How to Identify Valuable Collectibles for Flipping

Reselling 101

By RC Staff

20 July 2023

If you’ve been reselling for a while, you know that there are all kinds of items you can flip for profit. Some resellers prefer to focus on a particular niche like sneakers, trading cards, or electronics, while others will simply go for anything profitable. Today, we’ll be talking about the world of collectibles, and how they can make you money as a reseller.

What is a collectible?

In truth, “collectible” is a quite a broad term. Some items are produced intended as collectibles, others become regarded as a collectible after a few years. Anything, from posters to statues, toys, video games, even food or drink could be considered a collectible.

For a reseller, a collectible can be defined as any item that takes it’s value from sentimentality, rather than function. That doesn’t mean a collectible can’t be functional, it just means people are buying them because they like what it’s associated with.

That might be a popular movie or IP, or a video game series. It might be an art collective or designer. It may be a completely random company that put out a limited edition collectible based on one of their products. The bottom line is that collectibles can spring up out of anywhere, and as a reseller all you should care about is what they will flip for.

Because there are so many collectibles out there, a lot of them are worthless. That’s just the way it goes sometimes, but it also means you need to be careful about what you buy. Just because a company advertises an item as valuable and rare doesn’t mean either of those cases are true.

How to tell if a collectible is valuable

Obviously you’ll want to avoid bricks if you’re trying to make money as a reseller. That means being able to spot profitable items, as well as the less profitable, is critically important.

When looking for collectibles to resell, there’s a few factors to consider. For one, the target market for the item is crucial. You need to know who the item is being marketed to, as those people will be the same ones buying it from you.

Ideally these buyers will be devoted to the brand behind the collectible, enough so that they’re willing to throw gobs of cash at it. Speaking of money, the pricier is generally the better. Situations where buyers are already anticipating spending a significant amount on the item at retail are ideal for resellers, because they’ll be willing to fork over more to you.

Additionally, production is critical. Nobody will buy an item off of a reseller if they can easily find it at retail, and you’ll have a harder time convincing anyone to give you much for it there are many others for sale. Always try to find out specific production numbers for a production run before you buy in.

Finally, check the market for similar collectibles from the same brand. If there are already many other versions of the product that have already been produced, it can hurt the value of new products for a reseller.

The best collectibles to flip

Let’s take a look at some examples of collectibles that have resold in the past. These have been produced in a variety of categories, some of which you may not have thought of as collectibles, but are certainly bought and sold as such.

Collectable toys and miniatures

This is probably the most common form of collectibles we see resellers go for. This includes anything small, plastic, and relatively expensive for what it is. Special figures, bobbleheads, Funko Pops, you get the pictures. These are items that fans and collectors will seek out and pay out the nose for.

Here are a few recent examples of collectable toys that have resold:

• Braves OutKast Bobbleheads: These bobbleheads were a special collaboration between the Atlanta Braves and OutKast. They were handed out free of charge to the first 15,000 fans through the gate on May 25, and quickly blew up on social media. They have since resold for upwards of $200.
• Stitch with Record Player Funko Pop: A special edition Funko Pop that could resell for much more than it retailed for. While there are tons of Funkos released every month, this one was special. Read our article for a deep dive into why this Funko Pop resells
• MF DOOM Action Figure: This limited edition action figure was produced ahead of the late rapper’s 52nd birthday. The stock sold out quite fast, and began trading for significantly above what it retailed for.

Collectable video games

Here’s a fun opportunity if you like video games. Collector’s editions of popular games are a great way for fans of a game to get a cool bit of merchandise, and also a chance for resellers to make some extra cash.

These are some of our favorites in the past few years:

• DOOM Eternal Collector’s Edition: One of the best reviewed games of 2021 got an extremely cool collector’s edition, but most resellers slept on them. Check out our article for the complete story behind DOOM Eternal’s collector’s edition, and why they resell for hundreds today.
• Resident Evil 4 Collector’s Edition: The latest entry in the RE series continued a longstanding tradition. Collector’s editions of RE4 included a miniature statuette of the game’s protagonist Leon Kennedy, and resellers were able to make tons of the game.
• Final Fantasy 16 Collector’s Edition: While FF16 is certainly getting a lot of positive press, you might be surprised to learn these collector’s editions remained in stock for months. You can read our article for a closer look at why these sat in retail and resold after launch.

Collectable vinyl records

Vinyl has become one of our favorite choices to resell lately. It’s a great way for fans of an artist or album to have a tangible, collectable piece of merchandise that represents their interest. Consequently, prices for the most desirable records can inflate to incredible amounts.

Here are some of the most profitable vinyl flips we’ve looked at:

• Greta Van Fleet Signed Starcatcher Vinyl: This was a pretty weird release that caught both fans and resellers off guard. Just 100 signed records were made available and sold exclusively through a UK-distributor, despite Greta Van Fleet being a thoroughly American band.
• Sleep Dopesmoker Weedian Hi-Fi Vinyl: While the Greta Van Fleet vinyl was weird, this one was weirder. Real cannabis leaves were embedded in the vinyl, and sold in-person only at Third Man Records shop in Detroit. They now resell for hundreds of dollars.
• Sidewalk 2023 Vinyl Repress: A piece of 1970s lost media got a new lease on life when it was reissued in July 2023. In addition to the standard release, 100 signed and hand-poured vinyl records were produced and sold, and may become quite valuable in the future.

For a more in-depth look at reselling vinyl, check out our article here. You don’t need to be an expert on the subject to profit from it, and vinyl is a great opportunity for any reseller.

Tips for reselling collectibles

Fortunately, making a profit flipping collectibles is pretty straightforward. The most popular releases will typically sell out quite fast, and it’s not at all uncommon to make a sale the same day. Depending on the item, you may want to hold onto it for a little while to try and get a better price.

Generally speaking, holding an item is risky. The longer you wait to make a sale, the bigger of a gamble you take, especially if the item is currently reselling. It’s best to hold an item only when you are very confident it will appreciate in the future. Things like collectible version of popular records or games, or an item from the first production run.

Otherwise, the only thing you really need to is to keep an eye out for new releases of upcoming collectible releases. Pay attention to social media updates from your favorite brands and companies, and take not when they mention limited editions of upcoming products.

Joining a dedicated group of experienced resellers is one way to get a leg up on the competition. If you want advanced notice on upcoming releases, hyped products, and the most profitable items to resell, you should check out RC Elite. It’s your one stop shop for everything resell related, and will provided a steady stream of the best flips.

Additionally, RC Elite members also benefit from 24/7 support from a network of other resellers. No matter what your experience level is, or what you want to break into, there’s someone there who can help you level up your reselling game. It’s our goal to make sure everyone in RC Elite has everything they need to make a profit every month.

Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter for more updates on new items to resell. While the best and most profitable items are reserved for RC Elite members, we do try to keep our newsletter readers informed on new opportunities to make a profit reselling.