| Barbie Doll Collection - Guidelines | | | | |
| | | | Houseful of Dolls |
| Here I wish to give an explicit list of | | | | |
| instructions to collect Barbie dolls and a | | | | It didn't take much time to find plenty of |
| note on changing trends. | | | | Barbie Dolls within our collection. We, three |
| | | | little sisters collected dolls with every |
| 1. Look for no damage: Check the Barbie Doll | | | | outfit and possible haircut. Our room used to |
| you collect thoroughly, for any breaks or | | | | be filled with sunglasses, earrings and |
| scratches since the defected dolls are less | | | | plastic mules. Headless bodies of dolls in |
| valued. | | | | the garden and floating heads in the toilets |
| | | | had become common as the collection amassed. |
| 2. NRFB dolls are worthy: The Barbie Doll in | | | | |
| 'never removed from the box' condition is | | | | We would have made much fortune if such large |
| more valuable than the one removed from pack. | | | | collection of 1960s was well taken care of. |
| | | | |
| 3. Insist on original: A restored or an | | | | Barbie's Allies in 1960s |
| altered Barbie may be appealing but it is no | | | | |
| good for collector, in terms of value. | | | | Barbie used to have apparently less number of |
| | | | friends, clothes, careers or vehicles in 60s. |
| 4. Time of the make: The date you usually | | | | Assorted things and friends of Barbie was a |
| find on the abdomen of a doll is the designed | | | | big fascination for most girls. |
| date of mold but not the date it was made. | | | | |
| | | | Ken Carson, Barbie's beau who was another |
| 5. Distinct ones get more: The rarity of | | | | important doll of my collection but I took |
| Barbie Dolls always counts. Dolls which are | | | | less care to dress him up since he wore very |
| produced less than 35,000 as Limited editions | | | | casual clothes all the time including formal |
| are valued more than the Collector editions | | | | occasions accompanying Barbie. |
| that are released more than 35,000 in number. | | | | |
| | | | Midge, the red haired friend of Barbie came |
| 6. Attire: Doll with original getup and | | | | later. However, Mattel was smart enough to |
| accessories are worthier than the Barbie | | | | design Midge's clothes so specially that |
| Doll's outfit when it is sold. | | | | Barbie's clothes never fit the blonde. |
| | | | |
| 7. Update with latest price list: Buy a book | | | | Barbie got a sister called Skipper and we had |
| that gives existing values for Barbie Doll. | | | | one Skipper doll at least. |
| Assess your collectible Doll's value by | | | | |
| finding the same doll in list and an average | | | | Time for Multicultural Barbies |
| of prices shown in such lists tells you the | | | | |
| actual value. | | | | I was told about Caucasian dolls by couple of |
| | | | my African-American friends of our group |
| 8. Compare: Doll-shows at your place, | | | | while talking about toys and dolls we had. |
| auctions, local stores and online shops help | | | | Including Mattel, the maker of Barbie |
| you to compare the doll you are looking for | | | | couldn't catch up the trend in time. |
| with that of others. | | | | |
| | | | Old is Gold |
| 9. How you evaluate is important: A Barbie | | | | |
| Doll finds place in your collection only when | | | | If I were to buy, I would prefer to go for |
| it attracts you. In that way, your emotional | | | | number of Barbies that look so chic and |
| attachment with that doll outdoes the market | | | | distinguished made in the years between 1959 |
| value and it becomes so precious for you! | | | | and 1965. |
| | | | |
| 10. That's like a good doll: Good dolls never | | | | As far as 'the best collection' of Barbie is |
| look weird as dumb or too trendy. You can pay | | | | concerned I recommend to spend on originals |
| more for collector picks and classics. | | | | and first of the series and avoid indifferent |
| | | | qualities of latest ones. |
| First is The Best | | | | |
| | | | Gift a lookalike Barbie |
| I received my first Barbie Doll on my fifth | | | | |
| birthday in 1960. Like any other girl, I love | | | | Barbie is a perfect gift when you present it |
| the first doll of the collection. At that | | | | dressed in a similar way of little girl whose |
| time Barbie was just one year or so and her | | | | birthday or other occasion is on. Then the |
| first design was with strapless black and | | | | girl likes to keep her Barbie clean, new and |
| white zebra lines swimsuit and brown colored | | | | carefully dressed as she does for herself. |
| short hair. | | | | |