Cash in your attic

There are plenty of success stories that have hit the media over the last few years such as the 271 Picasso paintings in an electrician’s garage worth £50 million, or the Chinese vase that sold for £53 million that was kept on a wobbly book shelf. But did you know that nearly one in five in the UK own a painting worth over £500? So instead of making a trip to your local tip, why not look into the value of what you’re throwing away?

 

Antiques to look out for

There’s plenty that you might have hidden, but telling what’s worth money and what should just go to the charity shop can be tricky. Things to look out for are:

 

• Ceramics and porcelain – they might look like old knick knacks that even the charity shop won’t accept, but they could be worth more than you think, especially if it’s an original. The value in Russian, Indian and Chinese antiques is rising so it’s definitely worth inspecting.

 

• Old paintings – even if you’re not one of those who has a piece of art worth £500 or more, would you honestly be upset if a painting you own but don’t display is sold for even £100?

 

• Furniture – thinking of trading in your dining table for a new one? If yours is a solid oak table it could be worth thousands, even some types of Priory furniture could give you a pleasant surprise.

 

• Jewellery – if you have a stash of old jewellery that you have no emotional attachment to, check the estimated value and sell it on

 

• Comic books – you might not get hundreds of pounds, but some of your children’s old comics from the 60s and 70s could be worth a lot to a collector

 

• Video games – sticking to the theme of your children, if you have a retro game console such as an Atari or a Sega Mega Drive, you might be able to sell it around the £100 mark. 

 

• Childhood toys – even your childhood toys could make you a profit. If you don’t think the grandchildren will appreciate it as much as you did, take a look at it’s worth.

If you have any of these items to hand, why not take them for a professional valuation? You've got nothing to lose... but you might be surprised by just how much you could earn!