IT’S time to have a good dig around your attic as you could be sitting on forgotten items worth thousands.
Retro tech and gadgets are particularly juicy, in fact anything from old games consoles to DVDs and smartphones can breathe some much-needed life into your Christmas-battered bank balance – and you can even rake in cash if they don’t work.
Now is a better time than ever to not only have a clear out – after all, who isn’t feeling skint after Christmas?
Here are some of the key players to look out for.
#1 Game consoles
Gaming collectors are prepared to pay big bucks for classic consoles, and they’re not all necessarily from the 80s either.
Let’s start with some of the older machines.
The 1988 NES easily gets a couple of hundred on eBay.
But if you have a load of games with it you can sell as a bundle – I saw one go for £925 a couple of months ago.
A major way to really get the big bucks is by selling limited or special edition versions of consoles, as fewer of these are produced making them rare.
At the time of purchasing they wouldn’t have cost much more than the standard editions, but today scarcity is what makes them particularly valuable.
For example, the standard Nintendo 64 can fetch just over £100 if it’s open and still in working order.
But if you happen to have the Smoke Black colour, you’ll be looking at closer to £770 with its original packaging, according to valuation site PriceCharting.com.
And bundle boxes can net even more.
The Nintendo 64 Zelda Ocarina of Time Special Value Pak is worth a stonking £2,220.
If you’ve only ever owned more modern consoles, fear not.
Even some of the PS4 models are worth a fair bit, despite the fact the console was only released in 2013.
The Playstation 4 2TB [500 Million Limited Edition] is valued at just over £700.
Other consoles to look out for:
- RDI Halcyon – one sold for £17,100 in 2023
- PS2 European Automobile Color Collection – valued at over £2,000
- Sega Dreamcast (Divers 2000 CX-1) – valued between £1,500 and £3,000
#2 Video games
Video games themselves can be worth a pretty penny as well.
Again, it’s special limited edition packs that fetch the most.
But there are also games that weren’t popular when they were released but have now gained a cult following.
Favourites that haven’t been re-released for today’s machines make for valuable items as well.
The Zelda Majora’s Mask [Adventure Set] is up there on the Nintendo list, valued at a staggering £2,876 on PriceCharting.com.
Brand new, you’re look at over £13,000.
If you were more of a PlayStation fan, there are a number of titles that are worth a tidy sum.
Cindy’s Fashion World is valued at the highest currently, for £821 with the box – or £541 with the disc alone.
If you happen to have it unopened and sealed you’re looking at £2,136.
Castlevania Symphony of the Night [Limited Edition] is £534 with the box and £441 without.
It’s £1,388 if brand new.
Other titles to look out for:
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Fortune Hunter Edition – valued at £3,000 with original box
- The Last of Us Post Pandemic Edition – valued at £745 with original box Mickey’s
- Ultimate Challenge (Sega Master) – valued at £1,236 with original box
- Room Zoom (Xbox) – valued at £488 with original box
#3 DVDs
DVDs started in 1996 and there are some collectables around, so think twice before donating them to a charity shop or exchanging them at stores like CEX.
Special edition boxsets tend to be the jackpot, as well as ones in “SteelBook” metal cases.
The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection released in 2008 is estimated to fetch around £750.
In October, a used one in “like new” sold on eBay for £418.
A rare Pulp Fiction (collector’s edition) DVD can also get around £150 and The Evil Dead (Book of the Dead Edition) is valued at £130.
#4 Mobiles
People tend to keep hold of old mobiles, so it’s a good idea to see if any are of value today.
Even if they don’t work they could be worth something.
The very first iPhone, released back in 2007, sold at auction for an eye-watering £145,000 two years ago.
However, it was unopened and still sealed.
Ones that have been opened but never used can fetch around £5,000, according to sold eBay listings.
But even those that have been used and have their original boxes are getting £821.
Broken first generation iPhones can get about £83, which isn’t bad for a bit of kit that’s really no use to you now.
The first commercial available mobile is understandably worth quite a bit as well.
If you happen to have a Motorola DynaTAC 8000x in the loft you could get about £1,700.
BEST PLACES TO SELL YOUR TECH
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
You have several options when it comes to selling tech.
The most obvious, which we’ve mentioned, is eBay.
With millions of users across the world, you’re most likely to find a buyer for your old tech there.
It’s especially popular for broken items that experts can repair themselves.
Just remember, if it’s a particularly rare and high value item to set a reserve price so you get a minimum amount you’re happy with.
Don’t forget, Vinted isn’t just about clothes – you can sell tech on there too.
Avoid selling stuff to retailers that deal in pre-owned items exclusively, on the high street or online, as they tend to offer low amounts – their business is to sell on those items for a profit.
For extremely high value items like the unopened first generation iPhone you really need to go via a proper auction house.
The one sold in 2023 was done by a US-based company called LCG Auctions.
So it’s well worth doing some deeper research for the best place to sell those.
