Whether you loved the Barbie movie or not, you can’t deny that the film worked wonders in promoting Barbie dolls to a whole new audience.
As it turns out, the film has not only inspired a bunch of people to add pink back into their wardrobe but also inspired people to start collecting vintage Barbie dolls. And according to Aussie doll collectors, the influx is causing a rise in demand for the dolls and the rise of scammers trying to quickly cash in on the hot items.
Lynda Wake, a member of the Sydney Doll Club, spoke to ABC News about the rise in popularity she’s seen of the dolls online.
“The Barbie movie has really had a very interesting effect on doll collecting,” she said.
“Recently I saw that a Barbie Number One had gone for in excess of $61,000 (USD $40,000).”
But the original Barbie isn’t the only doll having it’s time in the sun. Allan, a doll marketed as simply “Ken’s buddy who could also fit into Ken’s clothes” is now in demand after Michael Cera‘s hilarious portrayal of the doll – despite being a bit of a dud when it was first released in 1964.
“Previously, [Allan] was a doll that was very much overlooked,” Wake explained.
“People glanced sideways and said, ‘Oh he’s more Ken’s friend, they might have a bit of a relationship there’. With Allan now, he’s the doll that everyone wants in their collection.”
God, if I knew the Allan doll existed back in my doll-playing days you better believe Ken and Allan would be bumping bulges.
While the fun new interest in doll collecting is exciting for enthusiasts, there is a downside. Scammers have noticed the influx in the buying and selling of vintage dolls as a way to make a quick, dodgy dollar.
“People are on fire at the moment about collecting Barbie, so there are a whole lot of fake profiles and fake people that are advertising things that don’t exist,” Wake said, per ABC News.
“It’s really important that you know what you are buying, and particularly be careful if you are buying online and you can’t touch and hold and feel the doll.”
So you heard the expert, don’t just trust anyone if you want to dip your toe into the vintage Barbie-collecting pond. Do ya damn research!
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