7+ Commonly Inherited Items That Aren't Worth Anything

Unfortunately, Grandma’s china is really not worth anything..read on for what else isn’t valuable.

  1. Books- Many books aren’t worth anything.

  • First edition: Depending on the popularity of the book and author, first-printings may be more valuable. Unsure about a book? Here’s how to identify a first edition.

  • Author-signed: Again, depending on the popularity of the book, signed copies may carry more value.

2. Crystal pieces- The only brands that might fetch some money are:

  • Baccarat

  • Hofbauer

  • Kosta Boda

  • Lalique

3. Collectibles- If grandma has been collecting Precious Moments to fund your kid’s college, it might not be worth anything. Here are the common items that aren’t worth anything:

  • Souvenir thimbles

  • Souvenir miniature spoons

  • Commemorative plates

  • Beanie Babies

  • Hummel figurines

  • Precious Moments figurines

  • Longaberger baskets

4. Formal sets of china- Once part of a bride’s trousseau or given as a wedding gift, no one has formal dinner parties anymore. So there is really no need for formal dishes.

5. Huge pieces of furniture- Such as wardrobes and sideboards are too big for many of the places that people live in today. They take up a lot of room and are not practical.

6. Silver-plated silverware- Silver plate is different from sterling silver. Sterling has a market all its own, and full flatware sets contain enough silver to be valuable by weight alone.

7. Contemporary holiday decorations- They are too mass-produced to be worth anything. But more vintage Halloween and holiday decorations can be worth something.