Isn’t it funny that some of the toys you had before are worth a lot of money right now? You are probably kicking yourself for not taking care of it back then but hey, you didn’t know that this would happen in the future and such is the case with collectible dolls.
How is this possible? Well, we have to back to the basic rule of economics which is supply and demand. Some companies don’t make these collectible dolls anymore so you have to buy it from someone who has kept this for years.
Take for instance the Barbie doll. There was a time that dolls manufactured in 1959 could fetch for close to $10,000 but that figure has gone down now to just around $2,500.
But not all collectible dolls made back then are worth a lot of money now. One example is the Mike Hazard, Double Agent. If the doll or others like it did not make a huge impact on the market, then nobody will even think about buying it. They would rather spend their money elsewhere on something that has better resale value should they decide to sell it again in the future.
So, how can you increase the value of your collectible doll? If you were smart, you should have kept the original packaging. This will also protect it from dirt and dust.
If it has some tape, you should remove it because this will discolor the fabric. The same goes if there is any metal present because in time, it does rust.
If you are tired of playing with it or simply grew tired, make sure that this is stored properly by putting in a layer of acid free tissue in between the doll and its clothing. This will help stop the fabric colors from bleeding into the toy’s body. If it does have inset eyes, you better store it face down.
Most collectible dolls leak sawdust. If this is happening to what you have, you should put a few drops of glue in the hole where it is coming from. But if the hole where the sawdust is coming from is too big, you better patch it up. This should be checked regularly so you are sure that the problem has been contained.
Should you own a doll that sleeps or closes its eyes, this should be cleaned using a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water. The proper way of doing it is laying the collectible doll on its back holding one of the eyes open and putting in enough solution to clean it. The same should be done with the other eye several times then turn it over so the mixture will drain out. After a few minutes, make it stand up straight and dry the eyes using a piece of cloth.
You must never change anything in the doll especially its structure because you do not know to what extent the damage it can do. If you screw up big time, this will greatly depreciate its value and nobody will probably want to buy it from you. If what you have is made of wood, don’t get it wet as this too causes stains.
So where can you find these collectible dolls? Try the local toy store, specialty shops and online. You will surely find what you want there and get a good bargain so you can resell this later on.
