Collecting is one of humanity’s oldest hobbies. From fine art to ordinary rocks, there’s a market for almost everything.
So the next time you’re decluttering, don’t toss everything. You might be surprised what collectors prize and how much some items can fetch.
Below are the most valuable collectibles of all time, ranked from least to most valuable.
76. McDonald’s Toys
KidTime.Net
Top recorded price: $299
McDonald’s Happy Meal toys are nostalgic staples for many collectors. Early examples—made with simple plastic molds and often quirky designs—can be sought after despite their humble materials. While modern promotions rarely reach the same collectible fervor, certain vintage pieces still sell for notable sums.
75. Thanksgiving Collectibles
eBay
Top recorded price: $525
Decorations, centerpieces and seasonal tableware passed down through families can gain value over time. Vintage Thanksgiving items in good condition are increasingly appealing to collectors of holiday memorabilia.
74. Squishmallows
WorthPoint
Top recorded price: $1,200
Squishmallows, with hundreds of characters each boasting a name and backstory, became a mass phenomenon. Like past plush crazes, some rare or retired Squishmallows command higher prices among collectors who seek specific characters or limited runs.
73. Lego Cars
BrickEconomy
Top recorded price: $2,782.34
Lego sets and individual vehicles often appreciate, especially when unopened and in mint packaging. Rare production runs, limited editions or discontinued sets can be surprisingly valuable to collectors and investors.
72. Tonka Toys
capitolsalvagect / eBay
Top recorded price: $3,055
Vintage Tonka metal trucks from the mid-20th century are durable and collectible. Well-preserved models, especially rarer variants, attract collectors who appreciate the brand’s long history in toy manufacturing.
71. Easter Collectibles
eBay
Top recorded price: $3,150
Vintage Easter décor—including candy containers and seasonal figures—can be valuable when they’re old, rare or in excellent condition. Collectors often seek unique designs and preserved original paint.
70. Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls
CPKadoptions / Etsy
Top recorded price: $3,500
In the early 1980s Cabbage Patch Kids were a cultural sensation. Their unique, individualized presentation makes certain early or limited dolls highly collectible today.
69. Lego Sets
Lego
Top recorded price: $4,987
Full Lego sets—especially discontinued, limited-edition or licensed sets—can reach high prices. Condition and sealed packaging are the biggest drivers of value in the secondary market.
68. Hummel Figurines
eBay
Top recorded price: $5,500
Hummel porcelain figurines, famed for their nostalgic depictions of children, have a long collecting history. While many are modestly priced, select rare pieces in pristine condition can command thousands.
67. Vintage Christmas Ornaments
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $5,560
Antique and vintage ornaments—particularly early German glass or hand-painted examples—are prized by holiday collectors. Rarity, age and intact original finishes determine value.
66. Halloween Collectibles
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $6,850
Vintage Halloween items—postcards, paper decorations and die-cut figures from the early 20th century—are sought after by collectors who specialize in seasonal ephemera.
65. Garbage Pail Kid Cards
community_gpk / Twitter
Top recorded price: $7,500
Introduced in the mid-1980s as a parody trading card series, Garbage Pail Kids have become collectible. Early, high-grade cards and rare variants can bring strong prices at auction.
64. Antique Swords
glennsasi0 / eBay
Top recorded price: $7,500
Antique swords span many cultures and centuries. Rarity, craftsmanship, provenance and condition determine their value, with certain historic or decorated blades attracting collectors worldwide.
63. Coins Found in Pocket Change
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $7,637
Sometimes rare minting errors or low-mintage dates surface in everyday pocket change. Even circulated coins can be valuable if they feature errors, scarcity or desirable varieties.
62. Christmas Decorations
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $7,995
Beyond ornaments, larger Christmas decorations—mechanical displays, porcelain figures and early electric lawn pieces—can attract collector interest when they’re rare and well preserved.
61. Disney Pins
disneyfind / eBay
Top recorded price: $11,225
Disney trading pins, often released in limited runs at parks and events, have a vibrant trading community. Rare event pins and early limited editions can be valuable among dedicated collectors.
60. Pez Dispensers
torbakhopper / flickr
Top recorded price: $12,000–$15,000
From metal peppermint dispensers of the 1930s to thousands of plastic character heads, Pez has a deep collecting base. Rare early dispensers and limited promotional pieces command the highest prices.
59. Pinball Machines
Ed Bailey / AP Photo
Top recorded price: $15,000
Vintage pinball machines—especially models from the 1970s through the 1990s—are prized by collectors and players. Machines with striking artwork, solid mechanics and restored playfields typically fetch the most interest.
58. Lunch Boxes
Hake’s Auctions
Top recorded price: $16,000
Iconic metal lunch boxes featuring popular TV shows, comics and movie characters in the 1950s–1970s are highly collectible when the graphics and thermos are intact.
57. Ikea Furniture
Bukowski’s
Top recorded price: $16,660
Certain vintage IKEA pieces, particularly early designer collaborations or iconic mid-century designs, have become desirable among collectors and design enthusiasts at auction.
56. Transformers Toys
Seth Wenig / AP Photo
Top recorded price: $24,806
Early Transformers toys from the 1980s, especially mint-in-box examples, are highly collectible. Limited production runs and character popularity drive the strongest prices.
55. G.I. Joe Toys and Action Figures
ClassicGIJoe / Twitter
Top recorded price: $26,400
G.I. Joe figures—ranging from early 12-inch soldiers to later 3.75-inch figures—have a passionate collector base. Rare variants, boxed sets and prototypes attract the highest bids.
54. VHS Tapes
Marian Ladiona / Flickr
Top recorded price: $35,000
Certain rare or promotional VHS releases—especially unopened or tied to cult films—have commanded significant sums from nostalgic collectors and film buffs.
53. Indian Head Pennies
Pixabay
Top recorded price: $38,120
Minted from 1859 to 1909, Indian Head pennies are classic U.S. collectibles. Scarce dates and well-preserved examples can be worth many times face value.
52. ’80s Toys
yandimariane / Instagram
Top recorded price: $45,430
Toys from the 1980s—across franchises such as Gremlins, He-Man, Transformers and more—have become high-value collectibles, especially complete and mint-in-box items.
51. Wrestling Toys
eBay
Top recorded price: $50,000
Memorabilia tied to wrestling’s boom eras—figures, apparel and promotional items associated with major stars—are now high-demand collectibles among nostalgic fans.
50. Bobblehead Dolls
eBay
Top recorded price: $59,750
While most bobbleheads hold sentimental value, rare early examples or limited promotional runs—especially those linked to major cultural moments—can sell for thousands.
49. Funko Pops
Top recorded price: $99,999
Funko Pop figures are a modern collecting phenomenon. Limited releases, convention exclusives and rare misprints can reach surprisingly high prices on the secondary market.
48. Hot Wheels Cars
Car and Driver
Top recorded price: $100,000
First-run Hot Wheels from 1968 and other rare variations in near-mint, sealed condition are among the most valuable die-cast car collectibles.
47. Disney Collectibles
Heritage Auctions
Top recorded price: $107,550–$138,000
Disneyana encompasses a vast range of memorabilia—animation cels, figurines, limited-edition collectibles and park-exclusive items. Early production pieces and rare promotional items tend to be the most valuable.
46. Metals
Wikimedia Commons
Top recorded price: $113,400
Beyond familiar precious metals, rare and industrially important metals—especially some elements used in high-tech applications—can be very valuable per unit, reflecting scarcity and demand.
45. Vintage Advertising Signs
Barrett-Jackson
Top recorded price: $134,200
Large porcelain and neon advertising signs from the early 20th century are prized for graphic design and brand nostalgia. The rarer and more intact the sign, the greater its auction appeal.
44. Vintage Board Games
eBay
Top recorded price: $146,500
Early board games in complete, unopened condition—especially licensed or tie-in games from classic films and TV series—are collectible and can command high prices from enthusiasts.
43. Star Wars Toys
Top recorded price: $150,000
Because George Lucas retained merchandising rights, Star Wars toys became a vast and lucrative market. Early Kenner figures, prototypes and rare variants are among the most sought-after movie-related collectibles.
42. Carnival Glass
Collectors Weekly
Top recorded price: $155,000
Carnival glass, recognized by its iridescent sheen, was once inexpensive decorative glassware. Rare patterns and colors from early 20th-century production can be highly valuable today.
41. Teddy Bears
Special Auction Services
Top recorded price: $182,550
Antique teddy bears, particularly early Steiff models and limited-production examples with original tags, are prized by collectors for craftsmanship and provenance.
40. Pennies Still in Circulation
followbacksen / Twitter
Top recorded price: $214,211
Occasionally, a rare penny surfaces in everyday circulation. Even worn examples can be valuable if they represent scarce dates, mint errors or other sought-after varieties.
39. Antique Bottles
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $250,000
Antique glass bottles—medicine flasks, soda bottles and advertising containers—are collected for rarity, color and embossing. Some early prototypes and unique molds bring significant sums.
38. Morgan Silver Dollars
CoinHelp
Top recorded price: $300,000
Minted between 1878 and 1904 (and briefly in 1921), Morgan silver dollars are prized by numismatists. Rarity, mint mark and condition drive their market value.
37. Beanie Babies
eBaby
Top recorded price: $300,000
After a dramatic speculative bubble in the 1990s, most Beanie Babies are now modestly valued. Still, select rare or error examples remain sought after by collectors.
36. Barbie Dolls
Mattel
Top recorded price: $302,000
Early production Barbies, rare prototypes and limited-edition dolls—especially in pristine, unopened condition—are major draws for collectors and can reach high auction prices.
35. Pokémon Cards
PWCC
Top recorded price: $375,000
The Pokémon TCG saw a dramatic resurgence in recent years. First-edition, shadowless and misprint cards—particularly iconic cards like Charizard—are the most valuable.
34. Metal Detector Finds
MinelabMetalDetectors / Facebook
Top recorded price: $614,582
Metal detecting has turned up historically important hoards, rare coins and artifacts that can be exceptionally valuable—especially when they have verified provenance and rarity.
33. Movie Posters
Heritage Auctions
Top recorded price: $690,000
Original one-sheets and early promotional posters for classic films are rare because theaters often discarded them. Scarcity and iconic imagery make certain posters highly valuable.
32. Jade Jewelry
nastya81 / Getty Images
Top recorded price: $700,000
Fine-quality jade, prized for its translucence and deep green hues, is highly valued—especially in cultures that revere the stone for historical and aesthetic reasons.
31. Vinyl Records
Kin Cheung / AP Photo
Top recorded price: $790,000
Rare pressings, test pressings, and limited-run vinyl—especially of landmark recordings—are highly collectible. The vinyl resurgence has helped fuel demand for exceptional copies.
30. Gemstones
oorejewelry / Instagram
Top recorded price: $1,000,000 per carat
Beyond the familiar diamonds, rare gemstones—such as particular alexandrite and other exceptional finds—can command extreme per-carat prices when quality, color and size align.
29. Vintage Motorcycles
Mecum Auctions
Top recorded price: $1.05 million
Classic motorcycles with documented provenance, race history or celebrity ownership often achieve high prices as both collector objects and usable vintage machines.
28. Quarters
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $1,257,500
Rare U.S. quarters—early issues, scarce mint marks and high-grade specimens—are prized by numismatists, and a handful of examples have sold for seven figures.
27. Space Artifacts and Memorabilia
NASA
Top recorded price: $1,625,000
Space-flown objects, mission patches, astronaut-flown gear and other authenticated space artifacts are highly collectible due to rarity and the historic nature of human spaceflight.
26. Pennies
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $1,700,000
Certain pennies—by date, mint and condition—are some of the most valuable single coins. A small number of exceptional examples account for significant values in the market.
25. Dimes
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $1,997,500
Rare dimes in exceptional condition—often surviving from early mintages or bearing production oddities—are highly prized by serious coin collectors.
24. Birkin Bags
Jeweller Magazine
Top recorded price: $2,000,000
Hermès Birkin bags are luxury collectibles: limited production, top-tier materials and brand cachet make certain rare Birkins investment-grade fashion items.
23. Star Wars Collectibles
Top recorded price: $2,760,000
Beyond individual toys, the broader category of Star Wars memorabilia—including rare promotional items and prototypes—commands some of the highest prices among pop-culture collectibles.
22. Baseball Cards
psacard
Top recorded price: $3,120,000
Baseball cards evolved from cigarette and tobacco inserts to a global hobby. Iconic rookie cards and high-grade examples of legendary players are among the most valuable sports collectibles.
21. Comic Books
Heritage Auctions
Top recorded price: $3,250,000
Early appearances of iconic characters—Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and others—are central to the high end of the comic-collecting market. Condition and provenance are critical to their value.
20. Nickels
PCGS
Top recorded price: $4,560,000
U.S. nickels have several collectible designs. Rare dates and mint marks, especially in superb condition, drive the top-tier prices among five-cent pieces.
19. Sports Cards
baseballhall / Twitter
Top recorded price: $5,200,000
Expanding beyond baseball, cards from various sports have entered the multi-million-dollar realm. Rookie cards of historic athletes and high-grade specimens command the highest bids.
18. Movie Props
Paramount Pictures / IMDb
Top recorded price: $5,300,000
Props and costumes from landmark films—especially on-screen used items with clear provenance—regularly attract major collectors and museum buyers at high-profile auctions.
17. Action Figures
MuppetsHenson
Top recorded price: $6,250,000
Rare, early or prototype action figures tied to major franchises and preserved in exceptional condition can rise into the multi-million-dollar range, driven by nostalgia and scarcity.
16. Dolls
Mattel
Top recorded price: $6,250,000
Beyond Barbies, antique and luxury dolls—particularly those with documented provenance and in near-perfect condition—rank among the highest-priced collectibles.
15. Vintage Guitars
Chris Pizzello / Invision/AP Photo
Top recorded price: $6,474,222
Guitars owned or played by legendary musicians, or rare vintage instruments in exceptional condition, routinely fetch multi-million-dollar prices at auction.
14. ‘Storage War’ Items
A&E / IMDb
Top recorded price: $7,500,000
Occasionally, items uncovered at storage auctions—art, antiques or rare collectibles—turn out to be unexpectedly valuable, making headlines and changing lives.
13. Gold Coins
Heritage Auctions
Top recorded price: $9,000,000
Gold coins combine precious-metal intrinsic value with rarity and historic significance. Notable rarities and colonial-era pieces can reach multi-million-dollar sale prices.
12. Thrift Store Finds
AP Photo
Top recorded price: $9,000,000+
Occasionally, rare artworks, manuscripts or antiques are discovered in thrift stores and resold for extraordinary sums. These stories fuel the romantic appeal of treasure-hunting in secondhand shops.
11. Stamps
Top recorded price: $9,480,000
Philately has a long history and a deep collector base. The rarest stamps—errors, limited issues and unique plates—have sold for millions at auction.
10. Autographed Items
AP Photo
Top recorded price: $9,800,000
Signatures attached to historically important documents or items associated with legendary figures—athletes, presidents, artists—can reach spectacular prices when provenance and rarity align.
9. Coins From Around the World
NGC
Top recorded price: $10,000,000
Historic coins from global mints—rare medieval florins, gold pieces and other exceptional issues—occupy the top tiers of the numismatic market and can command eye-popping sums.
8. Silver Dollars
Stack’s Bowers
Top recorded price: $10,016,875
Morgan and Peace silver dollars are classic U.S. collectibles; rare dates and top-condition specimens achieve some of the highest prices in American numismatics.
7. Shoes
HungPhatDiamond / Twitter
Top recorded price: $17,000,000
From diamond-encrusted high heels to rare collectible sneakers tied to cultural moments or athletes, certain footwear pieces have sold for millions as luxury or historic artifacts.
6. Sports NFTs
OpenSea
Top recorded price: $21,280,000
Non-fungible tokens created from sports highlights and digital memorabilia opened a new market for unique, blockchain-authenticated collectibles—some of which sold for tens of millions.
5. Musical Instruments
Top recorded price: $45,000,000
Exceptional violins, cellos and other instruments—especially Stradivari and Guarneri pieces—are among the most valuable musical objects, prized for tone, maker and historic ownership.
4. Classic Cars
Sotheby’s
Top recorded price: $48,400,000
Classic cars—particularly limited-production Ferraris and other high-performance marques with racing pedigrees—are trophy assets that regularly achieve record prices at auction.
3. Books
Wikimedia
Top recorded price: $58,400,000
Rare manuscripts, illuminated books and historically important documents—when offered at auction—can achieve staggering sums, reflecting cultural importance and extreme scarcity.
2. Birthstones
Getty Images
Top recorded price: $71,200,000
Exceptional gemstones—top-quality emeralds, rubies, sapphires and others associated with birth months—can reach tens of millions when size, color and provenance are extraordinary.
1. Paintings
Top recorded price: $450,300,000
Fine art tops the list: masterpieces by renowned painters command the highest prices on the market. Whether sold at auction or through private sales, iconic works can set record-breaking figures as collectors, institutions and investors compete for cultural treasure.