Today, Barbie collectors are still hot, but only with some dolls and accessories. For example, a 1959 original Barbie was sold for $ 10,000. As for the future, only time will tell, but I do not bet against a new collector craze coming. After all, her 50th birthday is on the horizon. As the popularity of the Barbie doll continues to perform to celebrate 50 years Barbie dolls are gaining in popularity. Here's a quick rundown through time into the world of collecting Barbies.

The '70s was a period in time when Mattel began to focus more on the benefits of quality. Dolls of the 70 and up 80's are designed more to play with. They became more plastic and had less quality. With its trendy new look and all the glitz and glamor, there is nothing unique and worth choosing among these dolls. Therefore, early dolls quickly became a hit among collectors.

It was not until 1986 when things began to change. Mattel introduced a doll that was designed for older collectors. Rhapsody in Blue Barbie started the show but it was only the beginning of much bigger things to come.

Two years later, in 1988, Mattel came out with their Happy Holiday Barbie. The doll is a limited edition, and sales were strong. It soon became difficult to get your hands on one, and now this doll is worth close $600.

Of course, this success birthed the idea of producing a Happy Holiday Barbie dolls each year. And to follow, the 35th Anniversary Barbie doll. This was certainly the hardest to find collector Barbie ever made. It is a reproduction of the original 1959 doll that started the whole Barbie craze.

Like the Beanie Baby craze, collectors snatched up all the dolls they could find. Prices soared in the collection market. It was short lived however. Mattel decided to fix things by increasing production to a point where the collection of these dolls was no longer profitable. The market dropped out in these dolls almost overnight.

Tags: diy, dolls, how to