Investing in Barbie? A new index reveals most expensive dolls

Moneylife Digital Team 14 July 2015

Earliest Barbies from the late 50s and early 60s are the most valuable, and have shown the greatest value increases over the past 10 years, says a new index launched by justCollecting

If you are bored up with investing in stocks, properties, diamonds and luxury cars, here is another option for investors. According to a new index, the 1959-made doll is worth $9,000 in top condition - just ahead of the blonde version of Barbie #1 at $8,250.

According to JustCollecting.com, a picture-sharing community for collectors that launched the Barbie index, the brunette version of Barbie provided the best investment since 2005 - up 6.6% a year on average.

A justCollecting spokesperson said: "It's the earliest Barbies from the late 50s and early 60s that are the most valuable, and which have shown the greatest value increases over the past 10 years. It's a battle of hairdos at the top. There were twice as many blonde #1s and #2s as brunettes, yet the brunettes are only marginally more valuable. Why? Because more people want to own the blonde versions, as they are seen as the archetypal Barbie hair colour."

"In 1967 Mattel encouraged owners to part exchange their old Barbies for one of the new 'Twist N Turn' varieties. That makes pre-1967 dolls especially rare today," justCollecting said in a release.

Some of the more infamous Barbies are also valuable, due to their notoriety and the fact they were quickly pulled from the shelves. Pregnant Midge, complete with tiny baby, is worth $100, while Growing Up Skipper, whose breasts grow with a twist of her arm, has a $150 valuation.

Most valuable Barbies in the justCollecting Barbie Index

1. Barbie #1 Brunette (1959): $9,000

2. Barbie #1 Blonde (1959): $8,250

3. Barbie #2 Brunette (1959): $8,000

4. Barbie #2 Blonde (1959): $7,500

5. Roman Holiday Outfit (1959): $5,000

Best performing Barbies 2005-2015

1. Barbie #1 Brunette (1959): up 6.6% per annum to $9,000

2. Barbie #1 Blonde (1959): up 6.3% pa to $8,250

3. Barbie #2 Brunette (1959): up 5.9% pa to $8,000

4. Barbie #2 Blonde (1959): up 5.8% pa to $7,500

5. Peaches N Cream (1959): up 5.8% pa to $175

Other notable Barbie prices

• Ken #1 Brownette (1961): $60

• Growing Up Skipper (1975): $150

• Pregnant Midge (2002): $100

Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over fifty years, and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parody of the doll and her lifestyle.

Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration.

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