And then you have individuals who tend to hoard outdated tech because of nostalgic value. Others do so because they could just be forgetful. However, the point is that this outdated tech could be more valuable than a vacation trip to Europe. When nostalgia meets rarity, value can reach stratospheric levels. When a device was the most advanced just a few years back, one tends to pay a hefty sum similar to artwork or watches.
When it comes to 2025 collectors, they don’t just collect items from the antiques of yesterday’s eras. They’re looking to collect items from the end of the 20th and start of the 21st century, which would relate to things like the block phone, pixelated videogames, and music players. The twist? The item has to have its packaging intact, ideally still unopened. Non-functional or already used items can still be valuable if it’s rare or if it has historical significance due to its owner.
These are just a few examples of vintage tech products that have stood the test of time in the modern collectors’ market, possibly only collecting dust in an attic or storage box in your neighborhood.
1. Apple I Computer – The $475,000 Pioneer
Apple I is more than just an Apple. It is, in fact, the seed of what may be the most influential technology conglomerate in the world. Apple I was made in 1976. Most Apple Is were sold with only the circuit board. Later on, however, an electronics store owner in California made an agreeing contract with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak regarding the transfer of fifty ready-made Apple Is housed in wooden boxes. There are only nine pieces left in this modern world.
One of these, belonging to June Blodgett Moore, who was the first female graduate of Stanford Law School, was sold for 475,000 dollars in September 2025. To have one of the remaining forty-one is an rarity and an ambition of every collector because of its history and rarity. If one of them is kept in storage, it is virtually a treasure chest.
2. 2nd-Generation iPhone – The Holy Grail of Smartphones
The launch of the iPhone in 2007 revolutionized the world of mobiles with its ‘multi-touch interface’; yet, with sales of millions, the limited edition 4GB version, which was discontinued after the first year of its launch, now fetches a premium price due to its rarity. The price of the sealed 4GB version, which was offered in an auction conducted in July 2025, was $190,372, which was 380 times its cost price.
Collectors are interested in the boxed sets that come with its original home screen featuring 12 icons. Even if it is a second-hand item, it can cost thousands if it is a complete set with its box and packaging, although those that are not boxed are only worth $100. Provenance also comes with it, like one that belonged to an engineer of Apple that took part in its launch and now is a record-breaking phone.
3. Nintendo Entertainment System Deluxe Set – The Crown Jewel of Gaming
The NES Nintendo was the standard for home consoles in the 1980s. Nintendo was selling its Deluxe Set in the USA in 1985 with accessories like the Zapper gun and the inexplicable R.O.B. robotic toy. In 2023, one sealed pack of NES Nintendo in 2023 sold for $120,000.
An unopened loose NES games set is now being sold for prices reaching up to $50,000, while the used ones usually cost a few hundred dollars. The price, scarcity, and value of the history behind the Deluxe Set make it the most invaluable gaming collectible.
4. Pristine Video Game Cartridges – Million Dollar Pixels
Consoles are not alone when it comes to strong pricing tags, as some video games have shattered world records as well. ‘Sealed copies’ of ‘Super Mario Brothers’ are sold for more than $1 million, and ‘The Legend of Zelda’ game is sold for $870,000. Even niche titles haven’t disappointed people when it comes to their price tags, as ‘Twisted Metal’ is sold for $156,000 in 2022.
If the condition is fine, the packaging is sealed, the manuals are new, and the labels are in mint condition, that favorite toy of yours from when you were a kid could be worth six figures.
5: First Generation iPod: The Digital Music Revolution
It is an innovative product, and when it first came to market for the first time in 2001, it gave a revolution to the industry. Nowadays, even collectors are ready to give top dollar to have one of those original iPods in their possession.
Price of a first-generation iPod in August of 2025 was $40,264. Even some of the latest models, like 7th Generation iPod Nano, will retail for a refurbished price of $1,500. Only a few non-Apple digital MP3 players will be anywhere near to such a price range, except for some variations of Sony Walkman Digital Player, which will not be much different.
6. Casio G-Shock Watches – From Technology to Luxury
Developed by Kikuo Ibe in the year 1983, the G-Shock withstood a fall of 10m, pressures of 100m, and had an battery life of 10 years. Though once considered inexpensive, the G-Shocks of some designs can retail for thousands of dollars. A Casio G-Shock 5600E, used by an astronaut named Hans Schlegel in space, retailed for $5,499, while some limited designs reach up to $8,000.
This has resulted in the culmination of the G-Shock brand building reaching the design of the G-D001 by AI and the resulting auction sale of the eighteen-karat gold watch for $400,000 in the year 2023. G-Shock has therefore been preferred by the collector due to the combination of the factors mentioned above.
7. Nintendo Game Boy – Pocket Nostalgia
The first handheld gaming console, the Game Boy, was released in 1989 and consisted of the console itself and the Tetris game. Not many people have it in their collection since it is quite expensive, with the price being an astonishing $38,000. Consols being consols, the value for most resides within the actual game. Pokémon Red cost £156,000 or $156,000 in the year 2021, and Super Mario Land for £90,000
Consoles from previous generations, such as Game & Watch, can come up with surprises too, like a sealed Fire package from 1980, sold for $1,500.
8. Boomboxes – The Soundtrack of the ’80s
“Culturally iconic” boom boxes were large, loud, and the listening stations of choice during the ‘80s. If mint and high-quality, boom boxes sold for thousands of dollars. For instance, the price for the Sony 1983 Hi-Fi cassette boombox is currently $5,699, while the JVC M90 boombox sold for $3
Movie props can be another draw with such things as the Promax Super Jumbo from Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” which went for $9,375 and is now located at the Smithsonian Institution.
9. Rare Tamagotchis: Digital Pets Transcend to Luxury Collectibles
“Tamagotchi,” made by Bandai, was first marketed in 1996. This is an electronic pet that a person carries around in his or her pocket. While copies can be bought fairly steadily, a limited set is more expensive. There is a Japanese version in the form of a white and red shell that can be priced up to 2,999 dollars. Other similar to it are the anime series-themed “iD Conan Version” costing $1,840 and the “49-in-1 Anniversary Edition” for $1,000. Their rarity and relation to popular culture or nostalgia are what makes them valuable.
10. Hewlett-Packard HP-01 Calculator Watch – Ahead of Its Time
Launched in 1977, the HP-01 is a device that combined the functionality of a digital watch, a calculator, a calendar, and an organizer. Although it is not a functioning device, it is still selling at $2,000 because of its uniqueness and rarity. In fact, its stainless steel casing and multiple-button functionality make it a much-coveted item among collectors of early wearable technology, much earlier than the smartwatches of today.
It was a big deal back when it came out, and it really did give the Collectibles are more than just gadgets and gizmos to those grown individuals who were introduced to personal technology as kids. They are pieces of history, and the value is attributed to the fact that it is nostalgic and very rare. They not only give one an idea of the memories one could find in an attic but also give them an understanding of the fact that what was high-tech yesterday is priceless today. In some cases, those items could be worth more than one could ever have imagined.
