Does anybody know the name of this Barbie?
Thank you everyone. I have determined that this Barbie is from the late 80s. You guys were so much help!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have 2 Holiday Barbie dolls both in gold gowns from 2000. One is white & 1 is African American, both are very pretty and still in their original boxes.
What would the estimated value be for each or for the two?
People are asking around $25 to $80 for each one of the dolls. So you are looking at $50 to $160 or so for the set.
I have a Barbie doll with the markings on the buttocks On left side: TM
Barbie
PATS PEND.
(c)MCMLVlll
BY MATTEL, INC
Also on right side - 114
This is a Barbie doll from 1958. If it were in the box it would be worth a lot more. A similar doll on eBay is asking $88. www.ebay.com/
Are you the original owner?
Barbie dating can be very wonky and misleading (I have Barbies marked with an very old date on their butts, and a very new date on there heads--because the body was the old style and the head was a newer style--bought original that way)...it is all about the molds they use when building the dolls.
Without more info, it is hard to tell if she is an original Barbie or one of the ponytail gals that they reproduced for an anniversary celebration.
She looks very clean and unplayed with...and I don't see any green around her earrings which, unless she was kept in box pristine, happens to almost all of the original dolls. Although if she is an original, this would add to her value.
To me, the lack of green on her ears could also mean she is a newer gal because they changed the materials for the earrings when they did the repro versions.
Does she have the 1958 mark on the back of her head also?
There is an amazing Barbie group on Facebook and they can give you the best info. You have to ask to join: Vintage and Mod Barbie Collecting 1959-1972
They do allow selling on the site, some don't, which is why I like this group of ladies and gentleman.
This site also has some good info:
dollreference.com/
Post back what you learn about her! Barbie collectors often pay big bucks for their dolls...so hopefully you will have one that is sought after in today's market. The first thing is to find out exactly who you have and then we can work on her value.
Thanks for your additional info! If she can be verified as the number one version of the blonde ponytail, I have seen them sold in the low thousands.
Do you have a good auction house in your town?
Take it there and get a professional assessment of her. I don't suggest selling her on eBay because there are scams with high value items going on.
Best to have her professionally assessed and sold that way. If she is not a number one, she still could have a value best left to a professional seller.
The original bathing suit and earrings alone can fetch up to $20!
Post back what you learn!! Thanks for posting back.
I am so excited about this article I just found this morning. I can't stop thinking about this Barbie!! I have been a fan since they started.
www.thesprucecrafts.com/
Please take yours to a pro!! I have read this over several times and it does sound like your gal is a number 1 ponytail--because of the holes in the feet, and arched eye brows.
You don't say where you are, but I am hoping you have a good auction house in your town that can help you sell her. Post back with more info!! Thanks so much for sharing her!
I believe you should check out these two sites - just for information.
You should put your doll away in a safe place until you are ready to have her appraised and then you should maybe make arrangements to have her auctioned at an auction house that advertises their item up for sale. You may have to make a trip.
You can have her appraised through several free online appraisal sites just to see what they tell you. These are fun sites when you have something that is really original.
www.whatsellsbest.com/
You should try the free online appraisals as you may be pleasantly surprised (most people are).
They are very easy to use and this will give you an idea as to whether you need to seek personal advice.
I use Barneby's a lot for more expensive items but they do charge $17.
This is usually money well spent.
Just was thinking about this doll, because a brunette version of her is selling on Facebook in the group vintage and mod barbie collecting 1959-1972.
The discussion on the sale has been really interesting. The brunette version is rarer than the blonde, but you may find it all interesting.
Post back with an update. Thanks again!
If I were you I would check on Ebay to see if you can find your doll listed. Then I would just watch the auction to see how much it sells for. I am sure you could purchase a special toy collectors book that would provide you with values. The thing with thinking about selling it on Ebay is that you have access to interested people all over the world. I just did a search for 1962 Midge Barbie and it came up with a list of items ranging in price from $2.99-$125.00. Another option would be if you get "toy" shows in your area. Sometimes we have them in our area and they basically sell old antique type toys.
I have this same exact Barbie. About 5 yrs ago ones like her went
for about $800 or more on Ebay. Now they go for less. But that doesn't
necessarily mean they are worth less (in my opinion) it may just mean with less jobs/money these days that there are fewer bidders.
I also have the black haired one, which I got lucky and found her in a
.25 box at a garage sale and shes in MINT condidtion. I considered selling them on Ebay but decided to save them for my grandchildren.
When they are grown surely they will be worth more. Both mine are from 1959-60.
there is one on ebay now that 4 people are watching listed at almost 500 but WITH clothes. is it just the doll? www.ebay.com/
It should be about 200 dollars. I read someone else's response and it says you should sell it on ebay but I think you should sell it somewhere else for more money. I think it would be a good choice to sell it on Antique rode show which you can google and find there website.
Her and Allen there wardrobe you
I have over 100 collectible Barbies in their original boxes- never been opened. They are absolutely stunning. Many are complete series sets. They are part of an estate. Mint condition. I posted a couple. How do I determine approximate value and what's the best way to sell?
This collection is worth a lot of money. I would not list this on eBay if I were you. If you take a look here on this site you can see where one Barbie doll sold for $302,500 and this doll was released in 2010. Many of your dolls are much older than this and would be worth a lot of money.
This site here can give you an idea of the most valuable Barbie dolls and the prices you can get for them. 247wallst.com/
If I were you I would go to an auction house and talk with them about these dolls. They will more than likely list them and sell them one at a time. You are looking at making a good sum of money when they are sold. Good luck on this one.
Original Barbie dolls in the box are worth thousands. I would look up each doll on eBay. Make sure you filter so that you are only looking at sold items. This will give you a clear idea of the value.
Hi! Barbies are awesome!! That is a nice estate lot you have,
Over 100 is going to take some leg work to sell (but it totally doable).
I can tell you this honestly because Barbie's are one of my specialties in my resale repertoire AND I was a very long time collector and sold off my own dolls over the years with the last of them being sold off this year.
One thing to know, there are still some dolls that are worth a few hundred dollars each (some of the older holiday Barbies still fetch a few hundred each) but the bulk of them have peaked in the market and fetch as low as $10 to $25 each--like your Jeans gal is averaging SOLD VALUES at $15 (see below).
The market crashed for all dolls including Barbies. It is not the market of the early 2000s any more (sadly).
Below, I am going to lay out the best plan of action for the most money and then option 2 and 3 for less money, but an easier processes.
First step no matter which option you take is to:
--Start an excel spreadsheet or paper if you are old fashioned and write down every doll.
--Then go to eBay sold and find SOLD examples of every doll on your list.
--Most you will need to do an average SOLD price because there are more than one sold and they sell at different prices (this is for many reasons from some are sold with SELLER paying shipping--you lose money) and some are sold cheap because the seller just want to get rid of them.
--I did this for the Bloomingdale/Jean gal, I typed Bloomingdale Jean Barbie into eBay search, clicked the SOLD button filter, found a bunch of her sold at a bunch of prices, added them all up, divied by the total and if my math is right she is a consistent seller between $5.00 and $20.00--AVERAGE is $15.00
Do this for every doll down the list. If you see a doll where there is only ONE that sold for a VERY HIGH price and the rest are selling for average prices DROP THAT DOLL from your average value. This is a scam sale and you cannot factor that gal into your average.
What I mean by that is is say doll X sells consistently at 10.00, but someone sold it recently and it fetched 1000.00. DROP that sale from your calculations as this was a either a shill bid (someone drove their own price up, or it was a money laundering thing). If the bulk sell for 10, then 10 it is.
If you think you have the original 1950's gals still in the box, first (if you need to make sure it is not one of the re-released dolls--they released the original Barbies several times for anniversaries. These are considered REPRODUCTIONS and while they still have some value, they are not ORIGINAL TO THE YEAR in value. It is critical to do an apples to apples match for exactly what you have and exactly what has sold. This is one place where you CANNOT do a "Like comparsion" which means oh, I have a doll in a red dress, there is a doll in a red dress that sold, that is my doll. NOPE, it needs to be exact...I have a Year, Dress, Box Match, Hair Color Match, Eye color match to compare to in my hand and sold.
Barbie collectors are serious collectors...it matters down to eye color with this folks!!
NOTE--If you have any of the true original dolls from the 1950s/1960s post back with a photo and I can work with you to figure out who you have and their value.
NOTE 2--When you are are doing your price list other things to consider are box status. If your box has even one tiny bend or ding in it and the comparable are pristine, you will be knocking a few dollars off of your final value.
Once you have all 100 priced out you can start to list them on eBay (be sure to know exactly how much the box weighs and the box size--so have them ready to ship before you list them because this is an important part of the listing process so you don't lose money on shipping.)
eBay or there are Facebook Market place sell groups--type Barbie sales into the Facebook search engine and you will see a bunch are the best way to sell and if you are accurate in your descriptions and shipping, even a beginner seller can be successful here. SEE MORE BELOW!
Write very clear ads (include things like eye color and nail polish color if you can see it--don't remove the dolls from the box). DON'T EVER use the term MINT or PRISTINE in your ads. Even if you think it, DON'T...mint and pristine to a collector mean the only people who have ever touched it is the maker and the seller--and even then they want people to have only touched it with gloves on).
In your description point out any damage to the box, any smells, if you have a smoker or a pet around them this needs to be disclosed as Barbie buyers are lovely people, but VERY picky about every detail.
List them as 7 day auctions at average price and let them sell.
Now if you have never sold on eBay before, eBay will limit you to 10 auctions a month until you are established (so this is not going to be a quick process to sell).
If you are experienced and either have a store on eBay or get the 100 or 200 "free" auctions, you can list them all at once with no listing fee (you get hit with the fees AFTER they sell).
That is the most money process.
The lesser amount processes are to take your excel from the step above and sell them IN A LOCAL VENUE like a Facebook Sale Want and Trade Group, Estate Sale, Yard Sale, Flea Market. You can do them one at a time or a lot). If you do them in a local venue you will get up to 1/2 less than the eBay values.
I recommend doing lots of likes--like Holiday Barbies together, Designer Barbies, etc. (IN THE LOCAL VENUES--NOT ON EBAY)
If you really want to get rid of them in one fell swoop--put them on Facebook local group as a lot (all of them being sold to one person) giving the total you calculated from eBay solds on your excel and expecting to get 1/2 to 3/4 of that total.
3rd option is take them all to a nice consignment store and have them sell them for you. You will get them out of the house and get a check when they sell. Here you will get a percentage of the sale (the store I like is a 50/50 split, but some are 60 store/40 owner--shop around to find the best percentage).
I am happy to give you more info if you need it. It is really important for you to know your options, not to be disappointed if you don't make millions or even thousands, but to still get a nice sum for them AND to make the buyers happy. As picky as Barbie collectors are, they are generally happy people who love their Barbies and getting a new one is like having a new baby!! Seriously....people love their gals that much!!
Looking forward to helping more if you need it!
I'm looking for information on the different Barbie dolls. I was just wondering if there was a place you could find the year and names of the individual dolls even if they don't have the clothes they came in. Any suggestions?
By gbk from Folkston, GA
Check out C.I.B. (Collector's Information Bureau). They require registration online but libraries often have their books in the reference section.
Personally I would call Mattel themselves. They must have or know where to find the information you're seeking.
888-7-MATTEL
Or contact them at this link
shop.mattel.com/
Any collectors' site should have info, or simply search for "collector Barbies" or a similar phrase via your fave search engine.
btw, I had to make even this one small contribution because you're from my mom's birthplace, God rest her soul. Best to you in your search.
Look on the butt of the doll. It should have the name and year.
How do I find the value of a Barbie that's more than 10 years old and unopened. Can someone help me out?
I just picked up some Barbie accessories. One is a tiny little ashtray with a cigarette. All the little accessories are in separate little cello papers.
I was wondering if this is how they used to be packaged?
Accessories used to have themes, such as beach day or sleepover. All the little accessories came packaged that way. Good find!
It looks like you have a very fun find, but I am not sure everything you have is true Mattel (Barbie and Friends) and I am doubtful that everything is in the original packaging, at least for what was sold in the US (I am not familiar with how things were packaged and sold in other countries).
Some of your pieces may be Mattel in the original inside package, but my gut feeling is that most were packaged specifically for after market sale.
I say this because at a minimum everything is missing the cardboard packages that they would have been sealed inside (most accessories came with an outfit and even when you bought a package say of just shoes or just accessories, they always had a cardboard backing.
The second thing that makes me think they are packaged after market, is I don't ever recall (at least with the old true Barbie items maybe they did in later years) them using staples when they had plastic bag inside the blister pack. It is possible clone makers used staples...I am not that familiar with clone items.
Often times (at least with the true vintage items--I am not that familiar with the more modern items--like those from today) the shoes and accessories were sealed into the blister packages without any thing holding them together.
For example, there was one vintage outfit, I am drawing a blank on the name, that came with a phone, and the phone was sealed in the package, off the hook--with the receiver packaged like Barbie could put the dress right on and pick up the phone. The phone itself was just loose after you opened the blister pack (not sealed in its own plastic).
Occasionally the shoes and accessories were packaged in their own plastic and then sealed in the blister pack, but more often than not, they were just sealed into the blister pack in their own little "cubby".
I also think you have a mix of real (Mattel) and clone items (or they could be items for dolls like Tammy or GI Joe or other dolls.)
Why I say this, for example, is that I do not remember Barbie ever having an ash tray and cigarettes--it is possible that is Mattel item, but in all my years of Barbie, the only ash trays and cigarettes I have ever seen were from "clone" makers--where they have to say "fits all 11 1/2 inch fashion dolls) and more often than not, they were sold in later years for diorama makers to use in their exhibits.
Here are 2 websites to help you start your research:
www.myvintagebarbies.com/
Plus if you use Pinterest you can see original Barbie packages--put in the phrase original barbie packages (and then pick a year to look at). I can (and have recently since I am trying to sell off all of my vintage Barbie collection) spend hours pouring over these sites!
There are some true Barbie gurus on Facebook. I belong to one group called Vintage and Mod Barbie Collecting 1959-1972. You can ask to join and maybe one of the guys and gals on that site can give you more insights into exactly what all you have!
Thanks for sharing! Post back what you learn!
Pghgirl made very good points and I believe she is correct in that these are not official Mattel Barbie accessories. But - I could be wrong.
If truth be known, probably less than 10% of the 'Barbie accessories" advertised for sale/sold are true Mattel accessories.
There was a large controversy with eBay several years ago and eBay stated they would not "police" these accessories because it would be an impossible task. eBay listings have Barbie Accessories in their description when in fact most are not Mattel but knock-offs. eBay will only take one of these listings down if Mattel voices a complaint.
I do not believe that Mattel ever produced an accessory that had anything to do with smoking.
These appear to be in individual 'bags' that are made especially for that item (correct size) and I agree that most Barbie accessories were not in bags and even the products with just Barbie accessories were in one package and not in individual bags.
There is so much information about vintage Barbie dolls on the Internet it would take forever to sort through it. Also numerous Barbie doll forums so anyone looking for information can surely find it.
I had a very large collection that I was buying/saving for my granddaughter but she was not very interested so I sold everything and fortunately it was before the "fall" in value as we see in today's market. But, there is a downside; I had several that sold for a few hundred that are now into the high hundreds but how would you know? No regrets.
If you wish to sell your find, I would suggest breaking them up and selling a lot of 10-15 items - list on eBay or any other site and list as Barbie Accessories. Check 'lot' sold listings on eBay to get an idea of what people are paying.
Here are some interesting listings for Barbie fans (past and present):
These sites just prove that it is not always the 'oldest' Barbies that are valuable.
You can ask questions about your find on this site:
What is my 1994 Victorian Barbie doll worth?
By KL
This page is about how much is my 1962 Midge Barbie worth? Determining the value of that special old doll requires a little research.
What is the value of Birthday Barbie 1993. Mint condition in the box.
