Want This 1970s Toy? Too Bad, You Probably Can’t Afford It

In the last week, a toy sold at auction for a stunning $84,370 — over $30,000 more than the average cost of a new car in America. What was this toy, you might ask? A 1978 Kenner Star Wars Luke Skywalker Double-Telescoping toy. Kenner Products, an American toy brand owned by Habsro, once represented the pinnacle of collectible toys in the United States. Of course, these toys weren’t collectibles when Kenner was making them — but they’ve since skyrocketed to popularity. Although $84,370 sounds like a lot to spend on one of these toys, other Double-Telescoping toys from that same line sold for even more, up to $105,000. This toy was highly graded and did not have a punched out blister card, which made it more attractive to collectors. (Love toys from the 70s? You probably love other memories of that time too — if you know these TV jingles, you probably grew up in the 70s.)

While many Americans can’t imagine spending that much for a toy, there is a strong base of collectors who are drawn to the rare varients of 1970s toys. Many of these toys are difficult to find, especially in great condition, as the toys were typically used to play with. But for people who have managed to hang onto these toys — or who have the will and patience to hunt them down — they now own a valuable, and quite expensive, part of history. Toy collectors often choose these toys based on nostalgia and childhood memories, or just love for a brand. 24/7 Wall St. set out to identify the most expensive toys you can buy today from the 1970s. To do so, we used several sources: eBay and other auction sites, collector forums, America’s Antique Mall, and antique and toy collector resource websites. We listed these in order of most to least expensive. However, it’s important to note that some prices might vary depending on availability and seller motivations.

This previously published story was updated on April 3, 2025 to represent the recent sale of one of the toys on this list, as well as to highlight the recent Great Ohio Toy Show. 

Why We’re Covering Vintage Toys Now

If you were born or raised in the 1970s, or even later, you’ve probably spent some time with some of the toys on this list. While many toys ended up sold or packed away into storage, there’s a chance that you’re holding onto something that could probably fund your retirement. This is especially true if you own a mint-condition toy still in the box; these are rare and much costlier.  Also, there are toys that had short production runs and are harder to come by.

Many people also remain supremely interested in purchasing and owning vintage toys. The Great Ohio Toy Show, which ran on Saturday, March 29, 2025, saw over 12,000 attendees. Catered to collectors or people interested in collecting, the show has been operating for nearly a decade and sells many toys from the 1970s — possibly some of the ones below?

Check out the seven toys from the 1970s that are most valuable today:

1. 1972 Mego World’s Greatest Superheroes! Action Figures

• Value: Immeasurable

Mego created action-figure dolls specifically marketed to boys. The first was named “Action Jackson,” and had a stock body, and came with clothes and accessories. Once Mego obtained superhero rights, 34 different superhero characters were made from the same body with different heads and clothes. Mego held the licensing from Marvel Comics and DC Comics at the same time, so superheroes from both could exist in the same playsets. The most rare and valuable part of the line is the Secret Identity Outfits. Each outfit came with a switchable head and an “undercover” outfit. A very limited number was manufactured and a complete superhero in mint condition with its Secret Identity Outfit is priceless, and incredibly rare to find today.

2. 1979 Kenner rocket-firing Boba Fett Prototype

• Value: $1.3 million

The 1979 Kenner rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype is considered to be one of the most valuable “unproduced toys” in modern history. This sought-after figurine was pulled from production because the fire-able rocket was deemed a choking hazard and unsafe. There are only 70 prototypes in known existence today, which is why this toy is so valuable; the rest were destroyed. Only 5 were hand-painted, and 2 of those 5 were painted in the production color scheme. In August 2024, the toy sold at auction for $1.3 million — a record. 

3. 1977 Kenner Double Telescoping Lightsaber Action Figures

• Value: $100,000

Star Wars was arguably one of the most popular sci-fi films of all time, let alone in the 1970s. Kenner was the lucky company to obtain the rights to the original film. Luke Skywalker was the fastest-selling figure in the telescoping lightsaber line, along with Ben Kenobi, and Darth Vader. The double-telescoping feature (DT) allowed the lightsabers to “open” by extending farther out of the figure’s hand. Luke Skywalker in mint condition and still in packaging can be sold for significantly higher prices, as you might’ve noticed by the intro to our article!

4. 1974 Hot Wheels Blue Rodger Dodger

• Value: $38,311

The Blue Rodger Dodger is unique because of its color. Only 7 have survived, and only 3 of those were in complete packaging. These Flying Colors models were sold to different collectors in 1985. Since then, they have been re-sold and re-traded. The last known sale of a full-card model went for $6,000 in 2012. 

5. 1979 Knickerbocker Lord of the Rings Action Figures

• Value: $500–$2,600

The action figures based on the animated Lord of the Rings film by Ralph Bakshi are extremely rare. They were only sold over a four week period because of the intense criticism the animated film received. There were eight figures in the line, and collectors would pay exorbitant amounts for even the accessories. The figurines in the line include Gandalf the Grey, Frodo’s Horse, Samwise Gamgee, Gollum, Aragorn, Ringwraith, Ringwraith Charger, and Frodo Baggins. The sizes of the figurines range from 3”–7.5”. All figurines came with detachable accessories like swords, capes, battle axes, staffs, scabbards, shields, saddles, reins, and hats. The only figure that didn’t come with accessories was Gollum. Today, the horses are the most difficult to find and can go for over $1,200. Full sets on eBay will run you $2,500 or more. 

6.  Kenner Six Million Dollar Man

• Value: $1,175

In the 1970s, The Six Million Dollar Man was one of the first and most popular superhero shows on television. The show followed astronaut Steve Austin, who gained cyborg qualities after undergoing a surgery to fix injuries from his crashed spaceship. Because of the show’s huge success, Kenner produced an accompanying 12-inch-tall action figure featuring interchangeable limbs, a bionic eye and grip, and a bionic adventure set. While prices may vary, especially depending on whether the figure remains in the box or not, the highest auction we saw on Ebay sat just under $1,200.

7. 1979 Stretch Armstrong (X-Ray)

• Value: $500

Stretch Armstrong, first sold by Kenner in 1976, was a gel-filled action figure who could be stretched up to feets long in length. This muscle man then snapped back to his original shape, making him fun to play with. Stretch X-Ray was portrayed as the mortal enemy to Stretch Armstrong and came with a translucent body, a brain-covered alien head, and beady ready eyes. This rare toy can be found on Ebay for just around $500 — which is a steal, considering it hasn’t been taken out of the box yet.

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