Collectible Dolls - How Rare?

In this article we're going to discuss exactly what determines how rare a collectible doll is and how its value is determined.

Collectible dolls are a strange paradox. The reason that dolls are collectible is because back when they were new, they weren't.

How many times have you heard a friend say something like, "I had one of the very first Barbie Dolls. If I had kept it I'd be rich right now". Well, the truth of the matter is, if every girl who bought a Barbie Doll back in 1959 when they first came out had kept it in its box and never played with it then none of these dolls would be worth anything. The reason Barbie is worth so much money is because back then little girls bought the dolls, took the dolls out of their boxes, played with the dolls and ultimately tossed the dolls in the garbage or gave them away either when they became too old to play with them or the dolls themselves simply just fell apart from use.

So an early doll that has become as popular as Barbie has become, if found in its original box and unopened, which is pretty unlikely, would get a lot of money at an auction. How much money? Last figures for an early Barbie doll are estimated at about $2,500. This is actually down quite a bit from the heyday of collectible selling when you could get close to $10,000 for a series 1 Barbie Doll from 1959. We have since come back down to reality.

But is this reality? The early Barbie Dolls sold for a few dollars. How can something that sold for a few dollars be worth thousands today? Well, it all comes down to supply and demand. If something is low on the supply side and enough people want it then the price is going to skyrocket. And for whatever reason, people love old things, the same old things that they used to throw away.

But it isn't just old popular dolls that are worth money. They may be rare because there aren't a lot of them left around. But some dolls are rare and worth a lot of money because there were never very many of them to begin with. While maybe not as many people would be interested in these dolls because they weren't that popular to begin with, the die hard collectors still go crazy over these items. So a collectible doll like 1967's Mike Hazard, Double Agent, will still bring in about $1,500 in an auction if unopened in the original box. Why? Because finding one of these is as unlikely as finding life on Mars.

Of course not every old doll brings in thousand dollar price tags. If the doll was in great supply but for some reason never caught on at all then most likely the doll won't be worth much today. In the case of Mike Hazard there just weren't many made to begin with.

There are those who will argue that this whole collectible craze is just that, crazy. And then there are those who's lives wouldn't be the same without this stuff as many people actually have built businesses around buying and selling collectibles. As they say, one man's peanut butter is another man's lobster tail.

-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Collectible Dolls
-------------------------------------------------------

Collectible Dolls - Where To Find Them
In this article we're going to discuss where you can find your collectible doll that you've been hunting all over for if you're a die hard collector.With the craze of collecting dolls, the number of places that have popped up where you can actually find them have multiplied like rabbits over the years. Where it used to be that some dolls were clos...

6 Tips to Discover the Value of Your Collectible Items
There are many collectible items people enjoy having in their unique collections. These items include music boxes, antique coins, mechanical music and instruments, antique furniture, and NASCAR collectibles to name a few. There are ways for collectors to discover if their items are valuable. Let's find out how to do so.1. Always check out the condi...

Rare Coins May Be Hiding In Your Pocket
When talking about coin collecting, rare coins are some of the first things to spring to mind. After all, coin collecting is often considered to be an investment and rare coins are the most valuable coins out there. They are highly sought after and coveted and, because they are in so much demand, they tend to be worth a great deal. However, beca...

The Intelligent Way To Search For Collectibles On eBay
You would be surprised at the items that have been collecting dust in some of the garages and attics of many worldwide households. When it's time to do a little spring cleaning, eBay fills with some of the unwanted possessions from a wide range of characters. You never know when that collectible you've been wanting forever will appear as a listing....

Why Some Glassware Is Considered To Be Collectible And Valuable
When it comes to art, you never know what they're going to call the next Mona Lisa. Art encompasses such a variety of forms of expression that you can't really say what is art and what isn't. Moving away from the past, we no longer equate art with fame or school taught skill. During earlier times, art was considered to be the product of those who p...

Your Guide to Antique Box Collections
Have you ever seen or touched an antique small box? You will surely feel the thrill of holding or touching the object which were once touch or used by ancient set of hands.You will also be amazed by just looking on the rare and ancient boxes made from a hundred year old wood. It could be made of amboina, satin wood, coromandel, or burled yews that ...

Corolle Baby Doll Pajamas: Easy Sew Lace Nightcap for 12" Dolls
Does anyone really wear nightcaps anymore? Well, maybe not, but in the land of make-believe we get to dress our dolls in little lace nightcaps that coordinate with their nightgowns. Your Corolle baby doll will look very cute in this easy-to-make, inexpensive nightcap. Its sew simple that youll love making it.Materials:One circle of fabric measuring...