Tommorrow's Vintage Collectibles: Project Runway Barbie & Other Limited Edition Barbies

Let's talk about Barbie dolls for today's edition of Tomorrow's Vintage Collectibles, beginning with my My Scene Project Runway Barbie:

Many of you may remember that Nick Verreos won the "All Dolled Up" challenge in Project Runway Season 2. Tarah (the model) and Nick's winning design were made into a My Scene Barbie doll.  I immediately bought one because it combines two of my interests, doll collecting and Project Runway, and also because I knew it would immediately become a collector's item.

I also really liked Nick's designs, and though this one isn't my favorite, it definitely works as a design for Barbie. I wish that the doll was a little more true-to-life, as I think that Mattel didn't accurately capture Tarah's skin color, but then again neither is Tarah's head that large.  (Frankly, I like the classic Barbie look better than the My Scene dolls).  Anyway, I can see kids wanting to pick this one up off of the shelf at the toy store...although it was never on the toy store shelf.

A related doll option is the Heidi Klum Barbie, although that one is not limited edition.  By the way, you might also be interested in collecting the Project Runway pattern line by Simplicity.  You may be surprised to know that I have not acquired any of them yet.  Frankly, I don't find the designs interesting or fashion forward.  Do you like them?

Back to Barbie...it's fairly easy to decide which Barbie dolls are going to be highly collectible in the future.  For example, a limited edition tie-in to an incredibly popular television show...

...will be very collectible. Yes, Mad Men. You may have already heard that Mattel will make 7,000-10,000 of each doll and they will be available in July 2010. (Read more about it at the New York Times.)  Raise your hand if you want the Joan doll!  Joan will sell out first, mark my words.  I want all of them, but at $75 a doll, I may pass on all of them. I think that it's cool that Mattel gave Joan and Betty that vintage 1959 Barbie look.  By the way, if you plan to buy Madmen Season 3 there will be a sketch of one of the dolls in each DVD.

Another set you might consider are the Twilight Edward and Bella dolls that you can purchase separately or together as a bundle:

These were quite popular around the holidays last year, and one of the places that you can purchase them is at Wal Mart.   Although the dolls are labeled "collector" these are not limited edition. You can be fairly certain that anything sold in the massive numbers required to be on the shelf at Wal Mart is not going to go up in value for long time. The question to ask is, how long will it take for them to become scarce?  Many, many years.

Also remember that the most highly valued dolls have never been removed from the box and played with or displayed.  In other words, they are pristine and in mint condition.

I hope that you enjoyed this edition of Tomorrow's Vintage Collectibles.  Be sure to leave a comment!


 Mad Men doll image courtesy of the New York Times; Edward and Bella dolls courtesy of Amazon.com.