Valuable Collectibles From Your Favorite ’70s TV Shows

The 1970s were a golden era for television, giving rise to some of the most iconic and beloved TV shows of all time. These shows not only entertained audiences but also left a lasting legacy in the form of valuable collectibles.

From period classics like “Happy Days” to the fantasy world of “Wonder Woman,” the ’70s TV landscape produced a treasure trove of memorabilia that continues to captivate collectors and fans alike. 

Value: $2,460

Oscar Goldman was a character in the TV shows “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman.” He worked for a government agency called OSI and was in charge of bionic-enhanced agents Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers. He gave them missions and played a fatherly role in their adventures.

Of course, every government agent’s action needs a top secret exploding briefcase that could be opened safely by allies but become a deadly weapon to everyone else. This full scale prototype would play a part in the development of the miniature version and sold at auction in 2013. 

Value: $5,500

Laverne DeFazio’s (Penny Marshall) clothes always had a large, distinctive “L” on the left breast, and her short-sleeve, beige baseball jersey was no exception.  The “L” monogram was solely Marshall’s idea. When the show began certain facts about the characters were repeated to allow the audience to get to know them.

Instead of being addressed as “Laverne” every time, Marshall though the “L” monogram would let the audience know who she was and cut down on the repetition. (And, yes, both Laverne and Shirley played softball to hilarious results.)

It’s also worth pointing out that Laverne’s jersey bears a striking resemblance to the Rockford Peaches jerseys in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own,” which Marshall directed. 

Value: $7,680

Sanford and Son ran from 1972 to 1977 and centered around the lives of Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) and his son Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson). They lived in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, where they operated their business, Sanford and Son Salvage.

Fred Sanford, the owner of the junkyard, is a cantankerous widower who says what he thinks to often hilarious (and disastrous results), while his son, Lamont, finds himself caught between his father’s schemes and the desire for a more stable life. The elder Sanford wore this particular outfit in several episodes — it sold at auction in 2017. 

Value: $14,080

Worn by Melissa Gilbert, who played author Laura Ingalls Wilder as a child and young adult, this dress was seen on several episodes of “Little House on the Prairie. The Ingalls family was not rich and young Laura wore this dress until she basically grew out of it.  

This dress sold at auction in 2018 and is influential — you’ll see knock-offs of it in department stores today.