Sign up today and save 1000s of items from landfill
A guide to the top 10 most collective item categories this year.
Guide
3 mins
READ TIME

Top 10 most collectable item categories 2023

Ellie
Ellie

If you’re thinking about buying at auction for investment purposes, take a look at the most collectable categories of items predicted this year.

There’s a wide variety of price ranges and our tip is to try and go for things you love and are passionate about and then you can’t really go wrong!

Classic cars

Classic cars can be one of the most expensive collectables, but they do of course vary in price. Classics can require an awful lot of time and work to maintain and treated with real care, so it’s vital you find out all you can about the car you’re about to invest in and to have somewhere safe you can store it to protect it from rust and damage.

Typical cars worthy of collecting are the type that made history and have attractive features. The rarer the vehicle, the more valuable it can prove to be. Cars owned previously by celebrities or royals will gain a lot of interest and if your classic has a combination of the above then they should only increase in value.

This said, you should be very careful when buying a classic car, especially if you are buying with the intention to resell at some point. You want to make sure it comes with full service history, maintenance records and details of ownership, so really scope out the car and do your research before parting with your money.

Fine art

Although fine art can be sold for mega money, it doesn’t generally cost a lot to create. The price is in the sentiment and provenance which makes art truly special.  

If you want to invest in art, we recommend holding out for a piece that you really feel you connect with. Something that feels special or something you can resonate with. If you have that passion, it’ll help when it comes to reselling it in the future as you’ll be able to convey why it’s such an important piece…if you can ever bear to part with your investment piece!

Antique/vintage houseware and furniture

Quality, workmanship, and intricacy is what you are looking for here. It hasn’t got to be big; it hasn’t got to be bold or expensive. Just great detail and eye catching.

Remember, everyone has different taste, budgets, and interests and there are always trends for collecting certain periods which change as fashions do. For example, still particularly popular this year is mid-century furniture. It has a lot of devotees so if you can get your hands on a nice piece for a good price, it’s worth snapping it up.

Houseware and furniture can be bulky so don’t take anything on that you can’t treat with care in the correct space. You can very quickly devalue an item if it is in the wrong environment.  

Anything over 100 years old is classed as an antique, younger than this and it’s considered vintage.

Celebrity/royal Memorabilia

We’re all guilty of having a celebrity crush, a favourite sportsperson, movie, or era, right? If you have an item linked to a famous name you might be sitting on a decent profit.

People collect memorabilia for many reasons but the main ones being that it is sentimental, enjoyable, can bring social interaction, pride, and earn you top fan status! If an item has been in direct contact with a celebrity and holds authenticity, then your memorabilia could be worth a fortune.

Royal pieces, especially those connected to Princess Diana and HRH Queen Elizabeth always attract interest from far and wide and aren’t likely to dwindle in popularity.

Coins and stamps

The Liberty Head Nickel is thought to be the most expensive coin. It was last sold at auction in 2007 for $3,737,500!

Sadly, we’re not promising you millions for your coins lying around at home, however, these are areas you enjoy exploring, there are a very large amount of collectors out there.

It is the history, rarity and story behind them that sells coins and stamps, so if you have some spare cash and want to start buying and selling at auction, these are a perfect way to start collecting things as an investment.

Toys

Toys that were once not much to buy off the shelf are now being sold at auction for way over their original retail price. It comes with vintage films being retold or trending in some way that is making thousands of pounds in the toy industry.

The likes of Harry Potter, Marvel, Star Wars and Pokémon are a few that are extremely popular right now however, they’re not just any toys, they are the ones in pristine condition, original packaging and barely used. Again, it is the rarity and the history that makes these sell.

Be careful when throwing out old toys…Hot Wheels cars can be bought for around £2 at the supermarket but the rare, original ones are going for thousands!

Sports memorabilia

We all know someone with an abnormal obsession about a sport, right? They live and breath it and spend all their spare money on it. Well, sports memorabilia is perfect for these guys!

The good thing about sports memorabilia is that it can be free to collect. If you’re a fan of a team and go to the odd match, you’re likely to be able to get an autograph of someone. You may even be able to get an item from a game which others will hanker after.

The jersey Michael Jordan wore in Game 1 of the 1998 finals sold for $10.09 million in 2022 which was twice its estimated value. People are happy to pay over the odds for something they are passionate about feel that they really must own.

Music memorabilia

Music memorabilia is like sports. You find that people cling onto artists that create music they can resonate with and feel they are closer to that artist or qualify as a top fan if they own something of theirs or some vintage merchandise.

The key is to find the right time to sell this kind of memorabilia. You will find they will go up in value when an artist is touring, in the news, dies or a band go their separate ways as it is these items that allow the fans to bring themselves closer to them.

Fine wines

There’s a site called Vinovest that makes wine investing simple, even if you’re not a wine expert. It can really help if you love the taste but lack the knowledge.

Several factors drive wine prices up over time. Scarcity, ageing and brand equity make wine an ideal investment. If in doubt, buy wine!

Vintage jewellery/watches

Once upon a time, investing in jewellery was for the mega-rich. Now, as much as it can be pricey, the price tag is accumulated by other factors such as the heritage, age and significance. Vintage pieces with a story, or jewellery that fits with a trend or other statement piece can be a true investment.  

Doing your research on the jewellery and inspecting it will also give an indication of its price. If you are unable to view, ask for an in-depth condition report and lots of pictures and videos for a full 360 view.

Watches have collectors who are generally fans of particular brands. The best ones to look out for (but it’ll cost you to get these) are Rolex, Omega, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Tudor and Longines.

Now you know what is popular this year, it’s about time you got started! Take a look at our live auctions now.