Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Check Your Kids' Closets! You Might Just Find Some Cash In There...



... in the form of old board games.  There are many board games that are no longer being made but still have a big following.  Many have older versions that are still quite popular.  Also, people who have those older games are often looking to replace lost or broken game pieces.  This is one more area you can make some nice profit in on eBay.  They are readily available in thrift stores, attics and kids' closets.

One of my best sellers in the board game category is the RISK board game.   My best RISK sale was a Lord of the Rings edition that sold for $74.99.  If I remember correctly, I purchased it at a local thrift store for somewhere around $2.00.  There are MANY different editions and versions of the RISK game and you will need to know which one you have in order to accurately describe and list it for sale.  Here is a great resource for researching the different ones:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_licensed_Risk_game_boards  Once you know for sure which one you have, make sure that all of the original pieces are included.  If you aren't sure if all the parts are there, you can often find the list of parts on the inside of the box.  If there are pieces missing, you have two options.  If there are only a few missing pieces, you can always purchase them on eBay to make a complete game.  OR, you can "part it out" and sell the pieces as replacements for those looking to complete THEIR game.  Here is the link to all of my current RISK games and parts:  http://stores.ebay.com/Fallen-Leaf-Books-and-More/_i.html?_nkw=risk&submit=Search&_sid=1085039    

RISK is not the only board game that you can turn for profit.  I am always on the lookout for obscure and fantasy board games, like the one I sold yesterday called Cosmic Encounter.  It sold for $31 and I paid $1 for it.  It was a complete game in excellent condition.  I always get quite excited when I find old board games in excellent condition for cheap!

Duel of Ages is another one that brought me a nice profit, selling for $75.99 after I paid $1 for it.  This is a strategy game that is no longer being made.  Apparently, it has a cult-like following around the world, since mine sold to a buyer in Australia.  

A 3-D board game called HOTELS was probably my best-selling game of all time.  Once again, I found it for a mere $2 or so and sold it for $129.99 to a New York buyer.  
Another obscure board game that I had great success with is called Broadsides and Boarding Parties.  This one went for $98.50 and sold within days of listing it.  This game is described as a suspenseful sea duel between a pirate ship and the Spanish galleon.  The setting is the 17th century in the Caribbean Sea.  How cool is that?    
One of my newest items is the Jumanji board game (remember the movie?).  I paid $1 for it and have had it listed for a few weeks.  I'll keep tweaking my asking price and it will eventually sell.        So... as you can see, obscure, fantasy and strategy board games are a great find that you should always consider picking up whenever you can find them.  


2 comments:

  1. Amazing finds. You just never know what's going to sell on eBay. I'd love to feature you on my blog at My Dear Trash. Keep up the great worki.

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  2. Thanks, Laura!! I'd love to be featured on your blog!

    ReplyDelete