5 Keys to Collecting Vintage Barbie Dolls

When establishing your vintage Barbie doll collection, it's usually tough to understand the ropes. Dishonest sellers, inconsistent information and limited facts really can make it tricky to climb the learning curve. Regardless, the ultimate way to start is to dive in, but before you start browsing rummage sales, antique stores and neighborhood flea markets to seek out your first vintage Barbie doll, here are some ideas that could maximize your pleasure while decreasing the probability of high-priced blunders. Classic Barbies: Like Fine Wine Vintage Barbie Dolls are the type which were introduced before 1972, so the date that a Barbie was manufactured is crucial to find out its value. Prior to spending a substantial amount of time or energy on any Barbie doll, make sure to analyze the date of the copyright. Certainly, the date will reveal the age and worth of the doll. Usually, you’ll learn that vintage Barbie dolls that happen to be worth the most possess markings with "1958" or "Japan" stamped at the rear end or it's marked at the bottom of one of the feat. Bear in mind vintage Barbie dolls are like fine wine, they get more expensive with age. Traditional Barbie Dolls: It’s All About Appearance The most crucial factors in Barbie value is the basic state of the Barbie doll. Vintage Barbie dolls are getting more expensive as time go by and dolls in decent condition became progressively scarce. Vintage dolls often exhibit discoloration, neck splits, body splits, matted hair, chipping lips, damaged texture and more, so it's essential to carefully assess the condition of the doll. The substances used in the manufacture of the vintage Barbie dolls were not perfect, so it's natural to see several imperfections but acquiring vintage dolls with minimal issues is better. Finally, if a vintage doll is in very poor condition you can also consider buying the doll for parts too. It’s Not Just the Vintage Barbie Doll: Get the Accessories When considering vintage Barbie dolls it's not merely the doll, but the supplemental accessories will also be vital. Barbie clothing, outfits, shoes and even packaging can be the key to the price of an item. For that reason, informed collectors understand that by being attentive to the existence and condition of all of the Barbie doll extras often means big money. Some study on the old Barbie styles and costumes will put you in a decent position to reap the benefits of acquiring a doll with some hard to find accessories. Discover a Lottery Ticket with Metal Tubes If you’re fortunate enough to run into a vintage Barbie doll which includes metal tubes embedded in her feet, you may well be examining an original Barbie doll. The initial Barbies were produced with very particular facial features, dark eye make-up, hair and metal tubes in their feet. The rarest among all of the Barbies, the first doll displays stock #850 and also the tubes, which were employed to assist the doll to stand upright on a stand that came with the first doll. The doll and stand are incredibly rare and valued by collectors. The Vintage Barbie Doll Brand: Mattel Finding the Mattel brand is vital, so make perfectly sure that any Barbie doll that you’re looking into is clearly identified as being crafted by Mattel. This is an essential rule; there are a lot of counterfeits and replicas that beginner collectors can easily mistake as a authentic Barbie doll, so look for the Mattel, Inc. brand to keep away from trouble. Collecting old Barbie dolls can be a fun and lucrative hobby, but it’s easy to come across pitfalls. Applying these 5 steps will help you avoid blunders and make sound decisions to help you successfully grow your collection.

Emma Wills has been a Barbie doll collector for more than ten years focusing on vintage and celebrity Barbie Dolls. Now she’s excited about the upcoming release of the Farrah Fawcett Barbie and writes concerning this appealing collectible on her blog. Learn more about it at The Farrah Fawcett Barbie Blog.