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.
Postcards
“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.
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.
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels was another favorite collectible. There are many versions of these cars made today, but none of them compare to the original ones made back in the ‘60s. In fact, since 1968, over 4,000,000,000 Hot Wheel toys have been made, but not all of them are considered valuable.
Some of the toys were only made as prototypes, like the 1969 “Volkswagen Beach Bomb.” This version never made it to production, making it one of a kind and with a value of $125,000. So, if you know a hardcore collector of these toys, tell them to start saving up!
Jurassic Park Figures
Let’s face it: no matter how scared you got watching "Jurassic Park", it still felt like the coolest thing to have an action figure of the T-Rex displayed in your room.
"Jurassic Park" is the 90s toy market. If you have an original version of these dinosaur figures, you could sell them online for $1,200. Although there are still dinosaur figures out on the market now, nothing compares to the original. Go take a look in your attic, you might find something, but be careful with your fingers, you don't want them to get bitten!