18 ‘70s Household Items That Fetch Big Bucks Today

Written By Jill Taylor

Are you holding onto clutter that you picked up back in the 70s? If you think you’re ready for a clear out, you could get a decent amount of cash for them at an auction! Here are 18 household items from the 70s that could sell for big bucks.

Iconic Lava Lamps

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Lava lamps have always been popular for their psychedelic appearance, and that hasn’t changed to this day. Sure, they’re not as popular as they used to be, but a lot of people out there would pay big bucks at auction for a classic one from the 70s.

Vintage Vinyl Records

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Vinyl records are well and truly back in fashion; we can see it on the streets and online, and Billboard is reporting relentless rises in vinyl sales! Now, lots of people are looking to buy original records from ‘70s artists, and they fetch a surprisingly high price.

Retro Video Game Consoles

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Some people consider the classic video game style of the 70s to be one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences, so they’d be willing to pay large amounts of cash at auction for original consoles. These include the Atari 2600, a classic favorite amongst collectors.

Original Movie Memorabilia

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Action figures, movie posters, and other types of memorabilia from the movies of the 70s can be worth big bucks, especially if they’re in good condition. Some original Star Wars memorabilia, for example, has been known to fetch thousands at auction over the years!

Eames Chairs

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Over the past few years, mid-century modern furniture has seen a massive rise in popularity. Designs by Charles and Ray Eames from the 1970s are very much in high demand, and authentic pieces have recently fetched many thousands at auction if they’re rare and in good condition!

Vintage Apple Computers

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Apple has many big fans around the world, and the more wealthy have been known to collect vintage pieces of hardware from the company. In fact, CNBC reminds us that original Apple computers can now be worth up to a blistering $905,000!

Classic Polaroid Cameras

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Another piece of technology from the 1970s that has come back into fashion in recent years is the Polaroid camera. Young people today are rejecting digital photography in favor of the retro aesthetic, and Polaroid models from the 1970s are worth a lot of money as a result of this.

First Edition Books from Iconic Authors

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Original works from the 1970s by famous authors like Stephen King and Toni Morrison can fetch a lot of money at auction, especially books from early in their careers. This is particularly true if the books have been signed by the authors, but either way, they’re highly collectible and desirable.

Vintage Turntables

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Another benefit of vinyl’s revived popularity is that the players themselves are worth a lot more money now than they were a few years ago. High-quality brands like Technics have only become more popular among DJs and home listening enthusiasts alike and can be worth a fortune.

Psychedelic Art Posters

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Alongside lava lamps, original psychedelic posters from the 1970s could be set to land highly at auction. This is particularly true if they feature bands that fit the aesthetic at the time, such as The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin. The more vibrant, the more value!

Bohemian Chic Fashion Items

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Vintage fashion from the 1970s has always been in popular demand, and clothing items from that era can be worth a lot of money in today’s auctions. Original pieces from designers like Halston or Diane von Fürstenberg are particularly desirable if they have been well-preserved.

Vintage Comic Books

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A Spiderman comic printed in 1962 once sold at auction for $3.6 million, according to Just Collecting – that’s crazy! 1970s comic books won’t be worth quite as much as this, and there are a number of factors at play that determine the value, but they can still be worth big money!

Shag Carpets

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The shag carpet was truly emblematic of 70s home decor, and love them or hate them, they’re pretty desirable in certain circles. A high-quality, rare example can be worth a lot of money, especially if it’s in great condition and in a unique color.

Pet Rocks

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Pet Rocks were an amusing novelty item from the 1970s that might bring back some memories for readers. You won’t find many children with a pet rock these days, but there was once a time when kids couldn’t get enough of them. Surprisingly, this nostalgia can make them fairly valuable at auction today!

Mid-Century Modern Lamps

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Another very popular item for the MCM revival is the lamp. There were some amazing lamp designs throughout the 1970s that people want to have in their living rooms to this day; in fact, they want them so much that they’d be willing to bid a lot of money for them1

1970s Sports Memorabilia

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Sports items like jerseys, signed balls, or trading cards from major 1970s sports stars are seriously popular among sports fans. The US has a massive scene for this type of memorabilia from any time period, so you’ll find a lot of people battling for these items at the auction house.

Teak Wood Furniture

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You don’t find as much teak wood furniture these days as there was in furniture stores in the 1970s. People still love it though, and because of this, people are willing to go to auction houses and buy teak wood furniture that was built in the 1970s for high prices.

Disco Balls

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Last but not least, in 2022, the New York Times announced that disco balls were making a comeback, and that trend appears to be continuing today. As a result, original disco balls from the 1970s are in high demand and selling for pretty substantial prices at auction. They’re among the most symbolic items of the period.

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