Could your old toys be worth a fortune? A Super Mario 64 game just sold for over £1 million
Hoarders take note, that box of old toys languishing in your loft could actually contain a sought after collectors item worth a small fortune.
An unopened copy of Nintendo’s Super Mario 64 has sold at auction for an eye watering $1.56 million (approx £1.12 million).
Heritage Auctions in Dallas said that the 1996 game sold on Sunday 11 July, breaking its previous record price for the sale of a single video game.
The record breaking sale follows an unopened copy of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda selling at auction on Friday for $870,000, (approximately £628,000).
Before you scramble through the loft hatch to start dusting off your old wares, it's worth noting that Nintendo video games aren't the only items that could bring you a pretty penny.
Although old toys might not seem like the most obvious items to hoard, the right toys kept in perfect condition can fetch a packet at auction, according to the experts at OnBuy’s Toy Department.
So which toys and games should we be searching our attics for?
Trading cards
Although ‘trading cards’ is only searched roughly 24,900 times a month on average, the highest amount recorded for the purchase of a trading card was made earlier this year when a rare signed Mike Trout rookie card sold for a record-setting £2.9m ($3.9m).
Other specific trading cards of value include Magic: The Gathering Alpha Black Lotus card, Yu-Gi-Oh Black Luster Soldier card and a Pokémon Holographic First Edition Charizard.
Comic books
In 2014, a first edition of Action Comics from 1938 sold on eBay for just over £2.4m ($3.2m). You can imagine the seller's surprise, as they'd originally put it up for auction starting at 99 cents (76p).
Other valuable comics to look out for include: Detective Comics, Amazing Fantasy and Marvel.
Watch: Nintendo Switch OLED model goes on sale.
Beanie Babies
With 163,300 average global monthly searches, the most expensive sold bundle of Beanie Babies in the world was a known as Wallace and his Squad (1 large Wallace and two regular sized Wallaces, Cashew and Huggy). The bundle sold for £450,000 ($600,000),
Other valuable Beanie Babies to search the kids' toy basket for include: Rainbow, Valentino, Princess the Bear, Bubbles and Piccadilly Attic.
Barbies
The most expensive Barbie doll ever sold was the Stefani Canturi doll, which went for £226,000 ($302,500) in 2010 due to the necklace the doll sported, designed by Stefano Canturi and featuring emerald-cut pink diamonds.
Barbies unsurprisingly are also the most searched for toy, with nearly 4 million average searches around the world every month.
Other Barbies that could clock up the cash include: Original Barbie (1959), Marie Antoinette Barbie and Pink Jubilee Barbie.
Read more: 'Narrowest house in London' could be yours for just under £1m
Hot Wheels
Not just a toy to entertain small children, certain Hot Wheels are actually pretty popular with collectors, with one of the rarer finds said to be worth £131,000 ($175,000): the 1969 Pink, Rear-Loading Beach Bomb.
Vintage board games
That old board game gathering dust could actually be worth a tidy sum. The original Monopoly Atlantic City, made in 1933, was recently sold at an auction for £109,000 ($146,500).
Video tapes
Remember when we had to watch films on an actual video tape? Well that old copy of a Disney classic could actually bring in some cash. The most successful Disney VHS tape, Beauty and the Beast Black Diamond, was recently sold on eBay for £11,478, which is certainly not to be sniffed at.
Other household items to cash in on
It isn't just old toys that could yield a pretty packet, research by BestHeating has revealed some other household items worth dusting off.
Tea Sets
Selling teacups individually may not raise much above £5 or £10, but having a full matching set that has no chips can land you a hefty sum. Some nineteenth century tea sets are selling on antique sites for up to £4,500.
Cast iron radiators
Popular with the cottage core trend, cast iron radiators can actually be worth a lot of money.
While prices vary depending on the make, model and condition, some models are listed for fees in excess of £3,000 on auction sites, with original Victorian radiator covers also attracting high bids.
Sideboards
Stylish and practical, a vintage sideboard could prove to be popular for those wanting to give their interior a retro feel. Those designed by the likes of Florence Knoll in the 1950s or 1960s are some of the most popular online, and if you uncover one you could be looking at getting upwards of £2,400.
Read more: In-shed-ible: An old hut in a beachside car park is on sale for £69,000
Clocks
If you have a clock with historical significance it could prove to be worth a lot of money, particularly if it is rare. The key is verifying the period it is from, with certain antique clocks bringing in hundreds of pounds. Online sites value grandfather clocks the most due to their craftmanship, with models from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries listed for as much as £4,695.
Front doors
Thinking of switching up your front door? Might be worth doing your research first. Vintage stained glass front doors can accrue over £1,500 on auction sites depending on era, size of the glass, wood, condition and whether it’s suitable for internal or external use.
Victorian wooden doors are particularly popular securing the highest value, with Art Nouveau stained glass doors averaging at £800 and Edwardian £700.
