This could be something that you bought for a higher price than what most people would guess based on the item, or it could be something you bought for a normal price that has gained significant value as time has gone on.
What made me think of this question is a LEGO minifigure I got with my “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” disc. It is Bilbo Baggins in a blue coat that was apparently only sold in that movie box only at Target stores. Even considering the exclusivity, I would have guessed maybe $10-20 for such a tiny piece of plastic, but there are sold listings on eBay from $80 to $225. I could possibly even get towards the higher end of that number since I still have everything in the original box in good condition. It’s not worth a ton compared to some other items people may own, but I think most people would not expect nearly that amount.
I collected Marvel cards back in the 90s and I’m pretty sure I have at least a few that are official “collectors items” now. I’ve never looked into it very thoroughly since I just kept them in baseball card pages with no other particular protection from the climate, etc, but who knows?
I have some football cards at my parents house that are in the same boat. Maybe take a look through them to try to estimate prices and protect the expensive ones. IDK about Marvel cards, but I know there are apps for some other trading cards where you can just scan a picture of the card and get an estimated price based on recent sales.
