New findings show the most valuable Barbie doll of all time costs nearly $30,000, that’s equivalent to over half of the average salary in the United States.
Ahead of the release of Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie, BonusFinder.com investigated which Barbies were the most valuable to hold onto and how much one could get for their old dolls in today’s market.
To reach these findings, the company looked at the maximum sales figures from Barbiedb.com on April 11, 2023 to find the minimum, maximum and average sales prices of every Barbie doll contained within the database from 1959 to 2020.
Then, the data was sorted from highest to lowest based on each dolls’ selling price. The data was also organized by decade and an average value was calculated, including the most expensive Barbie of each decade.
According to BonusFinder,com, the first Barbie doll was created by Ruth Handler in 1959 and it was one of the few girls toys that existed during this time. Handler made the toy for her daughter, Barbara, after which Barbie is named.
From one model in the 50’s to over 170 variations today, the Barbie doll has only aged progressively with time, as it continues to incorporate messages of diversity, inclusion and ambition into its products.
With this in mind, here are the most valuable Barbie dolls of all time:
- Barbie #1 (1959)
The most prized Barbie doll of all time is Barbie #1, aka the original Barbie doll released in 1959. It was originally priced at $3, but now its maximum resale value is at $27,450.
- Dahlia Barbie (2006)
Created by longtime-maker Robert Best, the second most valuable doll is the 2006 Dahlia Barbie with a resale value of $2,423.
- Golden Gala Barbie (2009)
The third most selling Barbie was also created by Best. First released in 2009, the Golden Gala Barbie has secured third place, selling for up to $1,451 on the market.
READ MORE: ‘Barbie’ trailer shows a number of Canadian actors in star-studded cast
- Happy Holidays Barbie Brunette (1997)
Launched in 1997, the 10th anniversary special edition of Happy Holidays Barbie has since garnered a value of $1,201, making her the fourth most expensive.
- City Smart Barbie (2003)
The resale value for a 2003 City Smart Barbie has reached a maximum sale of up to $1,151, making her the fifth most expensive Barbie doll of all time.
- Byron Lars Coco Barbie (2007)
Created by American fashion designer Byron Lars, the 2007 Barbie model has gained a resale value of up to $1,101.
- Special 2000 Edition Celebration Barbie (2000)
The Special 2000 Edition Celebration Barbie is especially significant as it marked a new millennium. It presently has a value of $1,051.
- Barbie Baby-Sits Outfit (1963)
This next product is a two for one deal, it is the Barbie Baby-Sits outfit and toy set. This was released in 1963 and is now worth up to $1,036.
- Harvey Nichols Special Edition Barbie (1995)
The 1995 Harvey Nichols Special Edition Barbie is a current highly sought collector’s item and has a value of up to $900. Its rare qualities makes it one of the most valuable Barbie dolls in the world.
- Bob Mackie Countess Dracula Barbie (2011)
The 2011 Countess Dracula Barbie was produced in collaboration with fashion designer Bob Mackie. It has a resale value of up to $886. It is presently the newest Barbie on the list.
In terms of which decades produced the most valuable Barbie dolls, the 1950’s came out on top, followed by the 60s, 70s, 80’s and lastly, the 2020s.
Currently, interest in Barbie has soared by 96.8 per cent between February and April of this year, due to anticipation for the upcoming 2023 film. Additionally, the popular release of the world’s first Barbie with Down syndrome has advanced the franchise when it comes to inclusivity.
BARBIE ACTOR SIMU LIU GETS HIS OWN BARBIE DOLL
Recently, Toronto actor Simu Liu who plays one of the many forms of “Ken” in the highly-anticipated film Barbie, has just received his own doll. On June 1, the doll’s respective toy company Mattel, unveiled a new collection of dolls inspired by the upcoming film and among the dolls was a version of his character.
In Liu’s Instagram post captioned “whoa”, his doll is sporting a gold and white Elvis-esque tracksuit, with black slicked hair and black freckles.
So, what do fans think? Well, the results seem to be split.
One of the top comments read, “No offense but it doesn’t look like u 😂”.
While another said, “I’m offended for you. Can’t wait for people to repaint this lol”.
But there were also fans who were simply proud of the Chinese-Canadian star.
“You know you have made it when you have your own Barbie. So happy for you!!!” one user said.
Barbie hits theatres next month on July 21, 2023.
