Marble Pictures and Prices for Collectors

Explore Examples of Collectible Marbles

Christopher Kimmel/Getty Images

Marbles are simply little spherical balls used by children and adults to play a range of games. No one knows exactly when the first marbles were invented, but they date back to the times of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans who played with marbles made of stone, clay, or polished nuts. Affordable glass marbles were first made in the 19th century when a special pair of scissors that could cut molten glass was invented by a German Glassblower.

Marbles have always been popular. In fact, according to the National Toy Hall of Fame, even Shakespeare mentioned marbles in his play the "Twelfth Night." Marbles also have an entire slang language built around them. Aggies, for example, are marbles made of agate while some alleys are made of alabaster. Over the years, increasingly intricate and beautiful marbles have become available; as a result, collectors have become interested in finding rare or interesting examples.

Although marbles can be affordable for all collector budgets, avid collectors know that prices can range into the thousands of dollars. Note that unscrupulous dealers have been known to reproduce marbles and sell them as old or antique. Judith Miller in ​Buy, Keep or Sell? suggests looking for solitaire boards, avoiding marbles such as Cat's Eyes that were mass-produced after the 1960s, and look for the original packaging.

01
of 19

Onion Skin Blizzard Marble

Onion Skin Blizzard Marble
Morphy Auctions.com

This "blizzard" onionskin type with suspended bits of mica was the top-selling marble in the Morphy Auction, March 2009 sale.

  • Size: 2 1/6"
  • Condition: 9.6
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Sold Price: $9,775*

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

02
of 19

Onion Skin Mica Marble

Onion Skin Mica Marble
MorphyAuctions.com

This rare 4-panel onionskin type with suspended bits of mica was a top-selling marble in the Morphy Auction, March 2009 sale.

  • Size: 1 19/32"
  • Condition: 9.7
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Sold Price: $2,632.50 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

03
of 19

Solid Core Marble

Solid Core Marble
MorphyAuctions.com

White solid core with dark maroon bands. Original surface.

  • Size: 1 9/16"
  • Condition: 9.8
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Sold Price: $263.25 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

04
of 19

Sulphide Frog Marble

Sulphide Frog Marble
MorphyAuctions.com
  • Size: 1 3/4"
  • Condition: 9.7, original surface
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $200 - $300
  • Sold Price: $526.50 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

05
of 19

Christensen Agate Banded Transparent Marble

Christensen Agate Banded Transparent Marble
MorphyAuctions.com
  • Size: 5/8"
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $150.00 - 250.00
  • Sold Price: 760.50*

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

06
of 19

Machine-Made Swirl Marbles

Machine-Made Swirl Marbles
MorphyAuctions.com

Lot of 25, possibly made by Akro Agate Company.

  • Size: Largest 5/8"
  • Condition: Near Mint Plus
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $50.-$100.
  • Sold Price: $58.50 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

07
of 19

Christensen Agate Swirl Marble

Christensen Agate Swirl Marble
MorphyAuctions.com
  • Size: 5/8"
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $100.-$200.
  • Sold Price: $351.*

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

08
of 19

Black and White Navarre Marble

Black and White Navarre Marble
MorphyAuctions.com
  • Size: 1 1/2"
  • Condition: 9.6
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $2,000. - 3,000.
  • Sold Price: $1638.00 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

09
of 19

Boxed Marble Games

Boxed Marble Games
MorphyAuctions.com

Includes two Solitaire boards and one standard marble game. One of the Solitaire marble boards comes with common, solid opaque marbles and other comes in original box with no marbles.

  • Condition: Excellent Plus
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $50. - 150.
  • Sold Price: $87.75 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

10
of 19

Assortment of Oxblood Marbles

Assortment of Oxblood Marbles
MorphyAuctions.com

Lot includes approximately 56 marbles.

  • Size: Largest - 23/16"
  • Condition: Near Mint Plus
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: March 2009
  • Pre-auction Estimate: $200. - 300.
  • Sold Price: $292.50 *

*Includes 17% Buyers Premium

11
of 19

End of Day Onion Skin Marble

End of Day Onion Skin Marble

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Size: 2 2/5"
  • Condition: Excellent (minor surface scratches)
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: Sept. 2008
  • Pre-Auction Estimate: $1500-$2000
  • Sold Price: $2070*

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

12
of 19

Two-sided Sulphide Marble

Two-sided Sulphide Marble

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Condition: 9.5, Original Surface
  • Size: 1 25/32"
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: Sept. 2008
  • Pre-Auction Estimate: $800-$1200
  • Sold Price: $517.50*

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

13
of 19

Ribbon Core Swirl Marble

Ribbon Core Swirl Marble

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Condition: 9.6
  • Size: 13/16"
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: Sept. 2008
  • Pre-Auction Estimate: $100-$200
  • Sold Price: $402.50*

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

14
of 19

Marble Boxes

Marble Boxes

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Condition: Excellent
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: Sept. 2008
  • Pre-Auction Estimate: $100-$200
  • Sold Price: $287.50*

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

15
of 19

Marble King Marbles w/Original Box

Marble King Marbles w/Original Box

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Condition: Near Mint Plus
  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Sale Date: Sept. 2008
  • Pre-Auction Estimate: $200-$300
  • Sold Price: $258.75*

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

16
of 19

Onionskin Swirl Marble

Onionskin Swirl Marble

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Date: September 2008
  • Size: 2 1/8"
  • Sold Price: $10,350*

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

17
of 19

Indian Mag Lite Marble

Indian Mag Lite Marble

MorphyAuctions.com

Condition was king across the board in Morphy's $2.6 million Spring Toy Auction. Along with superb American toys and folk art, the top selling toy was a spectacular circa-1885 William Demuth & Co. smoking Punch cigar advertising figure.

  • Indian Mag Lite Marble
  • Deep cobalt blue with strong outer bands of yellow, blue, white, purple, green and orange.
  • Size: 1 9/16"
  • Condition: Near Perfect
  • Sale Date: April 4-5, 2008
  • Pre-Auction Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000
  • Auction Price: $9,200*

Source: Morphy's Auctions

*Includes 15% Buyers Premium

18
of 19

Two Blue Marbles

Two Blue Marbles
Apple Tree Auction
  • 1 5/8" Cobalt and White Swirl Marble[br] Estimated $300 - $600[br] Sold for $130
  • 3/4" Black and Blue Marble[br] Estimated $20 - $40[br] Sold for $40

Marbles are part of a wide variety (865 Lots) of toys, trains, die-cast vehicles and figures that was auctioned Live on eBay October 26, 2003. This is from a sampling of items that were auctioned by Apple Tree Auction Center. Prices shown are the completed auctions, along with the price estimates from the auction house.

19
of 19

Single Pontil Birdcage Marble

Single Pontil Birdcage Marble

MorphyAuctions.com

  • Auction House: Morphy Auctions
  • Size: 1 9/16"
  • Condition: 9.7
  • Estimated: $3000 - $5000
  • Auction Price: $7800.
  • May 2012