KAFTANS in a kaleidoscope of colours, swirly wallpaper prints that could bring on a migraine and Silver Jubilee memorabilia are all remnants of the 1970s which most of us would rather forget.

The Seventies are widely held to be the decade that style deserted - yet more than 20 years on, it seems we can't get enough of those tasteless days.

Fashions today still hark back to flares, tight-fit tops and glitter, and nothing gets a party going quicker than a blast of Abba's Dancing Queen.

But the Seventies were more than a cocktail of way-out fashions and disco dancing. It was also a time of great innovation and excitement in a broader cultural sense, embracing design, furniture, film-making, television, literature and technology.

So it should come as no surprise that artefacts from the Seventies are increasingly being sought after by collectors.

Yes, believe it or not, that Six Million Dollar Man plastic lunchbox you've kept as a reminder of your childhood could actually be worth a buck or two now. In fact, if you flogged it at auction, it could fetch anything between £50-65.

How do I know? Because it says so in a new book, Miller's Collecting The 1970s, by antiques expert Katherine Higgins.

Featuring more than 350 collectables, this is the definitive guide for anyone seeking to amass blasts from the past or equally for any hoarders who might have some unlikely treasure hidden away in their attic.

The book is divided into three sections.

Homestyle takes the reader inside the 1970s house, featuring objects ranging from furniture, ceramics and glass to the latest technology and kitchenware.

Fashion covers everything from the glittery disco era to the arrival of punk rock, while the leisure section looks at the toys, books, TV shows and music which dominated the popular culture of the day.

A brief flick through its 146 pages reveals some astonishing discoveries. It would definitely pay for rock and pop lovers to dust down their old vinyl records as music memorabilia can prove a real money spinner.

A picture disc of Abba's 1974 Eurovision winner Waterloo could fetch up to £50, while a rare pink vinyl copy of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon tour edition LP from 1973 is worth around £150. But former punks could strike even larger riches: a copy of the Sex Pistols' God Save The Queen single on the A&M label from 1977 is worth up to £3,500 because fewer than 100 copies exist.

Also hugely collectable are commemoratives from the Silver Jubilee. Mugs are worth from £8 to £50 depending on their make and quality, while a bottle of Jubilee Ale would raise enough to buy a bottle of plonk today.

A raid on the kitchen might reveal some surprises too: a Magimix by French firm Robot Coupe could generate about £40, while a Fred, the Homepride Man, flour shaker could make you up to £20, with mini salt and pepper pots worth from £12-£18.

In the Seventies, digital watches and calculators were the mobile phones of today, signifying that you were cool, with it, modern.

Early calculators are hot collectables, with the biggest draw being the Sinclair executive calculator. It cost almost 80 quid back in the Seventies, but could sell now for £185-£200. Anyone with an original Sony Walkman would be also wired for hard cash, as today they are worth £150-£300.

Fashions by leading designers could net a small fortune too. A Zandra Rhodes number could be worth around £600, while a skirt from Laura Ashley would sell for about £35. More lucrative is a God Save The Queen T-shirt designed by the mummy and daddy of punk, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren. Authentic examples have seams and labels on the outside and are worth up to £120.

Little lies outside the reach of the most ardent Seventies fan, who will even pay £15 for a bottle of Opium perfume or £35 for an airline bag commemorating England in the World Cup at Mexico in 1970.

Toys are another potential high earner. Corgi's Magic Roundabout Playground Set is worth between £600-£1,000, a Wonder Woman doll, boxed, £75-£85, and a Kojak Detective Game around £12, although anyone with a toy Kojac Buick still in its box could cash in to the tune of £80.

Choppers were all the rage in the Seventies and the most sought after now is a Mark 2 version from 1971 with sloping main tube and curved back, worth up to £500.

You can also make money on furniture, glass and ceramics from the era.

Should you want an expert opinion on what your secret stash of Seventies nostalgia novelties might be worth, it might pay to contact auctioneers Christie's, which offers free advice and valuations.

Tom Scott, of Christie's Harrogate office, says there is a growing demand for all things from the Seventies, particularly from overseas collectors.

"The market is very strong. People are cleaning out their attics and finding autographed albums from the 1970s and realise that they are worth something."

The fact that the Seventies could be a money spinner in the 21st century is no surprise to York businessman Steve Gibson: he's been making money out of the decade for years.

As owner of Kaos in Gillygate, York, he sells Seventies-style artefacts and fashions as well as running a party hire shop full of disco and glam-rock gear.

Clear out your attics and garages is his best advice, as you never know what treasures you might uncover.

"There will be people with an Ossie Clark dress in the loft or somebody with albums by bands like Wishbone Ash and Free which are still desirable. They won't make you a fortune now, but hang on in there as this decade isn't going to go away."

Miller's Collecting The 1970s, by Katherine Higgins, (Mitchell Beazley) £15.99

Christie's, Princes House, 13 Princes Square, Harrogate. Tel: 0845 900 1766

Kaos, Gillygate, York. Tel: 01904 611532