Vintage Dolls And Collecting - Are Your Childhood Keepsakes Worth Money?
By Katharine Swan Most of us went through a period of spring-cleaning as we got older, where we threw out all of the toys that we were “too old for” anymore. If youre lucky, your mother (or just your good sense) kept you from doing this — and if you are really lucky, these vintage dolls are now thought of as collectors items. But how do you know what these childhood keepsakes are worth? Dig out your dolls and follow these simple steps to find out! Step #1: Identify Your Doll Not all vintage dolls were created equal, even way back when. Just like in todays toy market, dolls ranged in quality and cost. In general, dolls that were more expensive and of better quality when they were new tend to command higher prices now. Examples of high quality dolls that are now coveted by collectors include Madame Alexander, Arranbee, Effanbee, American Character, and Vogue. Most of the higher quality manufacturers marked their dolls, so the first step is to check for markings. These are usually either on the back of the neck underneath the hairline, or on the dolls back. If you are very lucky, and you have the original tag and/or box, not only will you know what kind of doll you have, but also chances are she is worth more than she would be without those things. If you cant find any markings on the doll, try to remember if anyone ever told you as a child what your dolls name was. You can also make visit your local doll hospital or shop to see if they know what the doll is. If all else fails, go through the pictures in every doll book and every website you can find, and see if you can recognize your doll. Remember, differences in dolls facial features are subtle, so study the pictures and look at as many as possible before settling on any one of them as an example of your doll! Step #2: Determine the Condition of Your Doll Value is highly dependent on the condition of a doll. In order to command the highest price possible, your doll needs to be “mint,” which means that she: Has never been played withIs perfectly cleanHas all of her original clothes and accessoriesHas perfect hairHas bright, flawless face paint, including cheek blushHas her original box and hang tag whenever possible Most childhood dolls are not mint, as they were usually toys. Played-with dolls range in condition from poor (soiled, damaged, and/or incomplete) to very good (lightly played with, more or less complete). These dolls may be worth only a fraction of the value of a mint doll. Step #3: Research Doll Values Once you have decided what your doll is and determined her condition, you may begin researching the values of that particular doll. Doll value books usually provide a best-case scenario: the value of a doll that is pristine mint. Doll shops, which usually charge the highest price they feel they can get away with, can tell you how values change with less-than-ideal condition. The online marketplace, such as eBay, is possibly the best place to search, as it provides you with many dolls for comparison, as well as current “market values” for your doll. For more information on determining a vintage dolls value, please see Doll Collecting - How to Determine a Vintage Dolls Value Katharine Swan is a longtime doll collector and enthusiast. Also a freelance writer, she has written many articles on collecting and repairing vintage dolls. Her ebook, How to Restring a Strung Doll, can be purchased for only $2.99 at http://dollstringing.katharineswan.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katharine_Swan http://EzineArticles.com/?Vintage-Dolls-And-Collecting—Are-Your-Childhood-Keepsakes-Worth-Money?&id=480993 saudi arabia reduces personal loan size to 25x salary payday loans olympia houston no credit check car loan pay day money lenders
