The Barbie Collectible
The Barbie collectible market is taken seriously by vintage doll collectors. The rising popularity of the collectible Barbie means that vintage Barbie dolls are becoming harder to find and in turn this has had a dramatic impact on the rising value of the Barbie collectible market.
Barbie dolls first came on to the market in 1959, and as every little girl knows, they are still popular to day. Barbies made between 1959 and 1972 are considered vintage Barbies and therefore they are considered to be the most prized Barbie collectible. It goes without saying that vintage barbies, like any Barbie collectible, are more valuable when they are in good condition. Serious vintage Barbie collectors will pay a premium for the original dolls that still have their original packaging.
Collecting Barbies is a fascinating hobby and, for the astute collector, great finds can be made in yard sales and charity shops once you know what to look for. The average person has no idea what a early Barbie collectible looks like, or their true value; and so serious collectors will have their magnifying glass at the ready to read the date of manufacture printed on the back of the Barbie doll.
As previously mentioned, the condition of the Barbie collectible is very important. Amateur attempts at restoration will devalue a vintage Barbie doll and so it is best to leave any faded or slightly damaged dolls in the condition they are found. Some of the rare and early Barbie collectibles were made from a plastic which had a tendency to turn white as the Barbie doll aged. It is important that the Barbie collector not try and restore the color. In fact, to some vintage Barbie collectors, the fading of the Barbie doll is a good indication of it’s vintage.
Occasionally you may find a vintage Barbie collectible with tell tale green ears. This is a sign of corrosion due to metal fatigue in the dolls earrings. Unfortunately this significantly devalues the price of the doll. Other fragile areas of concern for the serious Barbie collector are brittle limbs. So take care when sourcing your vintage doll and pay particular attention to the arms and legs.
The face of the Barbie collectible is of great importance, and although the paint on true vintage barbies will have faded, the brighter the color on small features like the eyes and nose of the dolls, the greater the value to the true collector. Dolls which have been kept in toy boxes or cupboards will have less fading and these dolls are also likely to be in better condition.
Once you have sourced your Barbie collectible, the best advice is to keep it in an air tight container if possible, and keep in the dark. Although some collectors like to keep their dolls on display, daylight contains damaging ultra violet radiation, and so a dark cupboard is best for storage.
BARBIE collectibles at Love Saves The Day in N.Y.C.
Just a few vintage Barbie dolls displayed at the store, LOVE SAVES THE DAY on 2nd Ave. and 7th. street in N.Y.C. Phone#(212)228-3802 open at 12noon
New Hope P.A. store phone #(215)862-1399 myspace.com/lovesavesthedaystore
there’s a lot of other cool stuff !!!!!!!!
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I'm thinking about getting a collectible BARBIE DOLL.Should I buy one? Where would I get a STAND for her?
I was going to purchase a barbie doll to display in my room. Then I thought "How am I going to disply her?" Does anyone know where I could get a stand?
About how much do stands cost?
Are the stands discreet enough to where dolls still look OK when they're displayed in them?
Buy it on e-bay. There have thousands. Buy what appeals to you, not what you think will turn over some money. That way later if it doesn't sell you have something you like.
Get a stand from any craft store.
They also have plastic cases for display, that way the clothes don't get dusty.
How much does removing a collectible barbie from the box reduce the sale price?
I'm looking at a doll on ebay…in mint condition it sells for about $275.
If the doll has been removed from her box and packaging, displayed on her stand, but all the accessories and slightly damaged box are included…how much would you guess the price should be dropped? The person is also new to ebay and has no feedback, I know that also factors into the price.
I'm making an offer, but think it would be significantly lower.
I think she was realeased in the mid-1990's…it's the 1st Hard Rock Cafe Barbie.
I would hazard the guess of around $225.00. The highest I'd go is $200. I would be very cautious, especially right now in buying from a person brand new to eBay. I know I'm very cynical, but eBay's steady long time sellers are very unhappy and not doing their usual amount of listing. There have been allot of people appearing out of the blue as 'new' sellers.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Sher
Where would I go to get a comprehensive price list for collectible barbies on line. Need prices for insurance?
I need just a price list for my daughter barbie collection so I can photograph them and put the price on the back for insurance purposes. I don't want to buy a book that will be out of date in a year or two. I would like to find a sight online that I can check as she adds to her collection and would be current prices.
ebay would be a good place to start….it will always be current
Is Barbie the most collectible doll in the world?
Im talking about the plastic dolls.
Actually its a tie between Raggedy Ann and Barbie believe it or not.
Barbie is more in the spotlight because she is far more mass produced, but as far as collectibles go Raggedy Ann has been around much longer and has proven to be a favorite collectible in spite of her lack of glamor.
G.I. Joe is also a huge collectible but he's technically not a doll but an action figure.
Any man who collects GI Joe would pretty much freak out if you got up in his face and told him he collects doll's..LOL
How do I find out the value of older collectible barbie dolls?
I have a collection of Holiday barbies and others that I would like to find out the value of
I found Ebay to be a good reference. It will give you an idea of what comparable items are selling for.
BARBIE DOLLS
BARBIE’S OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY
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