a thousand dollars.