The Thrifty Nerd: Five Party Games That Make Money on Ebay

(This is a first in a series of articles based on finding valuable, nerdy items at thrift stores)

I pretty much support my gaming habit by picking up items at thrift and junk stores and selling them on Ebay. Having done this for years, I've developed a good eye for games, toys, and collectables that sell better on Ebay than the average thrift shopper might think. Since I constantly hear from friends “Even if I came across one of those, I wouldn't have known to pick it up,” I thought I'd start a series of articles helping thrifters find the good, nerdy stuff that can turn a profit online. I'm starting with a group of super-common items that actually sell well—party games. There isn't a ton of profit to be had here, but they are almost guaranteed sales and consistently profitable. By the way, I'm working under the assumption that you can pick up these games for between 1.00 and 2.50.

1. 25 Words or Less. This former winner of the Games Magazine Game of the Year was my groups favorite party game for a couple of years in the 90's and we still bring it out occasionally. The original green box edition (pictured) has been selling for between 20.00 and 40.00 on Ebay. This one snuck up on me. I hadn't noticed it selling, and I'm sure I've left copies behind recently. It is definitely now on my list.

2. Guesstures. A simple Charades variation, Guesstures somehow manages to be a decent Ebay item even when it is currently in-print. When the company has it on moratorium, Guesstures can go through the roof on Ebay. Otherwise, you can count on 10 to 20 bucks.

3. Moods. I'm not too impressed with this more recent, but now out of print game, but it sells well. In the past month, copies have gone for between 15.00 (for a used copy) and 40.00 (for a still-in-shrink copy).

4. Beyond Balderdash. It takes the right crowd, but BB is my choice for best party game of all time. It takes the already solid Balderdash and adds categories that are right up my alley (like obscure movie titles). It is a bit inconsistent as far as Ebay prices, but I've had good luck with it over the years. The last month has seen copies sell from between 5.00 and 45.00 (for a sealed copy), but it more consistently sales for between 10.00 and 15.00.

5. What Were You Thinking? This really good party game is a double collectable. It appeals to players of party games and to collectors of Richard Garfield (the designer of Magic: the Gathering). It is also the rarest game on the list (though I'm not sure how many copies of Moods are in print). The combination of factors makes it a consistent seller. The average price is around 25.00, but I've seen it go as high as 60.00.

So, there you go. No one is getting rich selling these games, but they are so commonly available that you can pick up multiples to sell.