H-eeeey! If you collected Happy Days merchandise, autographs, or memorabilia as a kid, you might have made a pretty good investment. Many items that sold for dirt cheap a generation ago now might go a long way towards finally buying you that motorcycle.
Actual Props
By a mile, the most valuable collectibles are actual props from the show. The most valuable item from the show is Fonzie’s Triumph TR5 Trophy motorcycle that helped him win hearts and jump sharks. Its value is estimated at $90,000. Even Richie’s school sweater sold recently for a cool three grand.
Many other props made their way into the hands of collectors and disappeared. If you or your parents were serious collectors, you might have some clothes, glasses, or other props that could fetch a pretty penny.
Autographs
Autographs of Happy Days cast members, from the time when the show still ran, sell consistently for over $100 on eBay. Naturally, Henry Winkler and Ron Howard are the favourites for buyers.
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key produced six issues of a painfully cheesy Happy Days comic book in 1979. The first issue sells for around $200-$300, while the entire set is valued at $400-$500.
Magazines
Any articles written about Happy Days while it was on the air have nostalgia value. TV Guides with Happy Days on the covers go for a lot these days, as do celebrity magazines from the time. The best articles include rare interviews with the Happy Days cast members. The December 1976 Mad Magazine that parodied Happy Days sells for upwards of $65.
Dolls/Action Figures
Although before the age when action figures were common, Happy Days still licensed out Fonzie dolls, complete with sets of iconic clothes, in 1976. In original packaging, they go for about $150; outside packaging, around $20-$30. Even a short-lived paper dress-up Fonzie doll will likely sell for around $70.
Kitsch of All Kinds
An amazing amount of kitschy merchandise has increased in value since the show went off the air. Happy Days lunchboxes can sell for up to $50. Cookie jars are even more at $60-$75. However, by far the most valuable are Fonzarelli heart-shaped pendants, at around $150.
Other kitsch items that are worth selling include glasses, mugs, fans, calendars, board games, and belt buckles.