From old clocks to vintage dolls worth thousands – are you sitting on a fortune in your attic?
Many of us are guilty of hoarding things in the loft, but, from coins and vintage jewellery to war memorabilia, your attic could hold items worth thousands of pounds. We look at how much they could sell for
If you have an attic or loft full of decades’ worth of stuff, it’s worth sifting through it carefully as you could discover valuable items worth thousands of pounds.
From rare coins and stamps to vinyl records and vintage jewellery, our storage spaces can be a treasure trove of things worth serious money.
According to research by EDF Energy, a quarter of us don’t like going up in the loft in our house. However, sorting out your loft – or, with their permission, an elderly relative’s attic – could be a lucrative exercise. You could find collectables like antique furniture and toys such as Barbie dolls and Jellycat soft toys, as well as old VHS tapes.
David Joyson, chief customer officer at Homeprotect, comments: “It’s incredible how much value can be hidden in everyday items that may have been gathering dust in an old cupboard, garage or attic – with some now selling for thousands.”
Homeprotect conducted a study to discover which common household objects found in grandparents’ homes hold the most value when sold on eBay.
The older generation, who may have lived through events such as World War II, may be holding onto items that have sentimental value – and be worth some money.
We take a look at which items are likely to be the most valuable, and how much they could sell for.
Remember that it’s up to the seller as to how much they list an item for, and it’s the buyer’s choice as to how much they spend, so just because something sold for a high price tag doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what it’s worth.
Most valuable items
Coins and stamp collections are the most valuable items you’re likely to find lying around an elderly relative’s attic, particularly rare 50p coins, the research found.
Vintage jewellery is the second most valuable category, followed by antique furniture.
According to Homeprotect, specific designers are particularly well sought-after, with a set of four chairs from Danish designer Borge Mogensen selling for £8,000. Furniture from the 18th century can also fetch a pretty penny: a mahogany breakfront bookcase went for nearly £5,000 earlier this year.
In fourth place, vinyl records, specifically 1960s vinyl, are selling for nearly £4,000 on average. Recent big-money sales include a promo copy of The Velvet Yellow Underground & Nico featuring iconic art from Andy Warhol, which sold for £6,747.
Old clocks sell for £2,671 on average – it seems the older is often the better when selling clocks on eBay, and hand-carved ones do well, too.
Completing the most valuable items you might find in an attic are porcelain dolls (£2,006 average price), vintage lamps (£1,867), vintage posters (£1,829) and WW1 medals (£1,554).
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Item
Average price
Coins and stamp collections
£11,669.18
Vintage jewellery
£7,277.21
Antique furniture
£6,485.40
Vinyl records
£3,931.52
Clocks
£2,671.42
Ceramic figures
£2,006.87
Lamps
£1,867.40
Paintings/prints and posters
£1,829.99
War memorabilia
£1,554.34
Source: Homeprotect, April 2025. It analysed 15 categories of household objects often found in grandparents’ homes and took the average price of the five most expensive items in each category, according to recently sold listings on eBay, to calculate the top nine list.
How to protect valuable items in your loft
According to Joyson at Homeprotect, it’s important to ensure any valuable items are covered by insurance.
He notes: “If you, or an elderly relative, have items like these lying around, or if you come across an item you think may have a high value, it’s worth getting them professionally valued, so you can check that you have the right insurance – many insurers will ask you to specify an individual item on your policy, for example, if it’s worth more than £1,500. Not doing this may mean that it wouldn’t be covered if you needed to make a claim.”
He adds: “If you have financial power of attorney for an elderly relative and/or have been named as an executor for their will, in the event of their death it is worth auditing and valuing items, to ensure you have a complete list of their assets and to understand the value, whether you intend to keep any treasured items or if you are considering selling anything in the future once the probate process is complete.”
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Ruth is an award-winning financial journalist with more than 15 years' experience of working on national newspapers, websites and specialist magazines.
She is passionate about helping people feel more confident about their finances. She was previously editor of Times Money Mentor, and prior to that was deputy Money editor at The Sunday Times.
A multi-award winning journalist, Ruth started her career on a pensions magazine at the FT Group, and has also worked at Money Observer and Money Advice Service.
Outside of work, she is a mum to two young children, while also serving as a magistrate and an NHS volunteer.
Beware inheritance tax gifting rules – 220 families left with shock bills after error
'Reeves should cut cash ISA limit and revive Brit ISA,' says Merryn Somerset Webb
