This weekend, hundreds across Merseyside and beyond with be heading to the cinema to watch the first life-action Barbie film.
The film, based on the Barbie fashion dolls by Mattel and directed by Greta Gerwig, hits cinemas on Friday, July 21 and stars Margot Robbie stars as Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken. The film follows the pair on a journey of self-discovery after their removal from the utopian Barbie Land.
Launched in 1959, through the decades Barbie dolls have experienced unremarkable sales, with many fans collecting a number of them along the way. When the first Barbie doll was produced, there was just one model, but since then, over 170 types have been created, with a broad range of different skin tones, hairstyles, and outfits, the Daily Record recently reported.
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And new research by BonusFinder has discovered that the most valuable Barbie dolls through the years. There have also been numerous inspirational career Barbies, including a doctor, a firefighter, a scientist, and even an astronaut.
BonusFinder said that Barbies from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 2000s are the most valuable – so if you or someone you know got one as a gift, or picked one up at a car boot sale, it could be worth a small fortune. If you own the first Barbie dolls that went into production, it could fetch up to £21,995.
Top 10 most valuable Barbie dolls of all time
BonusFinder also has more details on each of these Barbies on their website here.
Barbie doll name, year it was produced and maximum selling price reported in June 2023:
- Barbie #1 (1959) – £21,995
- Dahlia Barbie (2006) – £1,940
- Golden Gala Barbie (2009) – £1,162
- Happy Holidays Barbie Brunette (1997) – £962
- City Smart Barbie (2003) – £922
- Byron Lars Coco Barbie (2007) – £882
- Special 2000 Edition Celebration Barbie (2000) – £842
- Barbie Baby-Sits Outfit (1963) – £830
- Harvey Nichols Special Edition Barbie (1995) – £721
- Bob Mackie Countess Dracula Barbie (2011) – £709
The Daily Record reported how commenting on the research, Fintan Costello, Managing Director at BonusFinder, said: "As popularity and availability increases, resale value goes down. As a rule of thumb, the older the Barbie, the more she’ll be worth – especially in mint or good condition.
"If you’ve still got any Barbies from the ‘60s, ‘70s or ‘80s it could be worth checking their condition and value. When looking to sell your Barbie dolls, or any collectible for that matter, always check other listings to make sure your Barbie comes with all of the extra items she should – if not, value may decrease significantly."
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