Collecting Jayne Mansfield Ahead of ‘My Mom Jayne’
Premiering on HBO and Max this Friday, My Mom Jayne is a deeply personal and long-awaited documentary from Emmy-winner Mariska Hargitay—best known for her role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. But here, she steps behind the camera to tell the story of her mother, Jayne Mansfield, as a daughter rather than a detective.
Through never-before-seen home movies, candid interviews, and personal narration, Hargitay sets out to reclaim a life that has been too often reduced to tabloid clippings and pin-up posters. The result is both a tribute and a reckoning: a portrait of Mansfield as a brilliant, loving, and deeply complex woman—and a reminder that there was far more behind the bombshell persona.
This new focus on Mansfield will shine a new light on her life—and the collectibles associated with her—and her equally famous daughter. We’ll explore that angle in a bit.
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Who Was Jayne Mansfield?
Before the myths and the media circus, Jayne Mansfield was Vera Jayne Palmer—a classically trained musician with an IQ of 163 and fluency in five languages. By the mid-1950s, she had become one of Hollywood’s most visible and talked-about stars, known for her comedic timing, daring publicity stunts, and striking beauty.
Mansfield’s screen roles in The Girl Can’t Help It (1956), The Wayward Bus (1957), and Promises! Promises! (1963) made her a household name, as did her record-breaking nightclub performances in Las Vegas and her status as a Playboy favorite. But she was also one of the earliest celebrities to market herself as a brand—insuring her body, staging headline-grabbing photo ops, and leaning into what we’d now call “reality fame.”
A Life Cut Short, A Legacy Preserved
Jayne Mansfield’s life ended tragically in 1967 when she was killed in a car crash at the age of 34. In the back seat of the vehicle, three of her children survived—including a three-year-old Mariska Hargitay. That tragedy has long shaped public memory of Mansfield, but Hargitay’s documentary now aims to give the story greater context—and more compassion.
For collectors, the renewed attention offers not only a chance to revisit Mansfield’s life but also her enduring impact as a pop culture figure whose memorabilia continues to captivate.
The Collectibles Behind the Bombshell
Jayne Mansfield’s memorabilia market remains active and passionate, fueled by a mix of classic Hollywood nostalgia and tragic allure.
Signed photographs—especially those featuring personalized inscriptions or from iconic shoots—can command prices ranging from $700 to $1,100. Even “Type 1” photos taken during her heyday, especially those authenticated by PSA, can command $500-$ 1,500, depending on the subject matter.
Movie posters and press kits from The Girl Can’t Help It and Promises! Promises are prized finds, as are vintage trading cards featuring her image by companies like Dutch Gum and Leaf Film Stars from the 1950s and 1960s, which sell for $150 and up. Mansfield also made appearances in some modern releases, including 2007 Donruss Americana, 2011 Panini Matinee Legends, and 2015 Panini Americana, among others.
Mariska Hargitay: Continuing the Story
Mariska Hargitay has built her own legacy over more than two decades on SVU, earning Emmys, Golden Globes, and a devoted fanbase. Her work as founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation has turned her into a real-life advocate and changemaker, paralleling her role on screen.
She has long honored her parents—bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield—with public tributes and personal stories. But My Mom Jayne marks the most direct and vulnerable way she’s chosen to tell that story: not through red carpets or interviews, but through the lens of memory, healing, and rediscovery.
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Fans often seek memorabilia related to Olivia Benson—Hargitay’s iconic Law & Order: Special Victims Unit character, now celebrating 25 seasons—and also the namesake of Taylor Swift’s beloved cat. One of the most popular collectibles is the Olivia Benson Funko Pop!, often signed by Mariska Hargitay, which can command a price of up to $500.
Lucas Mast is a writer based in California’s Bay Area, where he’s a season ticket holder for St. Mary’s basketball and a die-hard Stanford athletics fan. A lifelong collector of sneakers, sports cards, and pop culture, he also advises companies shaping the future of the hobby and sports. He’s driven by a curiosity about why people collect—and what those items reveal about the moments and memories that matter most.
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