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COLLECTOR TERMINOLOGY
- NRFB - Never Removed From Box.
- MIB - Mint In Box (factory mint doll in original box).
- MNB - Mint No Box (pristine doll, no box).
- MB - Mint Box (pristine box, no damage).
- OOAK - One of a kind.
- Mint & Complete - Pristine outfit and all accessories in mint condition.
- Secondary Market - The resale of Barbie® dolls on the collector market (eBay for example).
- Pink Label Collection - Mass produced, can be found everywhere.
- Black Label Collection - Mass produced for speciality shops and dealers.
- Silver Label Collection - Keepsake dolls with no more than 50,000 produced worldwide.
- Gold Label Collection - Numbered editions of 25,000 worldwide or less, available at select retailers.
- Platinum Label Collection - Sequentially numbered editions of less than 1,000 worldwide, available at select retailers.
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INVESTING IN BARBIE
Sometimes, what begins as a hobby may actually turn into a valuable investment. For some collectors it even turns into a career!
That's because the Barbie® doll you buy today has the potential to appreciate in value. The collector dolls created by Mattel today are usually Collector or Limited Editions. As a result, once sold out, their price on the secondary market could easily go up. Of course, no one can guarantee that a doll will increase in value. Some dolls appreciate, some lose, and some remain the same. Nevertheless, the value of some collector editions can be astounding.
How do you decide which dolls to invest in? First of all, stay informed. Read books and magazines. Go to shows. Join a local club. Know prices. Next, think about a doll's uniqueness, quality and workmanship. But lastly, and most important, buy what you like. Look for a doll that touches your heart. Because as every true collector knows, you can never go wrong when you buy a doll you really love. Back to the Top
BEST BETS
- The first doll in a series is often a good bet to increase in value.
- Many seasoned collectors actually buy two dolls. One to keep in the box and the other to display.
- Some collectors prefer to get all the dolls in a particular series, especially if they plan on displaying their collection.
- Collectors often look for manufacturing deviations such as dolls with slightly different hairstyles, facepaint, fabric or box designs than used for the majority of a doll's production.
- Consider keeping your dolls in their package to maintain their value. Some of the newer series are specially designed to display this way. Removing a doll from the package can reduce the value by more than half!
- No one can guarantee that a doll will increase in value. Some dolls appreciate, some lose, and some remain the same.
- The hottest investments for Barbie seem to be based on her clothing. Look for outfits with white, gold, or fur in the design.
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THE LIST
- Have you seen the Collector Barbie family tree on our web site? Click here to see The List!
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BUYING ON AUCTION SITES
- First and foremost, always remember NRFB does NOT mean Mint Box! And there are many ideas as to what Mint is! NRFB simply means the doll has not been removed from the box. It is hard to determine what some SAY is mint, and what YOUR idea of mint
is. Most sellers aren't collectors, so they don't think a ding in the plastic or a little buckle in the cardboard is a bad thing. If it is not made clear in the description, ASK!!!!
- Shop prices! Do a search on the internet or in your own phone book! Try to get the BEST deal you can & be a savvy shopper!
- Many seasoned collectors actually like to have the Mattel Shipper Carton with their doll. If it is available on an auction with the doll, it may add additional value to your overall purchase.
- Always question blurry photos, as the photographer may be trying to hide a flaw.
- Look (but be wary!) for manufacturing deviations such as dolls with slightly different hairstyles, face paint, fabric or box designs that are not used for the majority of a doll's production. Often, you may be mislead by a description stating that the doll or box is "RARE". The best defense is educating yourself.
- Read the ENTIRE auction ad, and always read between the lines, especially when it comes to vintage.
- Read the sellers feedback (all of it if you must!)
- If you are buying a doll that is listed as being "direct from Mattel", ask the seller if he/she is truly a Mattel dealer. Generally speaking, if you were to buy a Mint, NRFB doll from a Mattel dealer, you can safely assume that the doll and box are in pristine condition. However, always insure any package you purchase. If an item is damaged during shipping, most sellers will not accept responsibility.
- MOST important, ASK QUESTIONS!!! Especially, yellowing of the cello, warping of the inner cardboard, scratched or "snapped" (cracked) cello, does the box make a rattling noise when moved, Is the dress/clothing faded from light exposure, etc.
You can spend quite a lot of money on dolls that are only a few years old, so ask anything that you can think of BEFORE you buy!
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DISPLAYING OR STORING DOLLS
- How should you store or shelve (display) your Barbie dolls to keep them in their best shape?
- First, avoid any direct sunlight. Use fluorescent lighting for short periods of time only (this will control fading of the clothing or yellowing of the cellophane).
- Choose a room or area that has few drafts (this will control dust).
- Choose a room or area that uses little or no heat (especially forced air heat) as this will prolong the life and pliability (potential cracking) of the box and/or it's contents.
- To avoid "green ear" avoid direct sunlight and heating of the display room.
- Finally, rotate the boxes about every two months, first allowing them to stand up for display, then lay them flat (to give the dress, hair and jewelry a "rest").
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CLASSIC DOLL SHOP STORE POLICY
- What happens when you place an order? It's pretty simple...
- In Stock items ship the day of your order, and your credit card is billed the same day.
- For Pre-Orders, or dolls that have not been released yet, you are NOT charged until your doll actually ships.
- If you cancel a Pre-Order, we charge you a $5.00 fee to cover our time and the paperwork untilized in processing your Pre-Order.
- We charge shipping according to weight. Shipments to APO Boxes, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico will be charged an additional $7.00 total (not per item!) and we will email you to confirm this.
- Our shopping cart is extremely secure, it uses a double Secure Socket Layer to protect you.
- We pack your items well, and insure them. We also send you a perfect box, unless we note damage in the item description. Once your package leaves us, we can not gaurentee it will arrive in the same condition that it shipped, therefore we do not accept returns if a box is damaged, but we will assist you in filing a claim for shipment damage if needed.
- Michigan Residents must pay 6% sales tax.
- We accept payments via MasterCard, Visa, PayPal plus check or money order. If your payment is made via a check, we may hold your shipment until the check clears.
- International orders will be verified prior to acceptance of the order and/or shipment. We will not ship to or receive payment from several countries, and we will email you to let you know the standing of your order.
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CONTACT THE CLASSIC DOLL SHOP
We would love to hear from you, and answer any questions that you might have. As collectors ourselves, it is always a pleasure to discuss the thing that we love! We are always here to help you, and maybe learn something from you! So please feel free to contact us:
E-Mail: Classic Doll Shop
Telephone: 231-882-4374
Fax: 231-882-7025
Our shop ours are Monday thru Thursday - 10AM to 4PM Eastern Standard Time.
We are currently on winter hours, and will post our spring/summer hours here when the time comes.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Below are some of the dolls on display in the shop, they are just a few of our fav's!
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