The Royal Guide to Royal memorabilia

• The big question - one we often asked - is how much is it worth?
• Here let me explain:
• What makes something valuable?
• Will my royal memorabilia increase in value?
• What types of royal memorabilia can I make money from?
• So should I buy memorabilia for Harry and Meghan’s wedding?

Is it worth stocking up on Royal memorabilia now to make money in the future? As Harry and Meghan prepare to tie the knot, manufacturers all over the world prepare to make and sell commemorative merchandise.

From mugs and tea-towels to limited edition medallions and commemorative coins. There’ll be no shortage of royal trinkets to help you remember and celebrate the royal wedding.

The big question - one we often asked - is how much is it worth?

Once you’ve bought a royal mug or a plate depicting a seminal royal event, does it become an investment? Something you can sell on later for big bucks? The short answer is not necessarily.

Here let me explain:

What makes something valuable?

The age, rarity and condition of the item has a direct bearing on how much money you can make from selling it. Generally, if something is mass produced, it doesn’t become a collectors item until it’s no longer made and there are less of them available to buy.

Another thing that impacts the value is the collectors market. Fragile royal memorabilia like ceramics are not as in demand as say commemorative coins. This means your royal cups and plates will worth less than your coins and medallions.

Will my royal memorabilia increase in value?

Mass produced items from the 20th Century are far less likely to increase in value. In most cases this is because they exist in large quantities and tend to be poorer quality than their antique counterparts.

One exception to this is anything personally connected to the royals. For instance anything bearing the signature of a royal or something belonging to one.

Royal memorabilia from the Victorian period and before can worth a lot of money as it’s now relatively rare and tended to be well made.

What types of royal memorabilia can I make money from?

Royal mint proof coins become sought after by collectors in later years. Usually they made from gold or silver which at least holds value as a precious metal even if the coin isn’t as desirable. Commemorative coins tend to hold value and increase in value with age.

Popular companies like Wedgewood and Royal Doulton will sometimes produce a limited run of royal memorabilia leading up to any royal event. Limited edition items are more likely to become valuable over time as only a certain number of items are produced.

So should I buy memorabilia for Harry and Meghan’s wedding?

So, If you’d like to have a nice memento of the event, then yes. If you love it, want to display it and commemorate the event then it’s worth doing.

But If you’re buying for investment purposes it’s better to look out for items; that are produced in limited runs or have a personal connection to the royal couple.

So however you plan to celebrate the royal wedding this weekend, think twice about stocking up on those commemorative mugs, tea-towels or boxes of cereal!

If you've got old royal memorabilia and you'd like to sell it, try Vintage Cash Cow for a fast, free and easy way to cash in.

Want to know what else you can cash in on? Check out this in depth guide on how to sell your silver jewellery:

The Monster 10 Step Guide to Selling Silver Jewellery