Vintage Barbie Dolls - 1959 Original Barbie

The Barbie Doll has long been established as one of the best-loved dolls of all times. Little girls have had the joy of playing with them, dressing them up, and creating imaginative stories about them for almost a half of a century now.

Created in 1959 by Ruth Handler, and named after her daughter Barbara, Barbie was an instant success. First sold at the American Toy Fair in New York City, Barbie can now be found and purchased around the world. The cost and value of the Barbie, however, depends greatly upon which Barbie you are seeking to buy.

There are a great amount of collectible Barbie's these days that sell anywhere from $25, all the way up to an obscene $85,000 for the Diamond Barbie. For right now though, we are going to focus on the one vintage Barbie that everyone wants to own - the original 1959 Barbie doll.

The original Barbie, (or Barbie #1 as she is called), was sold at the above-mentioned American Toy Fair for a mere $3.00. Her value now ranges in-between $8,000-$12,000. So, how can you tell if you own a true vintage Barbie doll? Look for the following identification marks:

Hair: Blonde or brunette ponytail with curled bangs

Eyes: White irises in her eyes, she is looking sideways, and has very pointy eyebrows

Clothes: Black and white zebra striped 1-piece swimming suit. White sunglasses with blue lenses. Black open-toed high heel shoes.

Jewelry: Gold hoop earrings

Body: Partially solid with metal tubes in her legs. She has matching metal holes in the bottoms of her feet to fit on a doll stand.

Other markings: Right side buttock, Barbie ™ (not Barbie ®), may have other small markings on back and inner arms and thighs from production. Her right foot is marked "Japan".

It is difficult to find a first edition vintage Barbie doll to purchase. Most collectors who own them have no intentions of giving them up. There are ways to find them, but it may take a lot of research. You can always keep an eye on auctions sites such as eBay, but more than likely you will find the vintage Barbie doll in the best condition at a collectibles shop, or a vintage doll fair.

Once you have found your Barbie, make sure that you look her over carefully for the specific markings and body styles mentioned above. Unfortunately, it's easy to be "taken" by others when you don't know what to look for. If at all in doubt, ask the owner if you can take pictures of her, and then have them evaluated by a doll expert before you purchase. If they have nothing to hide, they won't have a problem with this request.

It's always best to get an expert opinion before you hand over thousands of dollars for your newly found treasure.