9 'Junk' Items From the '50s That are Worth a Small Fortune Today

From vintage toys to retro kitchenware, everyday items and knickknacks trendy in decades past often get stored away in attics or basements as their popularity fades. But the market for vintage products these days is huge and reselling items you once wrote off as "junk" can be a legit way to make extra money. When kept in good condition, or even better, in original packaging, classic toys, comics, kitchenware, and more from the 1950s have been known to sell for hundreds of dollars, and beyond.

Keep an eye out for these nine everyday items from the '50s that are worth a small fortune today.

Editor's note: All market value estimates come from eBay, unless otherwise stated.

'Showcase #4' comic book

Estimated market value: $22,000

Several comic books from the "Silver Age," which is widely considered to have begun in 1956, are valuable today, but DC Comics "Showcase #4" is the holy grail. The comic reintroduced The Flash, a character that originally debuted in the 1940s, and was widely popular when it was released as well.

These days, it's worth serious cash, with high-graded versions selling for up to $80,000. Recently, a comic kept in good condition, but ungraded, sold on eBay for $22,000.

1959 original Barbie doll

Estimated market value: $14,500

The original Barbie, with blonde hair and a now-famous black-and-white bathing suit, was first released in 1959, and these dolls are worth thousands if kept in decent condition, even without their original boxes. Other early versions of the doll, like Barbie No. 3, have been known to sell for thousands as well.

You can identify a Barbie No. 1 by its classic outfit and blonde ponytail, as well as holes in the doll's feet, so it can be placed on a stand. One clearly worn version of the first Barbie with its original box recently sold on eBay for nearly $15,000.

1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card

Estimated market value: $15,000–$40,000

Though a card graded in near-perfect condition sold for millions in 2022 ($12.6 million, to be exact), 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball cards could sell for serious cash even if they are not in pristine condition.

Mantle's isn't the only valuable baseball card from the decade. A 1952 Willie Mays card and a 1955 Roberto Clemente card are both worth serious cash. However, the 1952 Mantle card is considered the most valuable. The going rate for a card in decent, ungraded condition runs between $15,000 and $40,000, and even a professionally graded card at the lowest possible grade could fetch $40,000 or more.

1954 vintage Superman lunchbox

Estimated market value: $1,000

Other vintage lunchboxes from the era featuring popular characters, like Mickey Mouse and Howdy Doody, are valuable as well, but a Superman box from 1954 seems to be the biggest money-maker. The metal lunchbox is blue and red and shows Superman battling a robot.

The going rate on eBay for a lunchbox with minor wear, but generally in good condition, is around $1,000. Even boxes that clearly show rust and wear can sell for a few hundred dollars.

Miles Davis - 'Kind of Blue' vinyl

Estimated market value: $510

Many vinyls from the decade are worth significant payouts, particularly if they're in decent condition in both appearance and sound. One to keep an eye out for is jazz legend Miles Davis' 1959 album, "Kind of Blue."

The record has been re-released a number of times, but original 1959 versions easily net between $300 and $500, and sometimes more, when they pop up on resale sites like eBay.

Retro Coca-Cola signs

Estimated market value: $300

Retro Coke signs, posters, and various other promotional products can sell for hundreds to collectors looking to add a vintage feel to their homes or places of business. For well-kept '50s signs, around $300 seems to be an average, though Coke promos have sold for more.

Even signs that clearly show their age have sold for serious cash, like a vintage bottle cap-shaped sign that recently sold on eBay for $450.

Pyrex Gooseberry bowl set

Estimated market value: $300

Many people love the aesthetic appeal of vintage kitchenware, and there's a huge market today for all sorts of Pyrex products. Individual products and sets in patterns popular in the 1950s, like pink "Gooseberry," have been known to net serious profits on resale sites like eBay and Etsy.

Recently, a set of four gooseberry Cinderella bowls from the era sold on eBay for $300.

Vintage KitchenAid mixers

Estimated market value: $200

Believe it or not, a 70-year-old kitchen appliance could be worth a few hundred bucks today. Many collectors are drawn to the mid-century look, and colored KitchenAid stand mixers, which were first released in 1955, regularly sell for around $200 on resale sites like eBay.

The model "K" mixer, which looks similar to the versions you can buy today, was first introduced in 1937, while the stylish colors like yellow, pink, and green were introduced in the mid-50s.

Original Risk board game

Estimated market value: $150

Original board games from the era can be quite valuable to collectors as well, particularly if kept in decent condition with all the original pieces. The strategic conquest game "Risk" was first released in 1959, and a fully intact, albeit opened version recently sold on eBay for $150.

Versions of the original game with a little more wear and tear can still sell for around $50.

Bottom line

Selling vintage items is a relatively simple way to make some extra money on the side. But being realistic and pricing items appropriately is key.

The pieces listed here are valuable because they are either rare, in uniquely good condition, or both. A vintage Pyrex bowl from the '50s on its own with some scratches and chips, for example, is going to be worth less than a full set in good condition.

It's worth checking recent sales on a site like eBay to get a better idea of the going rates for products.

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