Antiques valuer Dan Hatfield has warned household owners to check their cupboards before throwing items away, revealing that everyday objects from supermarket trainers to printed pizza menus could become tomorrow's high-value collectables.
Writing on August 22, 2026, Hatfield explained that while investors remain focused on artificial intelligence companies and soaring technology stocks, some of the best-performing collectables were originally bought for routine daily use without any investment intention.
Hatfield, who has valued antiques and collectables for more than 25 years, noted that every historic antique began as an ordinary object, pointing out that Victorian dining tables and old advertising signs were never purchased expecting future collectors to compete for them.
He said the traditional collecting cycle has accelerated dramatically due to globalisation, online marketplaces, and social media, reducing the time required for nostalgia to develop from half a century to little more than a decade.
"In many ways, we're the first generation to watch tomorrow's antiques being created and then become nostalgic for them while we're still here to enjoy them," Hatfield said.
Hatfield has been exploring the trend alongside co-host Alice Beer on their podcast, Pre-Loved Prophets, which examines hidden household treasures and asks which modern possessions future collectors will seek out. The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms, alongside Instagram and TikTok accounts under @prelovedprophets.
Argos catalogues and paper items
One major item highlighted by Hatfield is the Argos catalogue, which he described as an extraordinary example of an everyday object turning into a valuable time capsule. Printed by the millions in the last century and routinely recycled, rarer editions now sell for more than £200, while a 1991 catalogue featured on the podcast was valued at around £80.
Hatfield noted that as daily life becomes increasingly digital, physical paper items are quietly disappearing, with boarding passes moving to mobile phones, takeaway menus switching to QR codes, and instruction manuals being downloaded.
He named printed Domino's menus as a top bet for future collectability, recalling how they evoke memories of deciding what to order and debating pizza costs, which currently sit around £20.
He added that printed television guides, such as a Christmas 2025 edition or a listings magazine covering England in a World Cup final, will become prized historical records of shared national moments.
Brand collaborations and viral crazes
Hatfield cited brand collaborations as a defining trend of the 2020s, where fashion labels partner with sportswear firms, fast-food chains release clothing lines, and limited-edition items sell out in minutes before reselling online for multiple times their retail price.
Examples include Greggs clothing, supermarket merchandise, designer partnerships, and the Swatch partnership with luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet.
Hatfield said that while not everyone can afford a five-figure Swiss watch, such collaborations allow buyers to own a snapshot of 2020s culture.
Short-lived viral crazes also create strong collecting potential because their rapid rise and disappearance capture specific cultural moments. Items such as original Prime bottles, McDonald's Adult Happy Meal toys, Aldi merchandise, and Lidl trainers often become nostalgic treasures after initial hype fades.
Toys outperforming traditional investments
Hatfield highlighted toys as one of the strongest categories in the collectables market, describing them as "time machines" that reconnect people with childhood memories of birthdays and holidays.
A study by researchers at the Higher School of Economics found that sealed Lego sets increased in value by an average of around 11 per cent a year between 1997 and 2015, outperforming gold for a period.
Modern toys to watch closely include Jellycats, Labubu figures, and limited-edition Lego sets. Hatfield advised collectors not to automatically buy the most popular item in a range, as the least popular version is produced in smaller numbers and becomes the rarest piece needed to complete sets 20 years later.
Music and sporting memorabilia
In music memorabilia, Hatfield pointed to era-defining artists such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, comparing their cultural impact to The Beatles or the Spice Girls. Collectable items include tour-exclusive merchandise, VIP passes, venue-only posters, limited-edition vinyl, and promotional giveaways.
He noted that Beatles concert tickets, originally purchased simply to attend a performance, can now change hands for more than £2,000.
The global sports memorabilia market is estimated to be worth around £30 billion, driven by official programmes, tickets, accreditation passes, event merchandise, and football shirts. Football shirts from the 1990s regularly fetch hundreds of pounds, with unworn shirts retaining original tags commanding the highest prices.
Golden rules for spotting future antiques
Hatfield outlined several practical principles for spotting future collectables before they become widely sought after:
- Buy items that define an era rather than simply what is expensive
- Keep original packaging wherever possible
- Save receipts and certificates
- Store items somewhere cool, dry, and away from direct sunlight
- If affordable, buy two copies, using one and keeping one unopened
- Do not overlook the least popular version of an item
- Buy items that carry personal emotional meaning
Hatfield concluded that as artificial intelligence reshapes work and communication, physical objects offer authenticity, memory, and human connection that algorithms cannot provide, making nostalgia a defining currency of future decades.
