101 things in your attic that could be worth a lot of money

264. Real Writers

Manufacturer: Royal Typewriter Company 
Original Price: $100-$125*
Worth Today: $500-$700*

Edward B. Hess founded the Royal Typewriter Company in Brooklyn, New York City in 1906. They demonstrated their prototype typewriter to investor Thomas Fortune Ryan, who was impressed by the newness and innovation of the equipment. The first typewriter produced by Royal, the Royal Standard, hit the shelves in the spring of 1906.

The Royal Standard stood out from the competition thanks to its unique flat table design. Now, over a century later, you can sell a Royal typewriter (or buy one) for $$ 500 to $$ 700. Older, well-maintained models, of course, fetch the most at auction. Sotheby's had a Royal Standard on sale for $$ 700 at one point.