There are many items in your home or your parent’s or grandparents', that may be worth a lot of money, according to an expert.
It’s always a good idea to organise, declutter, and get rid of stuff you no longer need but maybe not everything.
From priceless jewellery to novelty memorabilia, Antiques expert Mark Hill has shared how to recognise items of value that may be gathering dust in the corner of your home.
READ MORE: 'SSE Energy broke into our home and changed the locks but we're not even customers'
Costume Jewellery
Costume jewellery – popular names from the 1930s onwards are highly sought after, such as vintage Miriam Haskell.
Haskell necklaces are currently being sold for up to €3,928.00.
Top designers, like Chanel, began designing lines of costume jewellery that reflected their personal design style. Look for pieces with haute couture names, along with jewellery designers like Haskell, Trifari, and Eisenburg.
Unique Costume Jewellery pieces range from €100 and can sell for as high as €10,000 depending on the quality of the stones and materials used in making them.
Medals
The condition of the medal plays a role, the greater the significance of its backstory, the more value it holds.
If your medals are in great condition they will make more money than if they are damaged.
Ranging from military medals to competition medals.
A Distinguished Service Cross sold in 2011 for £120,000.
Unlike coins, which enter circulation in large numbers, medals do not circulate and are generally unique to an individual.
Few people who inherit a medal will not sense its sentimental value and, to many, this can be priceless.
If you have the original papers and presentation boxes that go with your medals they will also be worth more.
Coins
Collecting coins can pay off - especially those with historical context.
The value of a coin is determined by a range of things, but primarily it comes down to scarcity (how many exist) and condition.
The condition is extremely important when it comes to the value of a coin. Quite frankly, condition is everything!
According to Ireland Coins, The Irish Florin coin was part of the Pre Decimal coin series of Ireland. Designed by Percy Metcalfe.
Produced between the years 1939 -1943 at the Royal Mint, Tower Hill Site, London mint. In total 2,259,000 of these coins were minted.
Approximately 35 of these coins are known to exist.
The 1943 Florin is valued at up to $9,200.00.
The Olympics Aquatics Line 50p coin released in 2011 is currently listed on eBay for £700.
First Edition Books
If you happen to have the first edition of a popular book lying around or up in your attic, go ahead and dust off the cover because it could get you a few thousand euros.
From children's collections to young adult books, many old books can be rare and worth something.
Harry Potter first edition books are known to sell for £80,000 – it’s worth checking if you own any lesser-known titles.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar first edition is on sale for £2,439.38!
Comic Books
Of course, as with anything, rare comic books hold more value than common editions. In fact, a rare copy could be worth millions.
Action Comics #1 is the issue where the world first met Superman back in 1938. It’s worth $3.1 million. (€2.8 million)
A comic book featuring the first ever appearance of Spider-Man, titled ‘Amazing Fantasy #15’ sold for £2.75m (£2.75m) in 2021, making it the most expensive comic book ever sold.
Maps
Antique maps capturing a specific geography are likely to hold value, such as an 1804 map of the county town, Stafford, selling for just under £500.
The older map is generally the more valuable.
Maps from the 1500s can be had for under €200.00 while maps from the 1800s can be worth several thousand euro and vice-versa.
Most collectors prefer large maps.
Such maps are usually more detailed and more decorative.
Some collectors do prefer smaller maps since they are less expensive and easier to store.
Modern art
The popularity of modern and contemporary art isn’t going anywhere.
Art can be so expensive because of its art-historical value, it's importance as a piece of cultural heritage and how it shaped the world as we know it today
The value of these types of works can start at just €1,000 and increase significantly over time.
The uniqueness and rareness of these pieces spurs demand.
If your family has an old antique painting sitting in the attic, bring it to an appraiser. You could have an unknown masterpiece on your hands.
Glass
There can be a huge market for vintage glass items.
However, popular 1930s vases you might have sitting at home can often fetch up to £50, like this one currently listed on Etsy.
There are a few key factors that it’s important to look for when for valuable glassware.
Feel the weight of the item as higher quality glass is usually heavier.
Look for markings embossed in the glass which might indicate a brand or manufacturer.
Ceramics
Antique ceramics and porcelain are relatively affordable to collect.
It’s worth checking your cupboards for antique Royal Doulton pieces, such as dogs, that could be worth well over a thousand euro.
Tribal Art
Tribal art acquired before the market began to move upwards, can turn out to be a very valuable item, such as this figurine currently listed for £420.
Some of the most exceptional purchases of Oceanic and African art have been in the past decade, with seven-figure auction results (and even one eight-figure!) appearing regularly.
How to determine the value of a collectible:
Mark Hill suggests that what was once considered bog-standard by one generation can seem extraordinary to the next.
He explains: “Many people furnishing their homes do not want what they grew up with, but what Granny had is cool.”
He adds: “It’s a combination of condition, age, rarity and desirability”. The rarity and desirability of an item work closely together with fashion, and focus on the supply and demand:"
“If the supply is low and the demand is high, prices rise – often dramatically if the item is ‘in fashion’, if demand is low and supply is high, prices fall”.
If we’re putting a number on it, a theory called Lavers Law, named after fashion historian James Laver, claims that a trend does not become fashionable until 50 years after it first bursts onto the scene.
When it comes to items of crazy high value, Mark revealed those that could be worth the most money in 2022.
Collectible items worth the most money in 2022:
- Wristwatches – primarily mechanical with complications by the best makers
- Fine jewellery
- Art – primarily paintings, and prints by certain artists, with a strong leaning towards art produced
- from late 19thC impressionism onwards, including modern and contemporary art and sculpture
- Wine and whiskey
- Classic cars
- Mid-century modern furniture
- Items related to key events, moments, or people in history – such as Platinum Jubilee memorabilia
- Traditional antique furniture by top tier makers or designers, such as Thomas Chippendale
- Antiquities – items from Ancient Greece, Rome, and other ancient cultures
- Asian ceramics and works of art – particularly Chinese porcelain
READ NEXT :
Owner of shop that sold €5.6 million Lotto ticket joked about winning that day
Met Eireann forecast summer to return with soaring temperatures just days away
Sophie Toscan du Plantier's uncle accepts new probe could clear Ian Bailey
Face of horror hammer killer who murdered brother in Dublin home
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter .
