Expert: Anne Hoffmann - 12/12/2007

Question
I wanna know how much is my barbie worth ?  She's really old but in really good condition I can hardly see the year but she's like in the 1950 her eyes are really small with blue eyeshadow and her hair is like a redish brown in a shape as a fro . Thank u -jessica

Answer
For me to evaluate your Barbie, I would need more information with which to identify her. There are many, many Barbie issues, as you know, and values are determined by a number of factors, the first being positive identification.
Mattel issued the first Barbie doll in 1959. She was immediately a sell-out hit. In 1960, Montgomery Ward, the famous catalogue store, commissioned Ideal (another doll manufacturer) to design a doll similar to the Mattel Barbie for their Christmas catalogue. They were afraid demand for the Mattel Barbie would far outstrip availability and negatively impact their seasonal sales. Ideal came up with the slant-eyed Mitzi. There are, in addition, many Barbie look-alikes from the same era, including the Uneeda "Suzette" and Valentine's "Polly".
Mattel's Barbie was most likely patterned after Bild Lili, a German doll first made in 1955.
The original Barbie dolls had long ponytails, drawn up high on their heads. Underneath the rooted hairline was a flocked (short, fuzzy material) bald head.
The marking on a Barbie doll is NOT the date of issue, but the copywrite date.
The "'fro" you describe your doll as having may be the "bubblecut" hairstyle, introduced in 1961 and produced through 1967. It came in an auburn color called "titian", as well as blonde, light brown and dark brown.
I suggest you compare the look and markings on your doll to those of a Barbie similar to yours. A very good web site for identifying your Barbie would be www.dollreference.com, especially the link: http://www.dollreference.com/barbie1.html
There is a whole Barbie menu to choose from in trying to locate your doll.
One important thing to remember in dating your doll is that periodic anniversary reissues were made of early dolls. These have the dates of the original doll on them, which is confusing if you don't know what to look for. The dollreference.com site has all the information you should need. If you are confused by the information, please do feel free to consult me. A clear photo of your doll would be most helpful. Also, where are the markings located? The back of the neck? The right foot? (An older doll is marked "JAPAN" on the bottom of the right foot.) The back of the body? The buttocks?  A doll in good condition should have clear markings.
Once you have firmly identified your doll, you can begin to research its value. The dollreference.com site has some ballpark estimates, which are helpful. These estimates are values for a doll in perfect condition. The best way to get a current value on your doll is to check the ebay listings for your exact doll or one very similar of the same issue. If this is too confusing-it can take a lot of time!-you may also ask me to value your doll after you have a positive identification. Just resubmit your question with the information on your doll when you have found out which Barbie issue she is.
I just took a quick glance at ebay listings for "bubblecut barbie". The starting bid for a titian-haired bubblecut Barbie starts at an opening bid of $10.00; another with a case and some clothes starts at $99.99. A mint-in-box (MIB) starts at $200.00. These are opening bids at an auction, so prices may go very high if there is enough interest in these dolls. I suggest you watch these auctions for the winning bids. Then you have an estimated value for your doll-IF she is truly a bubblecut Barbie.

Dear Jessica,
Please read my answer under the question "Teen Age Fashion Model Barbie Brunette Bubble Cut". This may make it easier for you to tell if your doll is an early bubblecut Barbie.
Regards,
Anne