The Five Secrets to Getting the Best Price When Buying an Antique Doll Or Collectible Barbie Doll

The absolute best way to get a great deal when buying a collectible antique doll or Barbie doll is to be armed with information. There' no substitute for knowledge when it comes to buying or investing in dolls.

There are usually only two things you, as a doll collector, are looking for when considering antique dolls:

#1. You are looking for a very specific doll. You know the designer, when and where the doll was made and you know a lot of other things about the exact doll you're looking for.

#2. You are looking for a bargain. You are looking for any antique doll or collectible doll that is available way below it's actual value.

Here's how to get the best value for both types of dolls.

You have to approach each of these situations differently. The first situation is easier, but there are still some things that many collectors overlook. You need to do your homework and find out what dolls like you are looking for are actually selling for. And you need to know what they have sold for recently.

The market may have changed.  A particular doll that was in high demand and expensive not long ago, may be a lot less expensive now (or it may be even more expensive). Either way, don't rely on your previous knowledge. Find out what the value of the doll is NOW.

By all means it's important that you don't let your emotions get in the way of logic. Of course, that's easier to say than to do. If you love antique dolls like I do, it's easy to fall in love with a doll. But remember that you will have a better chance to get the best doll at the best price, if you can remain logical and not let your emotions rule.

Of course, the condition of the doll you're looking for has a lot to do with the price. This means that there could be (and probably will be) a wide range of prices that the particular doll you're looking for will be selling for.

In the second situation where you are looking for any doll that you can get at a great price, your job is even harder. You need to know the value of many dolls in order to find bargains. Of course, you can't know the value of all dolls, but there are probably a wide range of dolls that you're interested in and have some idea about the the price range they should be selling in.

One of the best ways to find a bargain in an antique doll is to realize that a lot of people start out collecting dolls and then lose interest. Also realize that in many cases the person selling the doll wants to sell it a lot more than you want to buy the doll. Regardless of how high (or even how reasonable) the initial asking price is, make a low-ball offer and work from there.

The Internet has a wealth of information about dolls. One of the best places to find out about antique doll prices is on eBay. Be sure to check completed auctions to see what antique, collectible or Barbie dolls like the one you're looking for really sold for. You can use this information in your negotiating.

CraigsList is another good place to search for antique dolls or Barbie dolls. But remember that the prices shown on CraigsList are the asking prices and not what the doll will or did sell for.

When you're armed with all of the above information, your final step is to use the five negotiating techniques shown below and don't be in a hurry -- be the reluctant buyer.

Five  Secrets to Getting the Best Price When Buying Any Antique, Collectible, or Barbie Doll:

1.    Offer way less than you expect to have to pay. 

2.    Always act shocked and surprised at the other side's first price.

3.    Say, "You've got to do better than that." 

4.   Walk away (or pretend to walk away) sometime during the negotiation.

5.    Arm yourself with information.  The more you're prepared with facts and information, the better deal you can negotiate.  For example, say, "I have checked eBay and other Internet sources, and dolls like this one never sell for more than $200."

Use these techniques and you will come out with the best deal possible on an antique doll. Don't forget that there are a lot of collectible dolls out there, so always be willing to walk away from any negotiation. 

Bottom line: Do your homework, check prices on eBay, negotiate, be patient and walk away (or pretend to  walk away) from any negotiation if necessary.

You are free to publish this article as long as it is published in it's entirely including the author information and links shown below.

Jerry Minchey is an engineer, author, researcher and he holds seven patents. He cuts through the hype and gets down to the bare facts to reveal secrets that are easy to understand using non-technical terms. He has written several books and produced DVDs as a results of his research.

You can see the latest information about antique dolls (including prices that are updated hourly) at Rare Antique Dolls. At this site you can find the best prices for all types of rare and collectible antique dolls.

You can also see the latest hourly updated information about collectible Barbie dolls at Rare Barbie Dolls [http://www.RareBarbieDolls.com]. At this site you can find the latest information and the best prices for all types of Barbie dolls.

Collectible Barbie Dolls - Make Money With Your Collection

Barbie will be 50 years old in 2009. Wow I wish we all looked that good at 50. Of course she has had plastic surgery over the decades. She has even had a complete body replacement.

Barbie was first made in 1959 by Mattel and millions have been sold all over the globe since then. On March 9th 1959 Barbie was exhibited at the New York Toy Fair and that date is her official birthday. She wore a one piece black and white zebra striped swimsuit,high heel open toe shoes,hoop earrings and had white sunglasses with blue lenses. She has blonde or brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail and she has strongly arched eyebrows and white irises. She was made from a type of plastic which has faded to white over the years. She has copper tubing in her legs and holes in the feet for mounting on a pedestal. She is marked JAPAN on the bottom of the right foot and on the body she is marked Barbie TM Pats. Pend. Copyright MCMVIII.

If you find one of these dolls in good condition you have a collectors delight which is worth quite a bit of money. The exact value depends on the condition and completeness of the doll. Any missing parts or damage will lower the value substantially. This doll is known as the #1 Ponytail Barbie.

The #2 Ponytail Barbie is the same as #1 except that there is no copper tubing in the legs or holes in the feet. The pedestal was changed and made with extensions to support the doll.

The #3 Ponytail Barbie is the same as #2 but has different eyebrows and blue irises. She may have blue or brown eyeliner makeup.

The #4 Ponytail Barbie is made from a non fading plastic which retains it's flesh color. She has blue eyeliner makeup.

The #5 Ponytail Barbie was made with a hollow plastic body rather than the solid type found in earlier editions. The markings are similar with the difference that she is marked R Pats. Pend. rather than TM Pats. Pend. A new hair color was added to the line,known as titian,and dolls with this hair color are scarcer and therefore worth more than the brunette or blonde dolls. The plastic in some dolls had a problem which caused a greasy appearance with age. The regular matte faced doll,if you find one,is more valuable than a greasy faced doll.

The #6 Ponytail Barbie was made from a new vinyl which does not develop a greasy appearance as it ages. Her lips and fingernails are a pinkish red rather than the previous bright red. She is clad in a red swimsuit and has open toe,red,shoes.

The #7 Ponytail Barbie was made in various different hair colors including brunette, titian,lemon blonde and ash blonde. Her lips and nails are coral red. This new edition was brought out in the 1962-1963 period and the markings became Midge TM copyright 1962/Barbie copyright 1958 by Mattel. Dolls with this new marking are often called the #7 Ponytail Barbie but many people still call them #6. Dolls made before the changeover in 1962 are scarcer and more valuable than the new edition.

Condition is undoubtedly the most important factor in putting a value on early Barbie dolls. Collectors want a doll which is clean,completely original and not damaged.Such a doll fetches top price. If the doll is in its original packaging,and in mint condition, it is a highly desirable collectors doll and will fetch a premium price. Dolls which have in any way been repaired,restored or repainted are worth less than those left in the faded original condition.

Where can you expect to find early collectible Barbie dolls? The answer is almost anywhere,if you know what you are looking for. The vast majority of people do not know what an old Barbie doll looks like or that it is valuable. You can find old Barbie dolls sometimes by looking in thrift or second hand stores, fleamarkets and garage sales. Be sure to carry a magnifier to read the markings on the Barbie dolls when you are out there searching. Best of Luck.

Like to find out a lot more about collectible Barbie dolls and their prices?
Go to this site where there are listings of hundreds of Barbie's and Barbie accessories price at less than $1 and up http://www.bestsearchinfo.info

The Amazing Story Of the Barbie doll

One of the more fascinating toys of all-time would have if the Barbie. And with no wonder since she was with us for over 45 years. Barbie is the biggest selling pop in toy history, and countless hours of fun has given to many girls from around the world. That brings to mind a good question; How is the Barbie?

The history of Barbie doll is a good story. You really should go all the way back to the beginning of Mattel to fully understand its beginning. Mattel was formed in 1938 by two lifelong friends, Harold Matson and Elliot Handler (Mat) (El). Did you know that when Mattel began, they were not a toy maker? In fact, Mattel started as a photo frame manufacturer. Later, she began to make pop furniture.

Elliot Handler was married and had a daughter, Barbara, who enjoyed playing with dolls, like all little girls. Instead of baby dolls, Barbara like to play with adult dolls, but there were really no dolls like that on the market. Mrs Handler found on an impromptu visit to Europe one day, a German doll named "Lilli" in a shop. The funny thing was, this was not even marketed as a pop. It was more a joke type gift for people.

When Mrs Handler returned back home, was a hit with Barbara Lilli. Mattel that gave an idea. They bought the marketing rights to Lilli and changed its name to Barbie, named after their daughter Barbara of course. The rest as they say, is history. Barbie was introduced to the world at the New York International Toy Fair in March, 1959. Actually, 9 March 1959 is Barbie's official date of birth.

Barbie became an instant hit, and spread across the us during that year. It seemed that Barbie was already a little lonely, so the next year, Ken was introduced. Did you know that Ken is named after the Handler the son, Kenneth?

Barbie was originally dressed in a black-and-white striped swimsuit. You even had the possibility of buying her with brown hair or blond hair. Barbies dress, of course, was later available in many different styles and selections made. Every conceivable outfit was offered. Barbies dress pattern was after the Paris designer fashion shows.

Barbie has been made in everything from a college student to a President over the years. Any type of accessory is made including, cars, houses, and pets. Barbie is also an Olympian and even a mermaid. The history of Barbie doll is a great story. How long can they stay popular? That is anyones guess, but Barbie is still going strong almost 50 years later, so I wouldn't doubt they still has many years to come.

You can find many more about the history of Barbie dolls [http://www.barbie.infofroma-z.com], as well as more information about Barbie on our Web site at [http://www.barbie.infofroma-z.com].