I’m a phone expert and your old mobile could be worth hundreds – how to spot if you have a rare or collectible one
WONDERING if your first ever mobile phone is an antique yet? You could be sitting on a small goldmine.
There are over 55million unused phones lying around people’s homes, according to research by giffgaff.
That's almost one for every person in the UK.
And some old phones are now worth hundreds – even thousands, says Ben Wood, founder of the Mobile Phone Museum.
He has worked in the industry for over 30 years.
"There has been a notable uptick in prices on online auction sites over the last few years as people have become more interested in collecting old technology,” he says.
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“There have been numerous stories of old mobile phones selling for thousands of pounds.
"Older phones that are becoming increasingly rare are commanding high prices – though that could be a few hundred pounds rather than thousands.”
Ben says that rarity is the key factor in the value of an old mobile phone.
“A good example of this is the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, which was the first handheld mobile phone,” he says.
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One sold on eBay for a massive £1,776 last year.
“Others are the IBM Simon, which is arguably the first example of a smartphone – though it wasn’t called that when it was launched – because only 50,000 units were made.
"The Nokia 7700 because of its distinctive design is another as well as the first phone to be commercially described as a ‘smartphone’, the Ericsson GS88.”
Devices that have interesting designs and are from the early days of the mobile phone market, which started in the mid 1980s, seem popular with collectors, according to Ben.
“Phones from luxury phone company Vertu are quite a find when they turn up. These often come in beautiful packaging which adds to the value.”
Got an old Nokia?
While it’s these more unusual phones that command the biggest prices, even mass produced old phones could be worth something.
“The basic Nokia 3310, of which over 120 million were made, is worth very little, but more advanced models like the Nokia N95 can reach prices of around £40 in decent condition."
A pristine Motorola RAZR V3 can command a similar value, explains Ben, who started collecting phones in the 1990s and has now amassed over 1,000 devices.
“Any of the old more distinctive Nokia phones like the gaming-centric Ngage models or the quirky fashion devices such as the Nokia 73xx series tend to earn a little more when they are second hand.
"And phones with a cool-factor like the Nokia 8110 that featured in The Matrix movie also hold a little more value.”
Blackberry and iPhones
The original iPhone sells for an average of £542 on eBay, but most devices would need to be sold in working condition, rather than as a vintage find.
“The iPhone is a bit of an enigma as it has the most enduring value of any modern day phone.
"If you have one in a drawer, even an older model like an iPhone 7 from 2016, it is definitely worth digging it out as quickly as possible and selling it while it still has some residual value.
"However, that’s more about selling it as a working unit rather than as a collectible,” Ben explains.
Phones like the BlackBerry devices are not worth that much unless you have a more premium variant like the Porsche edition, he says.
"But there is some nostalgia value and you might get lucky and find a buyer who wants one for old time's sake. Sadly, it’s not a phone that will work anymore.”
Of course, phones are meant to be used and luckily, old ones don’t always have to be in mint condition to be worth money.
“Phones naturally tend to have quite a bit of wear and tear, but devices that have been well looked after and kept in a case are often worth a little more.
"If you have the original packaging that can be a bonus."
Ben adds: "At the Mobile Phone Museum we are more interested in the design of the devices and stories behind them, so we don’t worry too much if they don’t have a complete box or they even turn on.
“But for some collectors, it’s a big deal to have mint condition packaging and all the accessories."
With older phones there is also the challenge of the batteries degrading and sometimes leaking warns Ben.
"Over time it is going to be harder and harder to keep devices in full working order.”
Ben says that ebay is your best go-to auction site for selling your old phones.
“For ultra rarities there are some specialist auction sites specialising in retro and vintage technology,” he suggests.
Prices reached on Ebay
- Motorola DynaTAC 8000X - £1,776.01
- HTC Touch Diamond2 - £542.90
- iPhone - £542.55
- iPhone 3G - £301.68
- Motorola RAZR2 - £239.25
- Motorola Microtac 9800X - £230.36
- Motorola International 3200 - £215.50
- Nokia 7280 - £180.44
- Nokia N79 - £171.62
- Ericsson T39 - £146.85
Research by mobile phone insurance providers Protect Your Bubble
The top ten most valuable old phones
- Motorola 8000X - £1000 - £5000
- Nokia N950 - £1000 - £1500
- Orbitel Cityfone - £1500 - £3500
- Motorola Aura - £1000 - £3500
- Vertu Signature phone - £2000 - £10000
- IBM Simon - £1500 - £3500
- Nokia 8800 Arte Gold - £750 - £1500
- BlackBerry Porsche Design - £250 - £1500
- Original Apple iPhone - £100 - £10,000 depending on condition
- Ericsson JB988 (James Bond phone) – priceless!
Don't bin it
Ben says that, whatever you do, don’t put your old mobile phones in the bin.
“If you do have a draw full of old phones, it is well worth digging them out and doing something with them," he advises.
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"Selling them as a job lot on an auction site is often the easiest way to deal with them and you’ll likely get a few quid.
"If you can’t be bothered with that it is worth taking them to your local recycling centre so they can be disposed of safely.”