The statuette the late actress won in 1988 for “The Golden Girls” has vanished, leaving a bigger mess than the inside of Sophia Petrillo’s handbag.

The Emmy statuette that the late Estelle Getty won in 1988 for her role in The Golden Girls has mysteriously vanished, creating more drama than the contents of Sophia Petrillo’s iconic handbag.

Following Getty’s passing in 2008, her sons, Carl and Barry Gettleman, struggled to agree on how to divide her possessions. As a result, they opted to auction many items through Bonhams & Butterfields.

“There was a living trust, but it didn’t specify how the property should be divided,” Carl shared. Among the items up for auction were Getty’s famous wicker purse from the show, her Golden Globe, and her Emmy nomination certificate.

On June 14, 2009, less than a year after her death, Getty’s Emmy was sold for $7,320 to an anonymous buyer. However, just two months later, it unexpectedly resurfaced on eBay with a starting bid of $15,000.

This prompted the Television Academy, which had not intervened during the auction, to step in. The Academy cited its 30-year-old rule that Emmys are considered their property, as stated on a sticker affixed to each statuette: “This Emmy is the property of the Academy.” However, since Estelle Getty had not signed any agreement promising her award’s return to the Academy, their efforts to halt the sale were ultimately unsuccessful.

“This isn’t something the Academy wants to see happen,” remarked John Leverence, a representative for the organization at the time.

Despite their concerns, the Emmy disappeared after its brief eBay listing, leaving its current whereabouts unknown. Even eBay representatives proved elusive, failing to respond to inquiries about the sale.

Betty White, Getty’s former co-star, lamented the situation. “Those things are special. They’re not meant to be thrown on eBay,” she said. “She was so excited to win, and we were so thrilled for her.”

Reflecting on the loss, Carl now regrets the decision to auction the Emmy.

“The Emmy held far more sentimental value than monetary value for me, but how do you split an Emmy between two people?” he said. “It should have been placed somewhere accessible to the public. Mom deeply appreciated her fans and would’ve wanted it somewhere they could see it.”

To this day, the whereabouts of Getty’s Emmy remain a mystery.