It used to be that if you were a collector — from baseball cards to plushy toys — you had some inclination that your investment in your collections would one day pay off. After all, you might be a fan of these toys, coins or cards, but you want to be able to hopefully cash in one day, right?
That day might come sooner than you anticipated because, across the collectible spectrum, a few of the formerly most sought after items are dropping in value.
Across the board, collectibles are not collecting the interest like they used to, monetarily or attention-wise. If you are someone who has been in the game as a collector, check out GOBankingRates’ list of collectibles that are plummeting in value.
Easily one of the most well-known collectibles from the past century are comic books. From Batman to Superman and beyond, these colorful stories span multiple issues and series that urged everyone to buy them all up because they were sure to be worth a lot at the end of the day. Well, the day might be done for comic books.
“In general, comics from the last 40 years have cooled off since the height of the pandemic years of 2021-22,” said Vincent Zurzolo, an expert on collectibles with Metropolis Collectibles, Inc.
“Comics like the first appearance of the incredibly popular Miles Morales (from the Spider-Verse movies) in Ultimate Fallout #4 have dropped quite a bit,” Zurzolo said. “For instance, CGC graded 9.8 copies of this comic [that] were selling for $4,500 in 2022, and now that same comic book sells for $1,550.”
Zurzolo listed several other comics that have dropped significantly in value over the last few years, including Silver Surfer #7 CGC graded 7.0 (the first appearance of villain Mephisto), which went from a high of $1,750 in 2021 to $450 now.
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 CGC graded 9.8 (first Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel) dropped from $880 in 2022 to $385 today. Edge of Spider-Verse #2 CGC graded 9.8 (1st Spider Gwen) went from $1,550 in 2022 to $830 today.
From sports to Yu-Gi-Oh!, trading cards have been iconic for turning collections into treasure over the years. Even Pokemon, one of the most notable trading card games from the last few decades, was known for the tagline: “Gotta catch ’em all.”
It might be time to sell them all, as trading cards and collections continue to dip in value.
“Michael Jordan Rookie Fleer 1986 card PSA 10 sold for $738,000 ([in 2021] and today it sells for $220,000,” Zurzolo said, citing an example of a sports collectible card that has dropped in worth.
He also cited the Pokemon Charizard 1st edition shadowless PSA 10, which sold for $350,000 in 2021 and now sells for $175,000.
“The current collectibles market is showing signs of a slowdown, with fewer items exceeding auction estimates and a general trend towards more conservative bidding,” said Steve Crews from Golden Road Reborn. “Collectors are advised to invest with caution and consider the long-term value of their collectibles.”
That applies to classic cars as well, which used to turn an easy profit, a high point for collectors that Bloomberg now says is “in the rearview mirror.”
“While still a strong market,” Crews said, “there are reports of classic cars not fetching the high prices they once did, as the market becomes more selective.”
Despite Barbie’s success at the box office, she’s not really helping to drive up the value of any dolls these days.
“Both the antique, 19th century to early 20th century bisque and composition European and American made doll market and the later 20th to early 21st century collector dolls have lost significant value,” explained JustAnswer appraisals expert Noralen Curl.
“The generation who was paying premium top dollar for antique dolls in the 1980s has passed on and the more contemporary produced dolls were mass produced and for the most part [are] lower in quality,” Curl added.
Curl pointed to a Shirley Temple doll that was based on the famous child actress from the 1930s and 1940s, causing nearly every doll manufacturer to produce a toy likeness.
“Generational nostalgia saw an increase in values in the later 20th century of any vintage collectibles featuring the actress,” Curl said. “As that generation has mostly passed on, the Shirley Temple market does not hold the interest of those who didn’t grow up with her. Items that sold for hundreds to thousands mostly sell for 20% or less of that nowadays.
“Antique dolls that used to sell for thousands of dollars now may see a return of a few hundred dollars, and the newer dolls, which could have cost a few hundred when new, now may only gain $10 to $30, if they even sell.”
kyle ernst / Flickr.com
Watches
Time waits for no one, including collectible watches. While it once seemed that high-end designer watches were racking up value with each passing second, their time might be up.
Across the globe, people are cashing in and getting rid of their watch collections. According to Chrono24 Watch Collection Report, collectors lost an average of 5.3% of their watches’ values over the prior year.
“The returns of watch collectors in Japan (40%), Switzerland (40%) and Hong Kong (38%) are particularly high,” the report said. “Germany’s watch fans were not quite so lucky but still managed to make a profit of 25%.”
Crews said, “The market for vintage watches has seen a cooling off, with fewer record-breaking sales and a shift towards more modest pricing.”
Dominique Godbout / Flickr.com
Beanie Babies
They are cute. They are colorful. And now, they are almost worthless.
Curl summed it up: “It goes without saying that this was a great marketing strategy for the manufacturers and mostly a bust for the collectors with plastic totes filled with these, albeit cute, pellet-stuffed plushies.”
