Money & Finance

The dusty stuff in your attic may be worth a big chunk of change to somebody else. Like the 5 jar set of discontinued Yankee Candles that sold recently on eBay for $565 bucks! So, here’s a list of collectibles that are hot on eBay right now, courtesy of several experts interviewed by AARP magazine:

• When it comes to toys, the current favorites are from the 1960s and ‘70s. Like Tonka trucks, battery-operated robots, and G.I. Joes. Experts say that toy collecting is all about what people remember. And having all the accessories boosts prices. Recently sold: a 1959 Barbie doll for nearly $6-thousand dollars!
• Classic housewares. The most highly sought-after items are from the ‘50s and ‘60s, including pieces from Corelle, Wedgwood, Waterford, and Orrefors. Recently sold: a 4-piece Pyrex mixing bowl set from 1967: $105 bucks!
• Groovy chairs. With furniture, mid-century modern is “in”. Like Charles and Ray Eames chairs that use metal tubing and molded wood. Recently sold: A Herman Miller Eames aluminum soft-pad chair: $545 dollars.
• Old computers. Experts say there’s nostalgia value in early high-tech artifacts. And since technology is changing so rapidly, “oldies” from the ‘80s and ‘90s are becoming collectible. Like the 1982 HP programmable scientific calculator that sold for $425 bucks. So, before you toss your trash or donate it to Goodwill, check out the listings on eBay for similar items. You might be pleasantly – and richly – surprised!