Your Essential Guide to Collecting Valuable Barbie Dolls

I have recently become more of an avid collector or Barbie dolls and I have found some things that have helped me greatly in getting the Barbie that I want without having to spend a fortune.

First of all, there are regular toy Barbie dolls and collectible Barbie dolls. The most common collectible Barbie dolls are the "Pink Label" dolls. These are more mass produced and are sold in most stores. The next are "Silver Label" dolls. There are no more than 50,000 dolls of each design produced and are also sold in most stores. The next are "Gold Label" dolls. There are no more than 25,000 dolls of each design that are produced worldwide and individually numbered and are only available at select retails stores. The next are "Platinum Label" dolls. There are only 1,000 or fewer dolls produced of each design and are sequentially numbered. Other labels include the "Black Label" which is a collection of limited edition dolls geared toward the adult collector. Other than these labels there is also the "Fashion Model" collection also known as "Silk Stone dolls" which are made from porcelain like material and each doll design comes with exquisite fashion apparel. Also, there are other collectibles such as the "Holiday" Barbie's, the "FAO Schwarz" Barbie's, the "Hollywood" Barbie's, "Hard Rock Café" Barbie's, "Corvette" Barbie's, "Hello Kitty" Barbie's, vintage reproductions, and the list goes on.

Obviously, the less produced designed dolls will cost more and have more value. However, that doesn't always mean you have to pay a lot for one. Usually, the best time to purchase a doll is right when they are released in the stores or at the end of the year when they make room for the next collections. However, if you wait you might not get the exact one you want. "Pink Label" Barbie's can be found at stores such as Target and Toys R Us and for a reasonable price. I have found that Target is generally cheaper than Toys R Us and has more promotions going on for them. You can get higher collectible dolls such as "Gold label" and other collections such as the "Fashion Model" and vintage reproductions at the Mattel (manufacturer) outlets. They have warehouse locations in California, Texas, and Wisconsin. These places are great for finding older dolls that are no longer available in stores for a cheaper price with their in-store promotion offers and sales. I was able to score a "Gold Label" Barbie that retailed for $55 for $20. Another great place to get dolls for a cheaper price or to get newer released dolls that are hard to find in stores is the website: BabrieCollector.com. This website is great for first time collectors and avid collectors alike. They usually will have a sale section where you can see a current listing of dolls that have been marked down. They also offer deals such as $1 shipping.

A good rule of thumb if you decide to start collecting Barbie's is to see what you like and its retail price and its value price. Often people will buy dolls that they really like and if they happened to be discontinued or sold pout will fork way more than what's necessary. Although a doll may be no longer sold in stores doesn't necessarily mean it has a high value. Take for instance, the "Holiday" Barbie's. The first "Holiday" Barbie design may be of high value and other ones from the same year era, but over time their value and demand has decreased and some are even selling for less than what they were sold for. Internet shopping sites such as eBay and Craigslist are also good resources to go to find dolls for sale. Some sellers are simply looking to get rid of dolls that are "NRFB" ("Never Removed from Box") and will list them for a price that is lower than their value price or current selling price. I have gotten several popular collectible Barbie dolls from eBay for half the price they originally retailed for. Even on Craigslist I got a FAO Schwarz Barbie (1st edition released) that usually sells for up to one hundred dollars for $20 and no shipping costs since it was a local pickup.

These are just a few personal tips to help your collection get going. I have managed to get most of the Barbie dolls I have had my eyes set on for prices way below than what I thought I was going to have to pay them for. It's a nice feeling looking at my Barbie doll collection and knowing that I didn't have to spend a ton to get what I wanted and for something that has great potential value!