Vintage band / graphic tee, pre-2000, single-stitch
Thrift: $2–5 Sells: $40–150, rare $80–300
Look for: Single-stitch hem, Made in USA, faded real tour print.
Skip if: H&M / Shein, heat-transfer peeling, stains.
How to use this in the store
- Spot it in the photo. Find the picture below that looks like what you're holding.
- Check Sold Items in the eBay app — not active listings. Active listings are what sellers hope to get. Sold listings are what buyers actually paid.
- Buy only if the thrift price is about ⅓ or less of the sold price. eBay takes about 13% in fees, plus shipping — so leave room. If it doesn't clear that bar, put it back.
🚫 Skip fast — almost never worth it
- Fast fashion — Shein, H&M, Forever 21. No resale value.
- Common Beanie Babies — most are worth $0. Only rare / retired tags sell.
- Mass DVDs & CDs — standard releases sell for under $5.
- Broken or untested electronics — returns wipe out the profit.
- Fake designer — illegal to sell, and eBay will pull the listing.
1 · Vintage & Brand Clothing
Highest margin of all — a $4 find can sell for $80–$300. Vintage sell-through runs about 55–70%.
Levi's 501 vintage denim, Big E / orange tab / selvedge
Thrift: $5–8 Sells: $40–120
Look for: Big E, orange tab, chain-stitched hem.
Skip if: Modern thin denim, no tag.
Carhartt Detroit jacket / chore coat / double-knee pants
Thrift: $10–18 Sells: $50–150
Look for: Duck canvas, faded/worn is fine, blanket lining.
Skip if: Fake logo, torn lining.
Patagonia fleece / Better Sweater
Thrift: $8–15 Sells: $40–80
Look for: Synchilla tag, pre-2010 fleece.
Skip if: Pilling all over, zip broken.
Lululemon leggings / athleisure
Thrift: $5–10 Sells: $30–60
Look for: Size dot inside pocket, Align / Wunder Under.
Skip if: Pilling, sheer knees.
2 · Shoes & Sneakers
Fastest sell-through — sneakers run about 60–75%. Sizes 9–12 move quickest.
Nike Air Jordan / Dunk retro
Thrift: $15–30 Sells: $60–150+
Look for: Real box/label, size 9–12 sells fastest.
Skip if: Fake, sole separating.
New Balance 990 / 550 retro
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $60–200
Look for: Made in USA / UK tag.
Skip if: Heavy wear, no insoles.
Adidas Originals / Samba
Thrift: $8–15 Sells: $40–90
Look for: Clean suede/leather, original laces.
Skip if: Badly creased toe box.
Hoka / On Cloud running shoes, lightly worn
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $50–100
Look for: Light wear, no heel collapse.
Skip if: Worn-out tread.
Vintage leather boots, Dr Martens / Red Wing
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $50–120
Look for: Goodyear welt, real leather.
Skip if: Cracked leather, fake.
3 · Toys, LEGO & Action Figures
Small, sturdy, and collectors pay for complete sets — minifigures are often the most valuable part.
LEGO minifigures / retired sets
Thrift: $1–5 loose Sells: $5–25 per minifig, $20–100+ sets
Look for: Minifigs first, complete sets, Star Wars / Modular.
Skip if: Loose mixed bricks only, no figs.
Vintage Star Wars / Transformers figures, complete
Thrift: $2–5 Sells: $20–80+
Look for: Original weapons / accessories.
Skip if: Missing parts, repro weapons.
Hot Wheels Redline / vintage diecast
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $10–50+
Look for: Redline wheels, Hong Kong base.
Skip if: Modern mainline, played-with paint loss.
Beanie Babies, rare / retired tag ONLY
Thrift: $1–2 Sells: $15–50+ rare only
Look for: 1st-gen tag, retired.
Skip if: Common bear — most are worth $0. Check sold first.
Fisher-Price Little People / vintage Barbie
Thrift: $2–5 Sells: $15–60
Look for: Complete sets, clean faces.
Skip if: Marker on face, missing pieces.
4 · Video Games & Retro Gaming
Steady demand, sell-through about 55–70%. Complete-in-box sells for 2–3× loose.
Nintendo cartridges, Pokémon / Mario / Zelda
Thrift: $3–10 Sells: $20–80+
Look for: GB / GBA / N64 / GameCube, label clean.
Skip if: Fake cart, label torn.
PlayStation 1/2 RPGs, Suikoden / Chrono Cross etc.
Thrift: $3–8 Sells: $25–100+
Look for: Black-bottom PS1 discs, complete case.
Skip if: Scratched unreadable disc.
OEM controllers, Nintendo / PlayStation / Xbox
Thrift: $5–10 Sells: $30–60
Look for: Official logo, sticks not drifting.
Skip if: Third-party, sticky buttons.
Game Boy / Game Boy Color handheld, working
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $60–120
Look for: Powers on, screen no lines.
Skip if: Dead screen, battery corrosion.
Complete-in-box games + manuals
Thrift: $3–8 Sells: 2–3× loose
Look for: Box + manual + cart together.
Skip if: Box crushed.
5 · Books, Vinyl & Media
Cheapest to ship — books go Media Mail from about $4.47. Scan the ISBN before you buy.
Current-edition college textbooks
Thrift: $1–4 Sells: $30–90
Look for: Scan ISBN, current edition only.
Skip if: One edition old, highlighting everywhere.
First-edition / signed hardcovers
Thrift: $2–5 Sells: $40–200+
Look for: “First Edition” on copyright page, dust jacket.
Skip if: Book club edition, no jacket.
Original-press vinyl, jazz / classic rock / hip-hop
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $20–100+
Look for: Blue Note / Prestige, first label, VG+ or better.
Skip if: Scratched, warped, reissue.
Criterion Collection Blu-ray / DVD
Thrift: $2–3 Sells: $25–60
Look for: Criterion spine number.
Skip if: Disc scratched, no case art.
Vintage cookbooks / niche non-fiction
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $15–40
Look for: Woodworking, mid-century crafts, regional.
Skip if: Mass paperback novel.
6 · Vintage Kitchenware — small pieces only
Pattern is everything. Small pieces only here — big glass ships badly and breaks.
Pyrex, Butterprint / Gooseberry / Pink Daisy / primary bowls
Thrift: $3–8 Sells: $30–100+, sets $80–200
Look for: Opal glass, pattern bright, no chips.
Skip if: Dishwasher-faded, chips / cracks.
CorningWare Cornflower Blue pre-1972 / Spice of Life
Thrift: $3–6 Sells: $20–60
Look for: Bluish tint, old mark on bottom.
Skip if: Chipped rim, missing lid hurts price.
Fire-King Jadeite / milk glass mugs
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $15–40
Look for: Jade green, no chips.
Skip if: Cloudy, cracked.
Griswold / Wagner cast iron skillet #8
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $60–180
Look for: Ghost mark, smooth cooking surface.
Skip if: Heavy rust pitting, cracked.
⚠️ Heavy to ship — local / Marketplace may be better.
Le Creuset / Staub small pieces, KitchenAid attachments
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $50–150
Look for: Discontinued colors, pasta roller / meat grinder.
Skip if: Chipped enamel inside.
7 · Small Electronics & Remotes
Test before you buy. OEM beats generic every time — buyers search the exact model number.
OEM TV remotes, Samsung / LG / Sony / Roku
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $15–35
Look for: Exact model number match.
Skip if: Generic, buttons worn out.
TI-84 / TI-89 graphing calculator
Thrift: $5–10 Sells: $30–80
Look for: Powers on, screen works.
Skip if: Dead — missing cover is ok but price lower.
Sony Walkman / Discman / iPod Classic
Thrift: $5–15 Sells: $50–250
Look for: Powers on, plays.
Skip if: Untested, battery corrosion.
Canon AE-1 / Pentax K1000 35mm film camera, working
Thrift: $5–20 Sells: $80–180
Look for: Shutter fires, light meter.
Skip if: Fungus in lens, shutter stuck.
Cables / chargers / adapters, brand-name
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $10–30
Look for: OEM Apple / Samsung / Nintendo.
Skip if: Frayed, generic no-name.
8 · Jewelry, Watches & Silver
Tiny to ship, highest value per ounce. Check the stamp — 925 means sterling silver.
Sterling silver jewelry, stamped 925
Thrift: $2–10 Sells: $30–150+
Look for: 925 / Sterling stamp, maker mark.
Skip if: No stamp. Tarnish is ok, plated is not sterling.
Vintage Seiko / Timex / Bulova mechanical watches
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $50–250
Look for: Mechanical / automatic, model number on back.
Skip if: Fake Rolex, dead quartz with no value.
Signed costume jewelry, Monet / Trifari / Sarah Coventry / James Avery
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $15–60
Look for: Signature stamp on back / clasp.
Skip if: Unsigned, missing stones.
Gold-filled / 14K marked pieces
Thrift: $2–10 Sells: $50+
Look for: 14K / 585 stamp.
Skip if: Gold-plated only, no stamp.
Vintage brooches / Native American silver
Thrift: $2–5 Sells: $25–100
Look for: Artist signature, turquoise real.
Skip if: Plastic stones, glue visible.
9 · Handbags & Accessories
Authentication matters most here. Vintage Coach is the thrift sweet spot — check the creed stamp.
Vintage Coach leather, USA-made, creed stamp
Thrift: $10–20 Sells: $50–200, Willis median ~$180
Look for: Creed patch with style number, USA made.
Skip if: No creed, fake stitching.
Coach Signature C / Kate Spade / Michael Kors
Thrift: $10–15 Sells: $40–120
Look for: Clean lining, working zip.
Skip if: Peeling, fake hardware.
Quality leather tote / crossbody, no fake logos
Thrift: $5–10 Sells: $25–75
Look for: Real leather smell / feel, solid stitching.
Skip if: Pleather peeling.
Vintage silk scarves, designer
Thrift: $2–5 Sells: $20–80
Look for: Hand-rolled hem, designer label.
Skip if: Polyester, pulls / snags.
Sunglasses, Ray-Ban / vintage
Thrift: $3–8 Sells: $30–80
Look for: Logo on lens, case included.
Skip if: Scratched lenses, fake logo.
10 · Trading Cards, Comics & Small Collectibles
Lightest of all — a card ships in an envelope for about $1. Condition is everything.
Pokémon cards, vintage WOTC 1999–2003 holos
Thrift: $1–5 in bulk Sells: $20–200+
Look for: Holo, 1st edition stamp, clean edges.
Skip if: Fake, bent, common bulk only.
Sports rookie cards, Topps Chrome
Thrift: $1–3 Sells: $15–100+
Look for: Rookie card logo, chrome.
Skip if: Base commons.
Magic: The Gathering, older / chase rares
Thrift: $1–5 Sells: $20–100+
Look for: Old border, mythic / rare symbol.
Skip if: Bulk commons.
Silver Age / key comics, bagged
Thrift: $1–5 Sells: $20–200+
Look for: Key issue, bag + board.
Skip if: Water damage, missing pages.
Vintage patches / enamel pins / military
Thrift: $1–2 Sells: $10–40
Look for: Embroidered unit / scout patches.
Skip if: Modern iron-on generic.