In the modern world of constantly updating technology, many items are rapidly replaced, with older gadgets often put out of sight in the loft. However, as years pass by, many once redundant items can actually increase in value. Whether it is an iPhone or a games console, if you have the right one stashed in your attic, you could be on to a winner.
Every collector community has one holy grail – an elusive, limited-supply item that sells for thousands of dollars over the original price. In the video game world, many of the most expensive vintage electronics are themed, limited-run versions of popular consoles. The most expensive Game Boy Advance, for example, is a special edition SP released in the early 2000s alongside The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Produced in an extremely limited run – some estimates say just 300 were produced – a Zelda Minish Cap Game Boy recently sold for $24,000 at auction.
Other limited, themed consoles that fetch wild prices include the Zelda Control Set SNES and the Pikachu Yellow Game Boy Color. While sightings of these ultra-rare consoles are few and far between, they can command hefty sums when they do appear on the market.
While an asset like a car usually must be at least 50 years old to be considered vintage, many of the electronics now selling for thousands of dollars more than their original price are less than 20 years old. Apple releases new products every year, setting the pace for the consumer technology market and making products obsolete after just a few years. When the iPhone 3GS was released in 2009, for example, the 32GB model retailed for just $299. Less than 10 years later, a factory-sealed 32GB 3GS iPhone sold for $8,000 at auction.
Nostalgia is one of the most powerful marketing trends of the 21st century. In one study, researchers found that feelings of nostalgia made subjects less sensitive to price and more willing to part with their money. Collectors will pay huge sums for electronics from their childhood, creating serious opportunities for anyone with a well-preserved console, computer, or audio device.
Before your next trip to the charity shop, ask yourself – do you have any vintage electronics that are now worth a fortune? A 1997 Lawson’s Ticket Station J-League Nintendo 64, which recently sold for $65,000, was the most valuable vintage electronic from the analysis. Many of the most expensive vintage video game consoles are themed, limited edition runs like the Zelda Minish Cap Game Boy Advance, the Zelda Control Set SNES, and the Pikachu Yellow Game Boy Color. New releases every year make years-old technology instantly obsolete – or valued for its scarcity. Less than 10 years after its release, a factory-sealed iPhone 3GS sold for more than 25 times its original retail price. While the latest iPhone retails for around $1,000, a sealed, original, 1st generation iPhone recently sold for $11,900.
So, take a look through your attic or storage boxes. You might just find a hidden treasure worth thousands.
