When most people think of marbles, they think of the childhood game. However, for some people, collecting marbles is a serious hobby. In fact, there are many different types of marbles that can be collected, and each has its own value. Here is a list of the top 15 most valuable marbles to collect.
Table of Contents
Who Invented Marbles?
Nobody knows for sure who invented marbles, but the first recorded mention of them is from a Japanese book written in the early 17th century. Some people believe that the Chinese invented marbles first, while others think they may have originated in Turkey or Persia.
The truth is that marbles were most likely made and played with in some form for thousands of years so you can’t credit any one person as being the specific inventor.
What Marbles Are Worth Money?
There are a few different types of rare marbles that can be worth money. Some of the most valuable marbles are handmade and extremely rare. There are also vintage marbles that can be quite valuable, especially if they are in good condition. Auction houses often sell rare and vintage marbles for high prices.
15 Most Valuable Marbles Worth a Fortune
No. |
Name |
Price |
1 |
Green Base Glass Oddball Handmade Antique Marble |
$3,600 |
2 |
German Spotty Onionskin Marble With Heavy Mica |
$1,800 |
3 |
Rare Vintage Large Multicolor Glass Marble |
$1,600 |
4 |
Rare 9/16 Onion Skin Lutz Floater Marble |
$1,475 |
5 |
Rare Huge Multi Coloured Joseph Coat Vintage Marbles |
$1,300 |
6 |
Vintage Onion Skin Single Pontil German Marble |
$975 |
7 |
Tight Chevron Rainbow Onionskin-Gr.lutz |
$900 |
8 |
Multi Coloured Joseph Coat Vintage Marbles |
$900 |
9 |
Antique German Handmade Onionskin Marble |
$800 |
10 |
Handmade Red Mica Marble |
$765 |
11 |
Spotty ONIONSKIN Shrunken Marble |
$750 |
12 |
Yellow Mica Marble With Ghost Core Vintage Marble |
$750 |
13 |
RARE Handmade Indian Swirl Marble |
$750 |
14 |
Rare Antique Glazed China Marble King’s Rose |
$725 |
15 |
Paneled Onionskin German Marble |
$699 |
1. Green Base Glass Oddball Handmade Antique Marble
Valuation: $3,600
This rare large near end of cane green base oddball marble. It’s a handmade vintage antique marble, in a transparent dark green almost looks black center core which goes from pole to pole and having looping design mixed within.
It’s mostly finer strands that give it translucence like look. The design seen on the backlit pictures show its incredible detail. It’s a beautiful marble and there’s no surprise that it sold for such a high price.
2. German Spotty Onionskin Marble With Heavy Mica
Valuation: $1,800
This marble is an outstanding Early German Paneled Shrunken Spotty ONIONSKIN Marble with heavy MICA. Itmeasures slightly larger than 1 3/8″ wide by 2 7/16″. The coloration and texture are perfect for any DIY enthusiast who wants to take on a project or two without having too much hassle.
There is just enough detail so you can really enjoy yourself if you want to restore it or you can leave it in its original condition. Either way, this is another beautiful marble.
3. Rare Vintage Large Multicolor Glass Marble
Valuation: $1,600
Another great find! This vintage glass marble is in excellent condition, as shown. It has a lot of fine details that cannot be fully captured by camera. Any white spots are just reflections from the flashlights.
The size measured about 1-1/4″ around the middle. We loved the variety of colors on this marble along with its near-perfect condition.
4. Rare 9/16 Onion Skin Lutz Floater Marble
Valuation: $1,475
The rare lutz marble is a beautiful and valuable piece of artwork. This 9/16″ onion skin has an incredible book value, of just under $1,500. That’s no surprise given the detailing on this marble. It’s a thing of beauty and something that any marble enthusiast would love to have in their collection.
5. Rare Huge Multi Coloured Joseph Coat Vintage Marbles
Valuation: $1,300
This amazing marble has a fascinating multi-colored surface that is unlike anything else! It’s made up of shades such as white, peach citrus to brighter orange, red and lighter blue. The yellow gives it extra charm and you can see transparency green through the stone too just below its surface.
This Joseph Coat antique measures 12″x10 ” x4″. There are two rough bottom pontil marks on both sides but they don’t affect how great this beautiful piece looks from all angles.
6. Vintage Onion Skin Single Pontil German Marble
Valuation: $975
This is a beautiful End of Day Onion Skin Single Pontil German Marble. It has one end covered with small marks, but no major chips or cracks. The condition is shown accurately but the pictures which show it’s in nice condition.
This item would make an excellent addition to your collection and your shooting skills will be exercised too when using this beauty!
7. Tight Chevron Rainbow Onionskin-Gr.lutz
Valuation: $900
The marble is made out of natural, un-tinted quartz. The boysenberry coloration comes from trace amounts gold and other minerals in the stone that give it an iridescent sheen when light hits just right!
It’s huge and there are tight chevron rainbow onionskin layers throughout giving this sphere its unique patterning.
8. Multi Coloured Joseph Coat Vintage Marbles
Valuation: $900
This marble is one rare huge Multi-Coloured Joseph Coat handmade vintage antique. With the core of white, peachy or orange to brighter colors such as royal blue, lighter blues and yellow. The transparent green & purple sit just below surface giving it an interesting look. It’s a really beautiful example of a vintage marble.
9. Antique German Handmade Onionskin Marble
Valuation: $800
This gorgeous antique German handmade onion skin marble is 2 1/4″ in diameter and would make for a wonderful addition to your collection. The condition issues include some surface dings, but they don’t affect its structural integrity or beauty at all.
10. Handmade Red Mica Marble
Valuation: $765
This rare marble is in good condition, though the photos aren’t the best. It was bought at an old estate and the person buying it didn’t quite know what they had purchased. Little did they know that it was a beautiful marble which would be highly desired by collectors? It’s truly unique!
11. Spotty ONIONSKIN Shrunken Marble
Valuation: $750
These Spotty Onionskin marbles are fantastic. They have an eye-catching appeal and the surface is very nice with a vibrant color spectrum that will make them stand out from others.
These pieces were all found in one owner’s collection, so they’re guaranteed to be unique. They have never been polished by anyone else at any point during its lifetime either which adds even more character.
12. Yellow Mica Marble With Ghost Core Vintage Marble
Valuation: $750
This gorgeous, vintage-inspired handmade mica marble has an interesting history. It’s approximately 1 inch in size and makes for a great addition to your collection.
The glossy surface with ghost core surrounded by large mica flakes will be sure not only look good but also display beautifully too. You’ll love how smooth it feels when touched or rolled over on its side.
13. RARE Handmade Indian Swirl Marble
Valuation: $750
This exquisite marble is a must-have for any collector. It has an original glossy surface that shows no signs of wear, yet it does have scattered blowholes/pops in the stone which makes this even more unique and amazing!
14. Rare Antique Glazed China Marble King’s Rose
Valuation: $725
This rare antique glazed China marble king’s rose 7/8″ is just stunning! It has an interesting pattern that you won’t find anywhere else.
If your screen can handle the awesomeness that is this beauty then I highly recommend checking out all photos. It’s rare to get a marble that looks this delicate and this beautiful.
15. Paneled Onionskin German Marble
Valuation: $699
Here we see another beautiful vintage paneled handmade onionskin marble. It looks beautiful and would be a welcome addition for any collector. It’s in great condition and the balance of colors helps to make this unique. It’s not hard to see why this fetched such a high price.
What are The Different Types of Marbles?
Do you remember playing with marbles when you were a kid? Those colorful little balls that can roll down any incline? Marble collecting is still a popular hobby today, and there are many different types of marbles to collect. But what are the different types of marbles and what makes them unique?
There are three main types of marbles: glass, clay, and agate. Glass marbles are the most common type and can be found in a variety of colors and designs. Clay marbles are made from fired clay and come in many different shapes and sizes. Agate marbles are made from natural agates that have been polished to a high sheen. They can also come in a wide range of colors.
Within these three main types, there are many different sub-types of marbles. Some of the more popular sub-types include cat’s eyes, swirls, cobras, and shooters. Cat’s eye marbles get their name from the distinctive band of light reflected by the surface of the marble when it is rolled. Swirl marbles are made by adding different colors of glass to the swirling hot mass of molten glass. Cobras are made by encircling a single color with another, contrasting color. Shooters are specially designed marbles that can be used to shoot other marbles out of a circle.
Marble collecting is a fun and rewarding hobby for people of all ages. Whether you’re looking for a particular type of marble or just want to start a collection, there are many different types of marbles to choose from. So get out there and start collecting!
How to Identify Valuable Marbles
Pontil – Vintage marble is a type of stone that has been crafted by hand during the process called glassblowing. During this procedure, sticks are used to attach and shape it into whatever form desired while also leaving behind an imperfection known as “the pontil”.
Even though most new marbles today are made through automated machinery without any human assistance at all; there still exist those which have been handmade from start-to finish with no machines involved whatsoever, making them truly one offs!
Appearance – Marble’s color and pattern are determined by the stone from which it was made. If you know someone who has a collection of antique marbles, they can help determine if new or vintage ones are more valuable.
“New” marble often lacks brightness because they’re mass-produced in high quantities while “vintage” varieties tend to be brighter due their handcrafted nature compared with newer ones produced en masse at factories
Flaws – The most beautiful modern marbles come from factories where they are crafted with care and precision. They have no need for human error, as their machinery can produce flawless pieces by the hundreds at a time! Of course there will always be some flaws present in these exquisite decorations – but don’t worry: it’s very common to find tiny imperfections like bubbles on an antique piece since this type was made manually before being machine-made today
A perfect marble isn’t something we’ll ever see because even though hands were needed during production process.
Glass – The glass used to make marbles in the old days was of high quality. This is because they were so valuable and played with care, never breaking easily on contact.
Modern versions are also made from very durable materials but not as much attention has been paid towards their durability which leads them being more fragile than before -Many people think that just because there’s a lot available then anything will do; however this isn’t true if you want good results
Seller – Make sure ask the right questions before deciding whether this piece of art worth your money. Hopefully there is plenty of information on the listing but if not, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
FAQs
What Are Marbles Made Out Of?
Most marbles are made from glass and some are made from plastic. Glass marbles can be made from different types of glass, such as lead glass, soda-lime glass, or borosilicate glass. The most common type of glass used to make marbles is soda-lime glass.
How To Tell If Marbles Are Valuable?
There is no definitive answer, as the value of a marble can vary depending on its age, color, and design. However, some tips to help determine the value of a marble include examining its weight and size, checking for any markings or designations on the surface, and researching similar marbles that have been auctioned off in the past.