Toys have a roughly $6 billion dollar volume right now. It’s an industry that remains wildly popular across generations.
The hobby of collecting dolls is rewarding, filled with enthusiasts you can connect with – and you can even make some money. Mattel is a giant in the industry and has produced some of the best and most iconic dolls in history.
There are plenty of hot selections you can look for if you’d like to collect vintage dolls. Here are some tips that’ll teach you about buying collecting Mattel dolls and how to get started buying and collecting them.
Study the History of Mattel Dolls
For years, Mattel has been a giant in the toy industry. It was founded in 1945 and is currently headquartered in Southern California.
The first Barbie doll was released in 1959 and is the reason the company is globally significant today. Barbie toys have been a mainstay ever since, and it’s easily the most popular doll on the planet.
Throughout the years, Mattel has released plenty of Barbies and other dolls that are significant for different reasons. Knowing which dolls are rare, commemorative, or special for other reasons will help you find the hottest collectible items.
Find the Best Collections
The Mattel toy catalog is unviraled. A variety of doll collections have been released throughout the years. Understanding the history of each and what makes them unique will help you start a solid collection.
Here are some of the collectible Mattel franchises you’ll want to check out:
- American Girl
- Barbie
- Fisher-Price
- Disney franchises
- Cabbage Patch Kids
Check Out Price Guides
Whether you collect for fun or to make money, you deserve to always know how much the items you’re looking for are worth. This will help you when it’s time to research your current items or something that you’re interested in buying.
Stay up-to-date with price guides so that you can look up the most current values for vintage Mattel dolls. These prices go up and down based on several factors, including the type of doll and the condition that it’s in.
It’ll inform you when you’re ready to buy, sell, or trade any kind of Mattel doll.
Make Relationships With Dealers and Other Collectors
Collecting is always best as a social activity. You’ll learn so much just by exchanging notes with dealers and other collectors.
It’ll teach you the foundational points of collecting vintage dolls, in addition to staying in the loop on what’s happening in the doll industry. It’ll help you build your chops as a collector and always have a good resource for trades or purchases.
Start Your Mattel Toy Collection
Mattel dolls are some of the hottest toys in the world, to this day. When you have the right information, it’s easy to get started on the right note. The next thing you know, you’ll have a thriving and fulfilling hobby of collecting these amazing dolls.
Start here and check out more of our articles so that you can build the best toy collection.
