Make sure not to throw these away when clearing out the basement!
Here are the top 20 most valuable vintage board games based on a survey of successfully completed eBay auctions*:
1. Be a Manager (1967, BAMCO): $1,500
2. Fortune (1935, Parker Brothers): $1,360
3. War of the Ring Collector’s Edition (2010, Fantasy Flight Games): $1,200
4. Swift Meats Major League Baseball Game (1957, Swift Meats): $1,084
5. Keywood (1995, R&D Games): $860
6. Haunted House (1962, IDEAL): $800
7. The Elvis Presley Game (1957, Teen-Age Games): $799
8. Settlers of Catan 3D Collector’s Edition (2005, Mayfair Games): $775
9. Monopoly (1933, Parker Brothers): $760
10. Lost in Space 3D Action Fun Game (1966, REMCO): $750
11. Axis & Allies 50th Anniversary Edition (2008, Avalon Hill): $588
12. Moon Mullins Game (1927, Milton Bradley): $550
13. Dark Tower (1981, Milton Bradley): $535
14. Boris Karloff’s Monster Game (1965, Game Gems): $522
15. La Bataille de Deutsch-Wagram (1981, Marshall Enterprises): $502
16. War in Europe (1999, Decision Games): $500
17. Case Blue (2007, Multi-Man Publishing): $500
18. Warhammer Quest (1995, Games Workshop): $500
19. Mickey Mouse Snakes & Ladders (?, The Chad Valley Games): $484
20. The Devil’s Cauldron (2008, Multi-Man Publishing): $481
*As of July 28, 2013. Not including artistic, custom, or generic games, or ones made of special materials—for example, hand carved Chess pieces or antique, bone Mahjong sets. Also not including collections, like a series of games or an army of miniatures. And yes, I realize that a few might stretch the meaning of vintage, but all are out-of-print.