Vintage Barbie Dolls

When I was ten years old I lived across the street from a girl named Betty Woods. We soon became buddies and just about everyday she and I would get together and play dolls. Before you get the wrong idea, what we did was she would get out her Barbie dolls and clothes and I would bring over my G.I. Joes and stuff and content ourselves playing with our respective toys.

Neither one of us could have possibly imagined that those same toys, especially Betty’s Barbies, would be so collectible today.


I have a cousin in Tennessee who collectors Barbies. She has a ‘Barbie Room’ where she stores and displays hundreds of them. Barbie collecting is serious business. There are collector’s conventions, shows, etc. held all over the world where ‘Barbie’ites share their passion for collecting with others of similar passion.


In Hillary Shilkitus James’ ‘The Complete And Unauthorized Guide To Vintage Barbie Dolls 2nd Edition' from Schiffer Publishing, she shares hundreds of photos of vintage Barbies along with Barbie & Skipper Fashions And The Whole Family Of Barbie Dolls.


I never realized just how many vintage Barbie figures are out there and that’s not counting their clothes, accessories and the like. This is a great book with current values listed by grade, variation notes and more. Did you know the very first Barbie listed in mint condition goes for around $8,000!?  Better start hitting those yard sales.