Nintendo consoles, Pyrex dishes and your gran’s costume jewellery: Antiques Roadshow expert reveals the everyday items which could make you a pretty penny
DO you have a dusty games console or an old piece of furniture in your home which could be worth hundreds of pounds?
As Antiques Roadshow celebrates its 40th birthday, the show's collectibles expert Mark Hill spoke to us about the hidden gems you could have hiding in your home.
And it turns out that there are some everyday items which could be worth thousands to the right buyer.
With retro homeware becoming trendier than ever, antique expert Mark has some must-read advice for anyone looking to cash in.
He said: "Look in unlikely places and look at unlikely things. These objects might surprise some people because the market has changed so much over the past 20 years or so.
"We're now seeing things being bought in that are worth good sums of money that were actually made when the show was starting out in 1977.
"It's the things which you might not consider, things which you might have around the house. You might just not consider your granny's vase but it could be a sought after collectable."
Here are 13 of Mark's hidden household gems which could make you some serious dough.
Signed Mdina fish vase: £1,500-2,000
Produced in Malta, these coloured vases have become extremely trendy in recent years.
So called because of their fishy resemblance, one of these Mdina vases could net you as much as £2000 - but it will need to be signed by the designer, Michael Harris, for any collectors to consider it a catch.
Joseff of Hollywood Moon and Ruff pin: £1,000
People often overlook costume jewellery, according to antiques guru Mark, but your gran's jewellery box could be hiding a small fortune.
A Moon God and Ruff pin by Joseff of Hollywood could be worth as much as £1000 - despite being made from gold-coloured metal rather than real gold.
Kofod Larsen G Plan teak sideboard: £300-800
While there's always been demand for older pieces of furniture, you're now just as likely to make big bucks with a 1970s sideboard as you are one from the 1770s.
A G Plan teak wood sideboard made in the 1970s could fetch you between £300 and £800 if it was made by a designer called Ib Kofod Larsen, who was behind many of the G Plan pieces at the time.
Mark said: "It's just a look that's very popular at the moment.
"Those teak sideboards are very fashionable, they're functional, they work in modern homes - so they've seen a massive rise over the last ten years or so."
Starburst aqua Pyrex casserole dish: £200
1950s or 1960s Pyrex serving dishes are worth a lot more than you'd imagine, provided they're in a sought-after design.
An aqua casserole dish with the starburst pattern could bag you £200 if you've still got the wire stand it was sold with.
Balloon Fight Nintendo Game & Watch: £250
These 1980s Nintendo consoles have become very collectable, with some versions now worth hundreds of pounds.
Balloon Fight, from 1986, is one of the most valuable games today, worth an estimated £250.
Mark said: "There's a real interest in retro gaming. People are harking back to these things and collectors today will pay hundreds of pounds for them."
Old Hall stainless-steel Alveston tea set: £200
These tea and coffee pots may look like they wouldn't be out of place in a Greasy Spoon cafe, but they've become seriously trendy in recent years.
If you happen to have one made by Old Hall in your home then you could be in for a payday.
Produced in 1964, the Alveston tea set by designer Robert Welch could be worth around £200 today.
Blonde wood Ercol pebble side tables: £250
Once a common feature of many British living rooms, Ercol furniture is now worth a fair few quid to collectors.
Particularly valuable are Ercol's 1950s pebble side tables, designed by Lucin Ercolani.
A set of three in blonde wood could be worth around £250 if they're all in great nick.
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Vladimir Tretchikoff Chinese Girl print: £200
These mass-produced prints were sold in Britain throughout the 1950s as an affordable way to brighten up your home.
But now one print in the range by artist Vladimir Tretchikoff is worth a pretty penny.
Today, an original Chinese Girl print is worth £200 if it's still in its frame.
Rocket floor lamp: £150
These 1960s fibreglass lamps, named after their resemblance to rockets, have really taken off.
A floor lamp with teak legs could be worth £150.
Spectrum 48K computer with original accessories: £150
Back in the day, loads of people had one of these early PCs - but if you've kept yours it could be worth a few bob.
A second-hand Spectrum 48K computer, along with the box and cables it originally came with, could be worth between £100 and £150.
Silver Dunhill cigarette lighter: £60-150
Smoking may be well out of fashion, but your grandfather's lighter could have become trendier over time.
A silver-plate lighter by manufacturer Dunhill could be worth £60, while a silver lighter could bag you £150.
Amanaman Star Wars figure: £80
There's a real market for old Star Wars toys, but they usually aren't worth anything unless they're still in their original packaging.
However, the original Amanaman figure from 1985 is so sought after that you can make a few quid from one without the box.
Provided you still have the staff accessory the figure was sold with, it could be worth £80.
Original Hasbro Optimus Prime toy: £100-200
Another popular 80s toy is the 1984 Hasbro Optimus Prime figure, from the Transformers series.
If you have the original figure, still with (but not necessarily in) its box and in mint condition, you could make between £100 and £200 from it.
Explaining the growing market for old toys, Mark said: "Nostalgia is a key reason why lots of people collect."
Previously, we revealed which of the new £10 notes could actually be worth thousands - and what to look out for.
We also revealed which diesel cars could be worth a fortune in the future if you save them from the scrapheap.