4. DETERMINE THE VALUE OF YOUR DOLLS

If your intention is to collect dolls for their value, you'll want to identify and determine your doll's worth.

Condition
Reproductions
Identification
Value

Condition

The first thing you'll want to look for in a doll is that it's in good condition - no cracks in the hairline or any other noticeable imperfections. While it's very difficult to find an antique doll in mint condition (meaning, still in their original boxes), you don't want to buy one with a missing arm either - not only is that creepy, but it's too difficult to work with. If you can't afford to (or don't care to) buy a doll in good condition, buy one that still has hope of being repaired, and then have fun repairing it. Many collectors enjoy the challenge of finding their barefoot doll a cute pair of shoes or making a new wig for their prematurely balding doll.

Reproductions

Doll artists often copy a popular or expensive doll and sell it as a reproduction (kinda like buying a Van Gogh poster and putting it in a really nice frame). While there's nothing wrong with buying a reproduction (some people only collect reproduced dolls), you have the right to know that what you're buying is not the original. Look at a doll's marks before buying it and be wary of counterfeit doll scams. On the same token, don't you try scamming other people into buying a reproduced doll if you ever end up reselling one, or we'll report you to the antique doll collecting police. They're tougher than they sound.

Identification

Most valuable antique dolls have some sort of ID on them, so do a strip search and look for the doll manufacturer's mark. Many marks are in the form of abbreviations, so you should get yourself a doll collector's guide to determine what the initials stand for. If your doll doesn't have any marks, or if the marks on your doll elicit a head-scratching motion, you can get it appraised at a doll shop or doll show. (Appraising your doll should cost no more than $20.) Keep in mind, though, that not all dolls can be identified. Poor orphans.

Value

  • Book value. After you've ID-ed your doll, determine its book value by going through a doll value guide. Sometimes you can even find pictures of your unidentified dolls and use the book to ID them. Keep in mind, though, that the prices listed in the guide will be for dolls in excellent condition. If the doll doesn't come with a box, you can already deduct 50% of the listed price. And if your doll is in even a little less than excellent condition, it's probably only worth a fraction of what's written in the book.

  • Market value. Unfortunately, the book value isn't necessarily the same as the market value, which is usually a lot less. To find out the market value of your doll, visit online auctions and check out the closing prices of dolls similar to yours.

If you don't trust your own judgment on the condition of your doll, you can always get it appraised at a doll shop or an online appraisal service like Eppraisals.com. They'll examine your doll with an objective eye and a cold heart.

And that's all you need to know about getting started with your antique doll collection. Oh, one last thing: don't purchase dolls named Chucky.