Did you know that Matell estimates that there are 100.000 Barbie doll collectors that 90% of them are middle age woman and that they buy up to 20 dolls a year? that blew me away to when i saw those figures for the first time, that is why Vintage Barbie dolls are so high prized these days and for people ho can’t take big risk of are on a tight budget i have made this guide on what to look out for when you are buying vintage Barbie doll.

When you start of collecting vintage Barbie dolls the best course of action is to familiarize yourself with all the details you need to know about collecting Vintage Barbie Dolls before you start visiting flea markets, antique shops, toy stores, and other places to purchase A Vintage Barbie doll, here are some of my best tips i can give to a starting collector.

1) The Date.

As you can understand the date that a vintage Barbie doll is created is very important for the value of the doll so make certain that you take the time to inspect the copyright date, the date refers to the year the vintage Barbie doll was launched or created.

TIP: the vintage Barbie dolls that have a high value are those marked with “1958″ or “Japan” at the rear end or it is marked at the bottom of one of the feats.

2) Condition.

One of the most important things is the overall condition, because vintage Barbie dolls are getting more worth when time pass by, it is very important to have a close look at the overall condition, do you see discoloration. neck splits, body splits, hair that is in a poor condition, lips chipping, rubbed of texture, are the ears green due to discoloration when wearing ear rings, missing parts, faded clothes act, make certain that all of the fingers and toes of the doll are still intact and that the have a even color.

3) Vintage Barbie Doll Accessories.

You have to pay close attention to the vintage Barbie doll accessories, Experts that have been collecting for years say that the valuable vintage Barbie dolls are those wearing outfits that have still all the precise details, so make sure that you keep that in mind the value of the American is in the accessories.

4) Metal Tubes.

Search for vintage Barbie dolls that are created with metal tubes, if you listen to the expert collectors the number one collectors item is the vintage Barbie doll with the metal tubes in them.

5) Vintage Barbie Doll Trademark.

This is a very important tip always and i really mean always check for the dolls trademark you would be surprised how much garbage there is on the market, so check for the Mattel, Inc. mark.

These are the fife most important steps to get into the world of vintage Barbie doll collecting, it is a great hobby and a sound investment, vintage Barbie dolls are getting scarcer every day making your dolls rise in value.

Dave is the creator of Vintage Barbie Doll Store this is a place where you can find the best Vintage Barbie Doll auctions handpicked from eBay.