Here is a nice rags-to-riches story regarding a gal whose father had passed away, leaving her with a household of old telephone “junk†that the acquired before he retired from Illinois Bell. She had absolutely no knowledge of what it was other than the need for her to hire a dumpster to throw it into.
She started thinking that perhaps some of the tools were saleable so she posted photos on a collectors listserve. Included in the photos was a Picturephone.
Some of the collectors besieged her with request to donate it to their personal collections or private museums. However, others suggested she list it on eBay.
The auction closed a short while ago and she is in the process of collecting over $21,000 from John La Rue's museum in California:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-El...ower-Unit-/300853333667?autorefresh=trueNot only did she score big-time, but she has a number of other items that are potentially of considerable value.